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Eruvin 44a

עירובין מ״ד ע״א

Learn Eruvin 44a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

What רב חסדא asked about נחמיה, and whether a wall of people may be set up on שבת (the third versus fourth סוכה wall)

Overview

Earlier, נחמיה was so absorbed in learning that he walked past his תחום שבת, and רב נחמן ruled: 'Make a wall of people for him and let him come back in.' The גמרא first asks what רב חסדא was unsure about. It proves he was not asking about רבן גמליאל's rule, because רב already ruled on that, so he must have been asking about רבי אליעזר's rule that someone two אמות outside may come back in. Next, רב נחמן בר יצחק challenges רבא with a ברייתא that forbids standing a person in place of a fallen סוכה wall on שבת or יום טוב. רבא answers with another ברייתא that allows using a friend as a wall, so the two ברייתות contradict each other. The גמרא first says they follow רבי אליעזר and the חכמים, but רבי יוחנן says everyone forbids starting a temporary tent. It then tries רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה, but that fails as well, because רבי מאיר spoke only about an animal and could not permit a new wall whichever view of temporary tents he follows. The final answer is that both ברייתות follow the רבנן: making the third wall of a סוכה is forbidden, and making the extra fourth wall is permitted. The wording 'its wall fell' proves this.

Opening lines

אוֹ אֵין הֲלָכָה כְּרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל.

or is the halacha not like Rabban Gamliel?

אוֹ דִילְמָא, בִּדְלָא מָלוּ גַּבְרֵי עָסְקִינַן,

Or perhaps we are dealing with a case where people did not fill (the whole space),

וְקָא מִבַּעְיָא לֵיהּ:

and what he was asking was:

הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר,

Is the halacha like Rabbi Eliezer,

The steps (17)

  1. QuestionWhat exactly was רב חסדא unsure about?
  2. ResponseIt must be the case where people did not fill the space
  3. ConclusionSo the question was about רבי אליעזר
  4. ProofSupport from רב נחמן's word 'let him enter'
  5. ChallengeChallenge from a fallen סוכה wall
  6. Proofרבא answers with a source that permits it
  7. ChallengeThe two sources contradict each other
  8. ResolutionFirst answer: the window shutter dispute
  9. ChallengeEveryone forbids starting a temporary tent
  10. ResolutionSecond answer: is an animal a valid wall?
  11. ResolutionHow each opinion fits one of the two ברייתות
  12. Challengeרבי מאיר only spoke about an animal
  13. ChallengeWhose view would רבי מאיר follow about a temporary tent?
  14. ChallengeOr does רבי מאיר follow the רבנן?
  15. ChallengeThe רבנן only allowed adding, not starting
  16. ResolutionBoth follow the רבנן: third wall versus fourth wall
  17. ProofThe wording 'its wall fell' supports the answer