Eruvin 2b

עירובין ב׳ ע״ב

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Topic

The sources for the maximum height and width of a מבוי entrance: the משכן's courtyard gate, the doorway of the אולם, royal gateways, and the doorway of the היכל

Overview

The משנה limits a מבוי entrance to 20 אמות high and 10 אמות wide, and the גמרא is searching for the source of these numbers in the doorways of the מקדש and the משכן. It first rejects one proof that the משכן is called a מקדש and replaces it with the פסוק 'ועשו לי מקדש.' Next it asks why we don't learn from the courtyard gate of the משכן, which seems to be 20 wide and 5 high. It gives two answers: the gate is not called a plain 'doorway,' or the 15 אמות of hangings measure height, not width. The גמרא then challenges רב's claim that רבי יהודה learns from the doorway of the אולם. רבי יהודה's width dispute is found in a ברייתא, but his allowing 50 אמות goes past the אולם's 40. רב חסדא concludes that a ברייתא misled רב, and that רבי יהודה really learns from royal gateways. The גמרא then tests the רבנן's source, the doorway of the היכל. It asks about the היכל's doors (they were only for privacy) and about the צורת הפתח (רב corrected the משנה to read 'he must narrow it'). A new challenge opens at the end and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. RejectionThe קהתים verse refers to the ארון, not the משכן
2. ProofA better verse: 'Make Me a מקדש'
3. ChallengeWhy not learn the doorway size from the courtyard gate?
4. ResolutionIt is called 'gate doorway,' not a plain doorway
5. ResolutionThe 15 אמות measure height, not width
6. ChallengeA verse says the hangings were only 5 cubits high
7. ResolutionThe 5 cubits are measured from the top of the altar
8. ChallengeWhy doesn't רבי יהודה allow a wide entrance?
9. Resolutionאביי: רבי יהודה does argue, in a ברייתא
10. ChallengeThen why not argue in the משנה itself?
11. ResolutionHis argument about height covers width too
12. ChallengeA ברייתא shows רבי יהודה allowing up to 40, 50, or even 100 אמות
13. Challenge100 can be an exaggeration, but 50 cannot be explained
14. Resolutionרב חסדא: a ברייתא misled רב, and רבי יהודה really learns from royal gateways
15. ChallengeIf the רבנן learn from the היכל, a מבוי should need doors
16. ResolutionThe doors of the היכל were only for privacy
17. ChallengeThe היכל had a doorway frame yet was only ten אמות wide
18. Resolutionרב himself corrected the משנה to say 'he must narrow it'
19. ChallengeOpening words of a new challenge