Gemara Clarity

Gittin 68b

גיטין ס״ח ע״ב

Learn Gittin 68b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Gittin 68b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The אגדה of אשמדאי and שלמה: the שמיר, אשמדאי's hidden knowledge, שלמה's fall and return, and a return to cures for headaches

Overview

This amud continues the אגדה of אשמדאי, king of the demons, being brought in chains to שלמה המלך. On the way he spares a widow's house, helps a blind man and a drunk, cries at a wedding, and laughs at a shoemaker and a sorcerer. In ירושלים he sends coded brick messages and then rebukes שלמה. שלמה explains that he only needs the שמיר to build the בית המקדש, and his men get it by tricking the wild rooster. בניהו asks אשמדאי to explain his strange behavior, and each answer shows that he knew hidden things. Later אשמדאי tricks שלמה into giving up his ring and throws him far away. He takes his place until the חכמים expose the fake king and bring שלמה back. Finally, the גמרא returns to its list of cures, for a headache from too much blood and for a migraine.

Opening lines

אִיחַנַּנָא לֵיהּ.

She begged him.

כְּפָא לְקוֹמְתֵיהּ מִינֵּיהּ,

He bent his body away from her,

אִיתְּבַר בֵּיהּ גַּרְמָא.

and one of his bones broke.

אֲמַר, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב:

He said: This is what is written:

The steps (36)

  1. Statementאשמדאי breaks a bone to spare a widow's house
  2. Statementאשמדאי guides a blind man and a drunk back to the road
  3. Statementאשמדאי cries at a wedding and laughs twice
  4. StatementFirst day of waiting: the brick placed on a brick
  5. StatementSecond day of waiting: the brick placed on the ground
  6. Statementאשמדאי measures four cubits and rebukes שלמה
  7. Statementשלמה asks for the שמיר and learns who holds it
  8. StatementWhat the wild rooster does with the שמיר
  9. Statementשלמה's men trick the rooster and take the שמיר
  10. QuestionWhy did you help the blind man?
  11. ResponseThe blind man is completely righteous
  12. QuestionWhy did you help the drunk man?
  13. ResponseThe drunk man is completely wicked
  14. QuestionWhy did you cry at the wedding?
  15. ResponseThe groom will die and the bride must wait for a young יבם
  16. QuestionWhy did you laugh at the man ordering shoes?
  17. ResponseHe doesn't even have seven days left
  18. QuestionWhy did אשמדאי laugh at the sorcerer?
  19. ResponseThe sorcerer was sitting on a hidden treasure
  20. Statementשלמה keeps אשמדאי until the בית המקדש is built
  21. Questionשלמה asks what makes demons greater than people
  22. Responseאשמדאי tricks שלמה and throws him far away
  23. Statementשלמה's words at that moment
  24. QuestionWhat does 'and this' refer to?
  25. Responseרב and שמואל: his staff or his cloak
  26. Statementשלמה wanders, saying 'I was king'
  27. QuestionThe סנהדרין wonder about the wanderer
  28. QuestionThe חכמים question בניהו
  29. QuestionThe sages ask the queens and want his feet checked
  30. ProofThe queens report forbidden behavior
  31. Statementשלמה returns and אשמדאי flees
  32. Proofשלמה stays afraid, as the פסוק says
  33. StatementDid שלמה ever become king again?
  34. StatementA cure for a headache from too much blood in the head
  35. StatementA simpler backup cure with a white rose
  36. StatementA cure for a migraine with a wild rooster