Eruvin 53a

עירובין נ״ג ע״א

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Topic

End of the משנה on extending a city's תחום שבת (bridges, monuments, squaring the city), then the גמרא's opening dispute between רב and שמואל on the wording מעברין or מאברין, followed by a related dispute about the shape of מערת המכפלה.

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה about measuring a city's תחום שבת. Bridges and monuments that contain a living space extend the city's edge, and the whole city is then treated as a square so it gains the corners. The גמרא opens with a dispute between רב and שמואל: is the משנה's word מעברין (like a pregnant woman's belly) or מאברין (adding limbs)? It then brings a chain of other רב and שמואל disputes: the shape of מערת המכפלה, whether אמרפל or נמרוד was the real name, and whether the 'new king' of מצרים was truly new. Next, רבי יוחנן reports that in eighteen days with רבי אושעיא he learned only that מאברין is spelled with an א. The גמרא challenges this from his other statement that he learned the heart and wisdom of each student there, and reconciles the two in three different ways. This leads to praise of great teachers and to sayings about how each generation's understanding, reasoning and memory have weakened. The amud ends with explanations of why Torah lasted in יהודה but not in the גליל: precise language and סימנים, learning from one teacher, and announcing the מסכתא in advance. That last point is illustrated by דוד and שאול, and the פסוק about שאול continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (34)

1. StatementBridges and monuments with a residence extend the city's border
2. StatementThe city is squared off so it gains the corners
3. Statementרב and שמואל disagree on how to spell the משנה's key word
4. StatementWhat each reading means: limbs or a pregnant belly
5. Statementרב and שמואל disagree about the layout of מערת המכפלה
6. ChallengeHow does the two-rooms opinion explain the name 'מכפלה'?
7. ResolutionIt is 'doubled' with couples
8. Statementקרית ארבע means the city of four couples
9. StatementWho was Amraphel?
10. StatementWas the new king of Egypt really new?
11. ProofThe verse-based source for each opinion about the new king
12. ChallengeChallenge: how could the same king not know יוסף?
13. ResolutionHe acted as if he never knew יוסף
14. StatementA memory aid for the teachings that follow
15. Statementרבי יוחנן's one lesson from רבי אושעיא: מאברין is spelled with an א
16. ChallengeDid רבי יוחנן really learn only one thing there?
17. ResolutionHe learned about people, not learning content
18. ResolutionFrom the students he learned, from the teacher only one thing
19. ResolutionOnly one point in our משנה
20. StatementFour students crowded into each אמה at רבי אושעיא's
21. StatementSix students in each אמה at רבי אלעזר בן שמוע's
22. Statementרבי אושעיא was like רבי מאיר in his generation
23. StatementThe minds of earlier and later sages compared to doorways in the Temple
24. StatementIdentifying the earlier and later sages: first version
25. StatementIdentifying the earlier and later sages: second version
26. Statementאביי: we are like a peg going into a wall when we learn
27. Statementרבא: we are like a finger pushed into wax when we reason
28. Statementרב אשי: we are like a finger in a pit when it comes to forgetting
29. StatementPeople of Judea kept their Torah because they were careful in speech; people of the Galilee did not
30. ChallengeDoes It Really Depend on Being Careful?
31. ResolutionPrecise Wording and Memory Aids
32. StatementLearning From One Teacher
33. Statementרבינא: Announcing the מסכתא Ahead of Time
34. Proofדוד and שאול as an Example