Eruvin 43a

עירובין מ״ג ע״א

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Topic

עירובין 43a: whether רבן גמליאל and רבי יהושע argue about a moving boat or only a stopped one, and רב חנניא's question whether תחומין apply above ten טפחים

Overview

This amud finishes רבי זירא's explanation of the boat dispute in the משנה: for רבי יהושע, a boat's walls are only there to keep water out, so they are not real מחיצות. רבה explains the dispute differently. In a moving boat everyone agrees a person may walk the whole boat, and the argument is only about a boat that has stopped. רב נחמן בר יצחק proves this from the משנה's word רָצוּ: רבי יהושע and רבי עקיבא 'wanted' to be strict, so their strictness was voluntary. רב אשי adds that the משנה groups the boat with a fixed pen and stable. רב אחא בריה דרבא objects that a ruling of הלכה about a boat shows there was a real dispute. רב אשי agrees that there was a dispute, about the stopped boat, and brings a ברייתא in which רבי יהושע himself decided the הלכה. Then רב חנניא asks a new question: do תחומין apply more than ten טפחים above the ground, for example on a narrow post, in a leap, or on a boat? The גמרא tries to answer it from the boat stories in the משנה, from seven teachings heard in סורא and פומבדיתא on the same שבת, and finally from a ברייתא about a vow of נזירות on the day משיח comes. That last proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. StatementBoat walls are only meant to keep the water out
2. QuestionWhy did רבה not explain it like רבי זירא?
3. ResponseIn a moving boat everyone agrees; the dispute is only about a stopped boat
4. Proofרב נחמן בר יצחק: the משנה's wording supports this
5. ProofThe word 'they wanted' shows the strictness was voluntary
6. ProofIf they argued about a moving boat, 'they chose to be strict' would make no sense
7. Proofרב אשי: the boat is listed with a pen and a stable, so it means a stopped boat
8. ChallengeChallenge: a ruling of הלכה shows there was a real dispute
9. ResolutionYes, they argue, about the stopped boat, and רבי יהושע decided the הלכה
10. Questionרב חנניא asks whether שבת boundaries apply above ten טפחים
11. StatementA wide post is not a question because it counts as ground
12. StatementThe real question: a narrow post, or a person leaping
13. QuestionAnother version: the question is asked about a boat
14. ProofProof from the Sages who were strict on the boat
15. RejectionThe boat was in shallow swampy water
16. ProofProof from arriving at the port after dark
17. Rejectionרבא: again, shallow swampy water
18. ProofProof from the seven teachings carried from סורא to פומבדיתא on שבת
19. RejectionMaybe a demon who does not keep שבת brought the teachings
20. ProofA new proof begins: a vow to be a נזיר on the day משיח comes