Eruvin 36b

עירובין ל״ו ע״ב

Learn Eruvin 36b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Eruvin 36b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

When an עירוב takes effect; the conditional עירוב (מתנה אדם על עירובו) and רבי יהודה's view of ברירה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a debate about when an עירוב takes effect: at the start of שבת (תחילת היום) or at the last moment of Friday (סוף היום). רב פפא rejects the proof for סוף היום, because the עירוב food must be edible while it is still Friday anyway. A new משנה then teaches that a person may make his עירוב conditional. Which direction counts can depend on whether גוים come from one side, or whether a חכם comes from one side. רבי יהודה adds that if one of two חכמים is his own רבי, he must go to his רבי. The גמרא resolves a reversed version of the משנה by explaining that it speaks about different kinds of גוים and different kinds of חכמים. It also explains that the רבנן let him choose because a person sometimes prefers a colleague over his teacher. רב then rejects the משנה's report of רבי יהודה, relying on איו's ברייתא, in which רבי יהודה does not allow a condition on two חכמים at once because of אין ברירה. רבי יוחנן explains that the one-חכם case is not ברירה, because the חכם had already arrived. The גמרא begins proving that רבי יהודה holds אין ברירה from a case of wine bought from the כותים, and that proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. ProofProving the עירוב takes effect at the end of Friday
2. Rejectionרב פפא: The food must be edible while it is still day
3. Statementמשנה: A conditional עירוב based on where גוים come from
4. Statementמשנה: A conditional עירוב based on where a חכם comes from
5. Statementרבי יהודה: If one of the Sages is his teacher
6. Statementרבי יצחק teaches the whole משנה in reverse
7. ChallengeThe two versions now contradict each other
8. ResolutionDifferent kinds of gentiles: a tax collector versus the town lord
9. ResolutionDifferent kinds of teachers: a public lecturer versus a teacher of children
10. QuestionWhy don't the Rabbis accept רבי יהודה's rule?
11. ResponseSometimes a person prefers his colleague over his teacher
12. Statementרב says the משנה's version cannot be relied on
13. Proofאיו's ברייתא: no condition on two things at once
14. ChallengeWhy should east-or-west work if there is no retroactive choice?
15. ResolutionThe Sage had already arrived
16. ChallengeWhy not reject איו's ברייתא instead?
17. ResolutionWe already know רבי יהודה rejects retroactive clarification
18. ProofThe proof begins: buying wine from the כותים