Gemara Clarity

Eruvin 32a

עירובין ל״ב ע״א

Learn Eruvin 32a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Eruvin 32a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whether we rely on חזקה שליח עושה שליחותו for Torah laws, and the גמרא's analysis of the figs ברייתא

Overview

This amud continues the מחלוקת between רב נחמן and רב ששת about relying on חזקה שליח עושה שליחותו, the presumption that a messenger did his job. רב נחמן says we rely on it only for rabbinic laws, like עירוב. רב ששת says we rely on it for Torah laws too. רב ששת brings three proofs: the עומר and חדש, the woman who puts money for her קרבנות in the שופר box, and a ברייתא about picking figs from a friend's tree. רב נחמן answers each one the same way: the trust there comes from someone especially reliable, such as the בית דין, the court of כהנים, or a חבר, and not from the general rule about messengers. The גמרא then goes back to the figs ברייתא to understand it on its own terms. It asks to whom the עם הארץ owner is speaking, and why the סיפא mentions feeding טבל to an עם הארץ. רבינא answers that the רישא and the סיפא describe different cases, and the explanation of רבי's view continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

בְּשֶׁל סוֹפְרִים —

With regard to rabbinic laws —

חֲזָקָה שָׁלִיחַ עוֹשֶׂה שְׁלִיחוּתוֹ.

there is a presumption that a messenger does his mission.

וְרַב שֵׁשֶׁת אָמַר:

And Rav Sheshet said:

אֶחָד זֶה וְאֶחָד זֶה —

Both this and that —

The steps (19)

  1. Statementרב נחמן: For rabbinic laws we trust the messenger
  2. Statementרב ששת: We trust the messenger for both kinds of law
  3. Proofרב ששת quotes the משנה about new grain and the עומר
  4. ProofWhy the משנה proves the presumption works for Torah law
  5. Rejectionרב נחמן: The court is a special case
  6. ProofSecond version: רב נחמן uses the עומר משנה as his own proof
  7. Rejectionרב ששת reads the same משנה as being about timing only
  8. Proofרב ששת's proof from the woman who puts money in the collection box
  9. Rejectionרב נחמן answers: the priests' court never leaves until all the money is used
  10. ProofA source about picking figs from a friend's tree
  11. Statementרבי and רבן שמעון בן גמליאל argue about an owner who is a חבר
  12. Statementרבי explains why he disagrees with his father
  13. ProofEveryone agrees that a messenger does his job
  14. Rejectionרב נחמן: the trust comes from a rule about a חבר, not about agents
  15. StatementThe גמרא quotes the ברייתא again to study it
  16. QuestionWho is the עם הארץ owner speaking to?
  17. ResponseThe picker must be a חבר
  18. ChallengeThe סיפא mentions feeding an עם הארץ
  19. Resolutionרבינא: the two clauses describe different cases