Eruvin 86b

עירובין פ״ו ע״ב

Learn Eruvin 86b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Hanging partitions (מחיצה תלויה): the leniency for water, whether רבי יהודה and רבי יוסי share a view, the ציפורי incident, and רבה's link to רבי חנניא בן עקביא

Overview

The גמרא starts with a rule: a beam four טפחים wide across a cistern shared by two courtyards permits drawing water. It first answers that a bucket never drifts more than four טפחים. It then admits that the water still mixes under the beam, and says the real reason is that חכמים were lenient with water. רב supports this: a hanging partition (מחיצה תלויה) works only for water. רבי יוחנן says רבי יהודה in the משנה follows רבי יוסי, who in the סוכה משנה accepts a hanging wall even on dry land. The גמרא rejects that link. רבי יהודה may be lenient only for a rabbinic law, and רבי יוסי may be lenient only for סוכה, not for שבת. The event in ציפורי, where sheets over pillars served as walls to bring a ספר תורה on שבת, followed רבי יוסי's son. The גמרא also clarifies that the sheets were already hanging and were not spread on שבת. Finally, רבה links רבי יהודה with רבי חנניא בן עקביא, whose ruling about a balcony over water continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. StatementA four-handbreadth beam permits drawing water
2. ChallengeThe bucket might drift to the other side
3. ResolutionA bucket does not drift more than four handbreadths
4. ChallengeThe water itself mixes under the beam
5. ResolutionThe Sages were simply lenient with water
6. QuestionDoes a hanging partition work in a ruin?
7. Proofרב: a hanging partition works only for water
8. Statementרבי יהודה follows רבי יוסי on hanging partitions
9. ProofThe source for רבי יוסי: walls lowered from above in a סוכה
10. RejectionThe two opinions may not depend on each other
11. Rejectionרבי יהודה may only be lenient for a rabbinic law
12. Rejectionרבי יוסי may not hold like רבי יהודה either
13. ChallengeObjection from the incident in ציפורי
14. ResolutionIt was done by רבי יוסי's son
15. Statementרב דימי tells the story of the Torah scroll
16. ChallengeHow could they spread a sheet on שבת?
17. ResolutionThe sheets were already spread, not spread on שבת
18. Statementרבה: Two תנאים share the same lenient view
19. ProofThe source for רבי חנניא בן עקביא: the balcony over water