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Eruvin 69a

עירובין ס״ט ע״א

Learn Eruvin 69a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Giving up rights (ביטול רשות): when it can be undone, and whether a מומר or צדוקי can do it

Overview

The גמרא asks whether someone who gave up his rights in a shared alleyway (ביטול רשות) can take them back by carrying there. רבי מאיר seems to contradict himself on this point. רב יוסף fixes the text to solve the contradiction. אביי instead says it depends on whether the other residents already took possession (החזיקו) of the alleyway, and a ברייתא backs him up. Next, the גמרא compares two versions of רבי יהודה's report about the צדוקי neighbor. The ברייתא's version suggests that the צדוקי is like a גוי, but the משנה's version suggests that his giving up of rights works. The answer is that a מומר who breaks שבת in private can give up his rights, while one who breaks שבת in public is like a גוי. A story about a man who hid his ring from רבי יהודה נשיאה shows this rule in action. Finally, רב הונא defines a מומר as one who breaks שבת in public, and רב נחמן challenges this definition. His challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְהָתְנַן מִי שֶׁנָּתַן רְשׁוּתוֹ

But didn't we learn: one who gave away his rights

וְהוֹצִיא, בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד —

and then carried out, whether by accident or on purpose,

אוֹסֵר, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.

he makes it forbidden. These are the words of Rabbi Meir.

אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף:

Rav Yosef said:

The steps (18)

  1. ChallengeA contradiction from another משנה in רבי מאיר's name
  2. Resolutionרב יוסף changes the wording of the משנה
  3. Resolutionאביי: it depends on whether the residents already took possession
  4. ProofA ברייתא: carrying before renouncing
  5. StatementThe ברייתא continues: carrying after renouncing
  6. ProofThe ברייתא's limit: once they took possession, no one forbids
  7. StatementQuoting רבי יהודה's version and drawing an inference
  8. ChallengeThe משנה's wording points the other way
  9. ResolutionFirst answer: read the משנה as 'before the day goes out'
  10. ResolutionSecond answer: breaking שבת in private versus in public
  11. QuestionWhich תנא matches the ברייתא about a מומר and גילוי פנים?
  12. ChallengeIsn't a brazen-faced person already a מומר?
  13. ResolutionFixing the wording: a מומר who acts brazenly
  14. ResponseThe ברייתא follows רבי יהודה
  15. ProofThe man who hid his ring from רבי יהודה נשיאה
  16. Statementרב הונא defines a ישראל מומר
  17. Challengeרב נחמן asks whose view this is, starting with רבי מאיר
  18. ChallengeThe second side: according to the רבנן