Eruvin 31b

עירובין ל״א ע״ב

Learn Eruvin 31b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Eruvin 31b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which foods are valid for an עירוב (the משנה's 'פשיטא' cases), and who may deliver an עירוב

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a quote that the poor and troops may be fed דמאי, and רב הונא shows this follows בית הלל against בית שמאי. Next, the גמרא goes through each food on our משנה's list and asks 'פשיטא!', why say something obvious? Each time it finds a special case. מעשר ראשון taken while the grain was on the stalks never owes תרומה גדולה. This follows ריש לקיש, and אביי defends that reading against רב פפא, because only piled grain counts as 'דגן'. Redeemed food is valid even if the חומש is unpaid. Even טבל מדרבנן is invalid. Food redeemed improperly, with a blank coin or with land, stays unredeemed. Then a new משנה teaches that an עירוב sent with a חרש, שוטה, or קטן, or with someone who rejects עירוב, is invalid, unless a fit person receives it and places it. The גמרא explains that a קטן is unfit for עירובי תחומין but fit for עירובי חצירות. It also explains that the sender watches the carrier, and that we presume an agent does his job (חזקה שליח עושה שליחותו), tracing both answers to a ברייתא about an elephant and a monkey. Finally, רב נחמן limits that presumption: it is not relied on for Torah laws.

Opening lines

The steps (37)

1. StatementTroops may also be fed דמאי
2. Statementבית שמאי and בית הלל argue about feeding the poor דמאי
3. ChallengeWhy does the משנה need to mention מעשר ראשון whose תרומה was taken?
4. ResolutionThe case is where the לוי took his tithe while the grain was still on the stalks
5. Proofריש לקיש: מעשר ראשון taken on the stalks is exempt from תרומה גדולה
6. ProofThe verse says only מעשר מן המעשר, not תרומה גדולה too
7. Challengeרב פפא asks: then exempt the grain pile too
8. Resolutionאביי answers with another verse
9. ChallengeWhy apply each verse this way?
10. ResolutionPiled grain counts as grain; grain on stalks does not
11. ChallengeIsn't redeemed מעשר שני and הקדש obviously allowed?
12. ResolutionA missing חומש does not hold back the redemption
13. ChallengeIsn't טבל obviously not allowed?
14. ResolutionThe case is טבל that is forbidden only by the Rabbis
15. ChallengeWhy teach that מעשר ראשון whose תרומה was not taken cannot be used?
16. ResolutionThe case: the לוי took his tithe from the pile first
17. ResolutionThe משנה follows אביי, not רב פפא
18. ChallengeWhy teach that unredeemed מעשר שני and הקדש cannot be used?
19. ResolutionRedeemed improperly, as with an unminted coin
20. Resolutionהקדש redeemed with land
21. Statementמשנה: sending an עירוב with an unfit messenger
22. ChallengeChallenge: רב הונא says a קטן may collect an עירוב
23. ResolutionAnswer: עירובי תחומין versus עירובי חצירות
24. QuestionWho is 'one who does not accept עירוב'?
25. Responseרב חסדא: it means a כותי
26. StatementQuoting the end of the משנה about another person receiving the עירוב
27. ChallengeMaybe the carrier never delivers it
28. ResolutionThe sender stands and watches
29. ChallengeMaybe the receiver never takes it
30. ResolutionAn agent is presumed to do his job
31. QuestionWhere were these two rulings first said?
32. ResponseThe ברייתא about the elephant and the monkey
33. ChallengeIn the original case: maybe the animal never delivers it
34. Resolutionרב חסדא's original answer
35. ChallengeIn the original case: maybe the receiver never accepts it
36. Resolutionרב יחיאל's original answer
37. Statementרב נחמן limits the agent presumption