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Gittin 60b

גיטין ס׳ ע״ב

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Topic

Written and oral תורה, and the משנה's rules of דרכי שלום: the עירוב, sharing river water, and traps

Overview

This עמוד opens by finishing a list of תורה sections tied to the service in the משכן. Then רבי אלעזר and רבי יוחנן argue whether most of the תורה was given in writing or by word of mouth, and each explains away the other's פסוק. Next come teachings that the written תורה must stay written and the oral תורה must stay oral, and that the ברית with Israel was made for the sake of the oral תורה. The גמרא then returns to the משנה's rules of דרכי שלום. An עירוב stays in its usual house to avoid suspicion against the owner, not for his honor. רב and שמואל argue whether the lower or upper fields along a river water first when the river must be dammed, and since no הלכה was decided, כל דאלים גבר. Two stories about אביי and river water follow. The עמוד ends by starting the משנה's rule about animals caught in another person's trap, which continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

וּפָרָשַׁת שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן,

and the section of those who drank wine,

וּפָרָשַׁת נֵרוֹת,

and the section of the lamps,

וּפָרָשַׁת פָּרָה אֲדוּמָּה.

and the section of the red heifer.

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר:

Rabbi Elazar said:

The steps (25)

  1. StatementFinishing the list of sections tied to the משכן
  2. Statementרבי אלעזר: Most of the תורה is written
  3. Statementרבי יוחנן: Most of the תורה is oral
  4. ChallengeHow does רבי יוחנן explain רבי אלעזר's פסוק?
  5. ResolutionThe פסוק is an amazed question
  6. ChallengeHow does רבי אלעזר explain רבי יוחנן's פסוק?
  7. ResolutionThe oral part is stressed because it is harder to learn
  8. StatementWritten words stay written, oral words stay oral
  9. StatementThe school of רבי ישמעאל: write these, not הלכות
  10. StatementThe ברית was made for the sake of the oral תורה
  11. QuestionWhy keep the עירוב in the old house?
  12. RejectionNot for honor: the charity box moved from house to house
  13. ResponseThe real reason: to avoid suspicion
  14. StatementWho waters first along a river: lower fields or upper fields
  15. StatementWhen they argue: only when the river must be dammed
  16. ChallengeThe משנה seems to favor whoever is closest, against רב
  17. Resolutionשמואל explains the משנה to fit רב: the channel runs past the pit
  18. ChallengeIf the water flows in by itself, why does the משנה need to say it?
  19. ResolutionThe new lesson: the others cannot force him to dam his pit and take a fair share
  20. ConclusionNo decided הלכה: whoever is stronger wins
  21. StatementA student offers to water אביי's fields so they can learn
  22. StatementThe clever watering and אביי's refusal to eat
  23. StatementThe people of בי חרמך divert the river
  24. Conclusionאביי orders the diverters to stop
  25. StatementQuoting the משנה about traps and starting to discuss two kinds of nets