Eruvin 13b

עירובין י״ג ע״ב

Learn Eruvin 13b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Eruvin 13b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The סוטה scroll versus a גט, praise of רבי מאיר and of sharp reasoning, why הלכה follows בית הלל, and the new משנה on the width of the קורה

Overview

This amud opens at the end of a ruling about a גט: a גט written for one woman cannot be used by a namesake for his own wife. The גמרא tries to apply this to the סוטה scroll, but rejects the comparison. A גט must be written for her, while for a סוטה only the doing, the erasing, must be for her. The topic then turns to praise of רבי מאיר, whose colleagues could not follow the depth of his reasoning, so the הלכה was not fixed like him. The גמרא also explains his name and the name נהוראי, describes how רבי was sharpened by seeing him, and tells of sharp students who could argue both sides, including רבינא's קל וחומר about a שרץ, which is rejected. Next comes the famous בת קול: both בית שמאי and בית הלל speak 'the words of the living God,' but the הלכה follows בית הלל because of their humility, shown by a משנה about סוכה. The aggadah closes with their debate over whether man should have been created, ending with a call to examine one's deeds. Finally, a new משנה begins the laws of the קורה over a מבוי: how wide and strong it must be, and how to judge curved and round beams.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. ProofA divorce document written for one woman cannot be used by a namesake
2. RejectionThe comparison fails because the verses require different things
3. StatementWhy the law does not follow the unmatched genius of his generation
4. StatementThe real name of the sage called the 'one who lights up'
5. StatementThe sage known as נהוראי was really someone else
6. Statementרבי became sharp just from seeing רבי מאיר from behind
7. Statementרבי מאיר's student סומכוס gave 48 reasons for each side
8. StatementA student in יבנה could argue 150 ways that a שרץ is pure
9. Statementרבינא's own argument that a creeping animal should be pure
10. RejectionThe snake argument is rejected: a snake is like a thorn
11. StatementA Heavenly voice: both views are divine, but the law follows בית הלל
12. QuestionIf both views are true, why did בית הלל win?
13. ResponseBecause בית הלל were gentle, humble, and quoted בית שמאי first
14. ProofAn example from the משנה: eating in a סוכה with the table in the house
15. Proofבית הלל's story, naming the elders of בית שמאי first
16. Rejectionבית שמאי reject the story: the elders told him he never fulfilled the מצוה
17. ConclusionThe lesson: whoever lowers himself is raised up
18. StatementThe long debate over whether man should have been created
19. ConclusionThe vote and the practical lesson: examine your deeds
20. StatementHow wide the cross beam must be
21. StatementMust the beam also be sturdy? רבי יהודה disagrees
22. StatementCurved beams count as straight, round beams count as square
23. StatementA circumference of three handbreadths gives a width of one handbreadth