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Eruvin 68b

עירובין ס״ח ע״ב

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Topic

ביטול רשות: whether rights may be given up and then given back (the dispute between רב and שמואל and its possible sources among the תנאים), and the status of a צדוקי in the laws of עירוב.

Overview

רבא was asked to give up his courtyard rights so hot water could be carried for a baby's ברית מילה, and then have the rights given back to him, as רב allows. רבא answers that on this point he holds like שמואל, who forbids giving rights back. When challenged that שמואל's reason should also forbid ביטול רשות between courtyards, רבא explains that שמואל's real reason is to keep rabbinic law from looking like a joke. The גמרא then looks at the dispute between רב and שמואל on its own. It tries to tie it to the dispute between רבי אליעזר and רבנן, and then to the dispute between רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה about someone who carried after giving up his rights. Each link is pushed aside, though רב אשי insists the first link is correct. Next the גמרא turns to the משנה's story of a צדוקי neighbor. It explains that words are missing: there is a dispute over whether a צדוקי is like a גוי, and רבן גמליאל says he is not. A ברייתא gives two versions of רבן גמליאל's words to his sons, one from רבי מאיר and one from רבי יהודה. The amud ends with the גמרא questioning what רבי מאיר's version implies about who carries first; the answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

נִיתֵּיב מָר בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ,

Let the Master stay in his place,

וְנִיבַטֵּיל לְהוּ לְדִידְהוּ,

and give up [his rights] to them,

וְנִיהְדְּרוּ אִינְהוּ וְנִיבַטְּלוּ לֵיהּ לְמָר,

and then let them in turn give up [their rights] to the Master,

דְּהָא אָמַר רַב:

For Rav said:

The steps (20)

  1. StatementA plan: give up your rights, then get them back
  2. ProofSupport for the plan from רב
  3. Rejectionרבא holds like שמואל on this point
  4. ChallengeAren't both rules based on the same reason?
  5. Resolutionשמואל's real reason: not making the rabbinic law look like a joke
  6. StatementRestating the dispute between רב and שמואל
  7. QuestionSuggesting the dispute matches רבנן versus רבי אליעזר
  8. Rejectionרב can agree even with רבי אליעזר
  9. Rejectionשמואל's ruling also fits רבנן
  10. ProofA dispute between תנאים about carrying after giving up rights
  11. QuestionProposing how the Tannaim's dispute matches רב and שמואל
  12. Rejectionרבא: the תנאים argue about a penalty, not about giving rights back
  13. Statementרב אשי links רב and שמואל to רבי אליעזר and רבנן
  14. StatementThe משנה's story about a צדוקי neighbor
  15. ChallengeWhy is a צדוקי mentioned at all?
  16. ResolutionThe משנה is missing words: is a צדוקי like a גוי?
  17. ProofA ברייתא confirms the dispute about a Sadducee
  18. Statementרבי יהודה's version: Hurry before nightfall
  19. StatementQuoting רבי מאיר's version for analysis
  20. ChallengeDoes carrying first protect the alleyway?