Eruvin 98a

עירובין צ״ח ע״א

Learn Eruvin 98a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Rolling back a fallen ספר on שבת: who authored the משנה, אביי's כרמלית explanation of the four-אמות rule, and the reader on the roof who turns the scroll over.

Overview

The משנה lets a person reading on a threshold roll a ספר back to himself on שבת, even though this seems to involve a rabbinic prohibition (שבות). The גמרא first says the משנה follows רבי שמעון, who holds that a שבות gives way for כתבי הקודש. רב יהודה accepts that this splits the משנה between רבי שמעון and רבי יהודה. רבה instead explains the leniency as a special allowance to prevent בזיון on a threshold people walk on. אביי rejects this from a ברייתא that draws a line at four אמות. He explains that the threshold is a כרמלית in front of a רשות הרבים, so within four אמות only a rabbinic violation is at stake. The גמרא then worries that he might carry the ספר straight into the house. It answers with a long threshold, a pause to look at the scrolls, בן עזאי's rule that walking counts as standing, and the rule that one does not throw holy writings. Next, the גמרא explains why the reader on a roof may turn the scroll face-down: it is the lesser disgrace. רבא sets that case on a slanted wall, and when אביי challenges him from רבי יהודה's ruling, the גמרא says the משנה is missing words. The fuller reading continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי שמעון
2. ChallengeThe end of the משנה shows the middle clause cannot be רבי שמעון
3. Resolutionרב יהודה accepts the split authorship
4. Resolutionרבה: a threshold people walk on, permitted to prevent disgrace
5. Challengeאביי challenges רבה from the four-amos distinction
6. Resolutionאביי sets up a new case: a threshold that is a כרמלית
7. ResolutionWhy the four-אמות limit matters in אביי's case
8. ChallengeEven within four אמות, he might bring the ספר into the house
9. RejectionThe כרמלית in between does not help, based on רבא's rule
10. ResolutionThe threshold is long, so he will remember
11. ResolutionEven a short threshold works, because people stop to look over holy writings
12. ChallengeMaybe he stops to read in the public domain instead
13. ResolutionThe משנה follows בן עזאי: walking counts as standing
14. ChallengeMaybe he will throw the scrolls in
15. ResolutionPeople do not throw holy writings
16. ChallengeIs it really allowed to turn a holy scroll face-down?
17. ResolutionScribes have a better option; the reader on the roof does not
18. ChallengeWhy forbid rolling it back if the scroll never landed?
19. Resolutionרבא: the scroll is resting on a slanted wall
20. Challengeאביי: then why does רבי יהודה allow rolling it back?
21. ResolutionThe משנה is missing words: the first rule is about a slanted wall