Eruvin 84b

עירובין פ״ד ע״ב

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Topic

Failed proofs in the רב–שמואל dispute about lowering versus hoisting: the two balconies, אביי's ten-טפחים principle, and the roof that needs a fixed ladder

Overview

The גמרא keeps trying to settle the argument between רב and שמואל about two neighbors who share a space. One draws water easily by lowering a bucket, and the other draws with difficulty by hoisting it up. רב says they forbid each other. שמואל says the space goes to the one whose use is easy. The גמרא first brings a משנה about two balconies, one above the other. If a partition was made only for the upper one, both are forbidden without an עירוב, which seems to support רב. רב אדא בר אהבה rejects this: the lower residents climb up and lower their buckets from the upper balcony. אביי rejects it differently: the balconies are within ten טפחים of each other, so they forbid each other no matter how each one draws. The גמרא supports אביי's idea with שמואל's rule that a roof next to the רשות הרבים needs a fixed ladder. רב פפא knocks down that support, because the public may simply rest hats and scarves on the roof, so no clear proof is found for either side. The עמוד ends as a new teaching of רב יהודה in the name of שמואל begins.

Opening lines

The steps (7)

1. ProofA proof from the case of two balconies
2. RejectionThe lower residents climb up to draw water
3. RejectionThe balconies are within ten טפחים, and the משנה uses a 'no need to say' style
4. RejectionThe משנה's real point: even when only the upper one has a partition
5. ProofA roof near the public domain needs a fixed ladder
6. RejectionMaybe the public puts hats and scarves on the roof
7. StatementA new statement of שמואל begins