Eruvin 52a

עירובין נ״ב ע״א

Learn Eruvin 52a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Eruvin 52a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Establishing שביתה from a distance, whether an עירוב gives ארבע אמות, and the man who set out and was turned back (saying vs. setting out)

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a story. רבה בר רב חנן used to declare his Shabbat residence at צינתא from home. אביי challenges him from רב נחמן's view, which a ברייתא supports, and רבה בר רב חנן retracts. רמי בר חמא then asks whether someone who places an עירוב of bread gets ארבע אמות, like someone who stands at the spot in person. רבא tries to prove that he does, but the proof is rejected. A new משנה follows: a man set out toward another town and his friend turned him back. רבי יהודה lets him go there on Shabbat but forbids the other townspeople, while רבי מאיר calls him a חמר גמל. רב הונא explains that the man has two houses, so once he sets out he counts as an עני, while the others are עשירים. רבה and רב יוסף disagree about what רבי יהודה and רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה argue over: saying the declaration or actually setting out. עולא's ruling is shown to follow רב יוסף, and a story about רב נתן בר אושעיא and his guest shows the rule in practice.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. Statementרבה בר רב חנן declares his residence in צינתא
2. Questionאביי asks what reasoning רבה בר רב חנן relies on
3. ChallengeChallenge from רב נחמן, supported by a ברייתא
4. Conclusionרבה בר רב חנן retracts
5. QuestionDoes one who places an עירוב get ארבע אמות?
6. Proofרבא quotes the rule that a bread עירוב is a leniency for the rich
7. ProofWithout ארבע אמות, the bread עירוב would be a stringency
8. RejectionThe wealthy man may want bread even without four cubits
9. Statementמשנה: the man who set out and was turned back
10. Statementרבי מאיר: like a donkey driver and camel driver
11. QuestionWhy is he different from everyone else?
12. Responseרב הונא: he has two houses far apart
13. ResponseThe traveler counts as a poor man, the townspeople as wealthy
14. ProofA ברייתא supports this: setting out on the road is enough
15. StatementEven a man stopped before leaving may go the next morning
16. Statementרבה explains the dispute: speaking is needed, walking is debated
17. Statementרב יוסף flips the dispute: setting out is required by all, and the argument is about saying
18. QuestionWhose view matches עולא's ruling about the man who was talked into returning?
19. Challengeעולא's wording seems to contradict itself
20. Resolutionעולא means: even though he went back, he still counts as having set out
21. Responseעולא follows רב יוסף's version, according to רבי יוסי son of רבי יהודה
22. StatementA guest brings a basket of fruit
23. StatementLetting him start, then inviting him to stay