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Gittin 56b

גיטין נ״ו ע״ב

Learn Gittin 56b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The חורבן story: רבן יוחנן בן זכאי's meeting with אספסיינוס and his requests, and the wickedness and punishment of טיטוס

Overview

This amud continues the story of the חורבן. רבן יוחנן בן זכאי proves from פסוקים that אספסיינוס will become king, and he blames the בריוני for keeping the people from making peace. אספסיינוס answers with a משל of a snake wrapped around a barrel of honey, and later sages say what רבן יוחנן בן זכאי should have answered. News comes from רומי that אספסיינוס has been made emperor. Before he leaves, he grants רבן יוחנן בן זכאי three requests: יבנה and its sages, the family of רבן גמליאל, and doctors for רבי צדוק. The גמרא then turns to the wicked טיטוס, who defiles the קדשי הקדשים and carries off the vessels of the בית המקדש, while חז"ל praise God for staying silent. When טיטוס mocks God at sea, a tiny gnat enters his brain and torments him until he dies. The amud ends with his nephew אונקלוס raising him from the dead to ask about the Jewish people, and the story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אִיבְרָא מַלְכָּא אַתְּ;

In truth, you are a king;

דְּאִי לָאו מַלְכָּא אַתְּ

for if you were not a king,

לָא מִימַּסְרָא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בִּידָךְ,

Jerusalem would not be handed over into your hand,

דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהַלְּבָנוֹן בְּאַדִּיר יִפּוֹל״ –

as it is written: "And the Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one" –

The steps (34)

  1. ResponseProof from the verses that אספסיינוס will be king
  2. ResponseWhy he did not come out sooner: the zealots stopped us
  3. ChallengeThe general's parable of the honey barrel and the snake
  4. RejectionHis silence, and the answer he should have given
  5. QuestionNews from Rome and the shoe that won't go on
  6. ResponseGood news has made your bones fat
  7. ResponseThe cure: see someone you dislike
  8. ConclusionWhy didn't you come sooner? We each already answered
  9. QuestionThe general offers a gift before leaving
  10. ResponseThree requests: יבנה, רבן גמליאל's family, and doctors
  11. ChallengeCriticism: he should have asked to spare the city
  12. ResolutionDefense: asking too much could have saved nothing
  13. QuestionWhat were the doctors for רבי צדוק?
  14. ResponseStep-by-step feeding to heal רבי צדוק
  15. Statementטיטוס is sent, and a פסוק calls him a blasphemer
  16. Statementטיטוס defiles the קדשי הקדשים and slashes the פרוכת
  17. Statementאבא חנן: God is strong enough to stay silent
  18. StatementSchool of רבי ישמעאל: Who is like You among the silent
  19. Statementטיטוס ships the vessels of the בית המקדש home to boast
  20. StatementSecond view: 'buried' means truly buried things
  21. Statementטיטוס mocks God at sea, and a heavenly voice answers
  22. QuestionWhy is the gnat called a lowly creature?
  23. ResponseThe gnat has a way in but no way out
  24. StatementThe gnat enters טיטוס's brain for seven years
  25. StatementThe blacksmith's hammer helps only for thirty days
  26. Statementרבי פנחס בן ערובא sees the gnat after טיטוס dies
  27. StatementAnother ברייתא: like a year-old pigeon
  28. StatementThe creature had a copper mouth and iron claws
  29. Statementטיטוס orders his ashes scattered to escape judgment
  30. Questionאונקלוס raises טיטוס and asks who is most important
  31. Responseטיטוס answers: the Jewish people
  32. QuestionShould I join them?
  33. Responseטיטוס advises fighting ישראל instead
  34. QuestionWhat is טיטוס's own punishment?