Eruvin 28b

עירובין כ״ח ע״ב

Learn Eruvin 28b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Foods that may be used for an עירוב: arugula seeds, כשות and חזיז and their ברכות, unripe dates and קור (heart of palm), and the measures for several vegetable foods.

Overview

This amud finishes an explanation from the previous amud: the herbs fit for an עירוב are the garden kind. It then explains that arugula seeds count as food because earlier generations ground them as a spice for roast meat. A story follows: a schoolchild tells רבי זירא that כשות gets בורא פרי האדמה and חזיז gets שהכל. The גמרא rules like the child, because ripeness decides the ברכה, and even כשות really feeds from the ground. Next the גמרא challenges רב's ruling that unripe dates (כפניות) cannot be used for an עירוב, using a ברייתא that treats them as food. The final answer is that unripe dates count as food for טומאה only because cooking can sweeten them, a principle of רבי יוחנן about bitter almonds, while an עירוב needs food that is ready to eat. The גמרא then explains how רבי יהודה differs from the תנא קמא about קור (heart of palm): the difference is its ברכה, and the halacha follows שמואל that it is שהכל. Finally, the גמרא gives the measures for כשות, חזיז, the green קליא plant, and fresh beans. It ends with a challenge to raw beets, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (43)

1. ResponseThe herbs meant are the garden variety
2. QuestionWhat are arugula seeds good for?
3. ResponseArugula seeds were used like pepper
4. Statementרבי זירא rests at the study hall door
5. Questionרבי זירא asks the child what he learned
6. ResponseThe child reports the blessings for dodder and green grain
7. Challengeרבי זירא argues the blessings should be reversed
8. ConclusionThe halacha follows the schoolchild
9. RejectionDodder also draws nourishment from the ground
10. ChallengeChallenge: a ברייתא treats unripe dates as food
11. Proofרבי יהודה also treats unripe dates as fruit
12. ResolutionThe ברייתא refers to dates that never ripen
13. Challengeרבי יהודה obligates never-ripening fruit in tithes
14. ResolutionThe ברייתא is about later-ripening dates, and food impurity is different
15. QuestionWhere was רבי יוחנן's statement originally said?
16. ResponseThe ברייתא about bitter and sweet almonds
17. Statementרבי חנינא ruled that both are exempt
18. QuestionWhat are large bitter almonds good for?
19. Responseרבי יוחנן: they can be sweetened by fire
20. Challengeרבי יהודה's view sounds the same as the first opinion
21. Resolutionאביי: they disagree about heart of palm that was boiled or fried
22. Challengeרבא: everyone agrees that cooking turns hide into food
23. Resolutionרבא: they disagree about which blessing to make
24. Statementרב יהודה and שמואל disagree about the blessing on heart of palm
25. Proofשמואל supports רב יהודה's view from radish
26. RejectionThe radish proof is rejected
27. ConclusionThe halacha follows שמואל
28. Statementרב's ruling that dodder and green grain work for an עירוב
29. QuestionHow much dodder is needed for an עירוב?
30. ResponseThe measure is a handful, like רב יחיאל said
31. QuestionHow much green grain is needed for an עירוב?
32. ResponseA full farmers' bundle
33. StatementAn עירוב may be made with glasswort
34. ChallengeCould anyone really eat glasswort ash?
35. ResolutionIt means the green plant before it is burned
36. QuestionHow much of the green plant is needed?
37. ResponseA handful
38. QuestionVillagers ask רבי ירמיה about fresh beans
39. ResponseIn the study hall: fresh beans are allowed
40. QuestionHow many fresh beans are needed?
41. ResponseA handful of fresh beans
42. StatementAn עירוב may be made with raw beets
43. ChallengeBut raw beets are said to be deadly