Chagigah 17b

חגיגה י״ז ע״ב

Learn Chagigah 17b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chagigah 17b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Challenges to, and support for, the rule that עצרת (שבועות) has make-up days (תשלומין) for its offerings, and whether work is allowed on those days.

Overview

This amud opens by finishing an earlier answer with a פסוק: a person leaves ירושלים only in the morning. The גמרא then tests the rule of רבי אלעזר in the name of רבי אושעיא that עצרת has make-up days (תשלומין) for its offerings. The first challenge comes from a משנה where בית הלל say that עצרת falling on Friday has 'no יום טבוח'. The גמרא answers that this only means no extra day is needed, and it shows why that dispute had to be taught alongside another משנה. A second challenge, from a source that mentions only 'the first יום טוב of עצרת', is answered by reading it as 'days of slaughter'. A third challenge compares עצרת to ראש חודש, which is one day. רבא rejects it, because עצרת is counted in weeks and is even called 'חג שבועות'. The גמרא then brings a teaching from the school of רבי אליעזר בן יעקב: since reaping is forbidden on יום טוב, the 'festival when you reap' must mean the make-up days of עצרת. Finally it explains that this teaching adds something to רבי אלעזר's source: work is allowed on עצרת's make-up days, unlike פסח's. The reverse side of that explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (16)

1. ProofA verse: you leave in the morning
2. ChallengeChallenge: does עצרת have no make-up day at all?
3. ResolutionAnswer: it just doesn't need one
4. ChallengeWhy teach this dispute twice?
5. ResolutionBoth teachings are needed
6. ResolutionThe other half of why both משניות are needed
7. ProofA proof from a משנה listing the festival days
8. RejectionIt means the day of slaughter, not the יום טוב
9. ChallengeThen at least it shows there is one day of slaughter
10. ResolutionRead it as 'days of slaughter'
11. ProofA proof from comparing עצרת to ראש חודש
12. Rejectionרבא: עצרת is counted in weeks too
13. ProofA teaching from the school of רבי אליעזר בן יעקב: proclaiming and reaping
14. ProofThe reaping must be on the make-up days, not on יום טוב
15. ResolutionWhy רבי אליעזר בן יעקב's source is still needed
16. ResolutionStarting the other side: what if we had only רבי אליעזר בן יעקב's source