Eruvin 48a

עירובין מ״ח ע״א

Learn Eruvin 48a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Eruvin 48a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The water-ditch partition, a person's ד׳ אמות on שבת, and joining courtyards with an עירוב

Overview

The amud opens with the end of רבי חייא's teaching that a water ditch between two תחומין needs an iron partition, and רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא laughs at it. The גמרא tries several reasons for the laughter and rejects them one by one. It settles on the rule that חכמים were lenient with partitions for water, and supports this with רב's answer to רבי טבלא that a hanging partition works only for water. Next, on the משנה about a person asleep on the road at the start of שבת, רבא explains that חכמים give him eight by eight אמות for walking, while רבי יהודה gives four. For carrying, everyone agrees on four אמות. The גמרא then finds the source of the ד׳ אמות in the פסוק ״שבו איש תחתיו״: a body of three אמות plus one more. רב פפא rules that each person measures with his own forearm, except someone whose limbs are unusually small. Finally, the גמרא explains רבי שמעון's comparison to three courtyards and asks why the two outer courtyards are forbidden to each other. רב יהודה answers, and רב ששת begins a second answer that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. StatementThe ditch needs an iron partition to divide it
2. Statementרבי יוסי son of רבי חנינא laughs at the teaching
3. QuestionWhy did he laugh?
4. ResponseFirst suggestion: he holds like the lenient Rabbis
5. RejectionYou don't laugh at someone just for being stricter
6. ResponseSecond suggestion: flowing water is like the feet of everyone
7. RejectionMaybe the ditch holds still, collected water
8. ResponseA third reason: an iron partition is no better than reeds
9. RejectionPerhaps the ditch simply has no remedy
10. ResponseThe real reason: the Sages were lenient with water
11. ProofSetting up support from רבי טבלא's question
12. Responseרב answers that a hanging partition works only for water
13. ChallengeThe opinions of חכמים and רבי יהודה seem identical
14. Resolutionרבא: the difference is an eight-by-eight area
15. ProofA ברייתא supports the eight-by-eight reading
16. StatementThe argument is only about walking, not carrying
17. QuestionWhere do the four אמות come from?
18. ResponseA person's place is his body plus one cubit
19. QuestionWhat is the difference between them?
20. ResponseExactly four cubits
21. QuestionWhose cubit measures the four cubits?
22. ChallengeA two-sided trap: עוג's size or the missing list entry
23. Rejectionרב פפא pushes back on too much precision
24. ResolutionUse your own forearm, but the rule has exceptions
25. QuestionWhy did רבי שמעון need a comparison?
26. Responseרבי שמעון's comparison is a challenge to the Rabbis
27. ResolutionThe Rabbis answer: courtyards have many residents
28. ChallengeWhy are the two outer courtyards forbidden to each other?
29. Resolutionרב יהודה: the middle courtyard placed its עירוב in each outer one
30. Resolutionרב ששת's alternative answer: even with the עירוב in the middle courtyard