Gittin 7a

גיטין ז׳ ע״א

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Topic

Gentleness at home, staying silent when wronged, mourning customs after the חורבן (song and garlands), and the power of צדקה

Overview

This amud opens with the end of רבה בר בר חנה's teaching: the ערב שבת reminders must be said gently, and רב אשי says he reached this on his own. רבי אבהו warns against too much fear in the home. The household of רבי חנינא בן גמליאל almost fed him אבר מן החי out of fear, but ה׳ protected him. Next come letters. רבי אלעזר tells מר עוקבא not to hand his tormentors over to the government but to stay silent and keep learning, and his enemy גניבא is punished on his own. מר עוקבא gives the פסוק that forbids song, both instrumental and vocal. Town names in ספר יהושע are read as hints that ה׳ judges for whoever is wronged and stays silent. The ban on a groom's garland is shown to be מדרבנן, with רב חסדא's פסוק from יחזקאל as a lovely hint, and the ban applies only to men. The amud ends with דרשות about the angels' protest at the חורבן and about giving צדקה, illustrated by the parable of the shorn sheep.

Opening lines

The steps (39)

1. StatementSay the Friday reminders calmly
2. Statementרב אשי reached the same idea on his own
3. StatementDo not put too much fear into your home
4. QuestionWho was the great man?
5. ResponseIt was רבי חנינא בן גמליאל
6. ChallengeCould a צדיק really be fed forbidden food?
7. ResolutionThey only tried to feed him
8. QuestionWhat was the forbidden food?
9. ResponseIt was a limb from a living animal
10. Questionמר עוקבא asks whether he may hand his tormentors over to the government
11. Responseרבי אלעזר answers: guard your mouth even when the wicked are in front of you
12. Challengeמר עוקבא writes back that the suffering is too much
13. ResolutionBe silent before ה׳, and keep going to the בית המדרש
14. ConclusionThe words come true and גניבא is put in a neck iron
15. QuestionWhere do we learn that singing is forbidden?
16. Responseמר עוקבא answers with a פסוק from הושע
17. ChallengeWhy not quote the פסוק about wine and song?
18. ResolutionThat פסוק might ban only instrumental music
19. Questionרב הונא בר נתן asks about three town names
20. Responseרב אשי: it is just a list of towns
21. Rejectionרב הונא: I already know that
22. Statementרב גביהא's lesson: silence when jealous brings divine justice
23. ChallengeThen explain the other list of towns too
24. ResolutionIf רב גביהא were here, he would explain it
25. Conclusionרב אחא's lesson: the One in the burning bush judges for the silent
26. QuestionThe ריש גלותא asks the source for banning a groom's garland
27. Responseרב הונא says the ban is rabbinic and cites a משנה
28. StatementWhile רב הונא steps out, רב חסדא quotes a פסוק
29. ProofThe turban and the garland come and go together
30. Conclusionרב הונא insists the ban is rabbinic but praises רב חסדא
31. Challengeרבינא challenges מר בר רב אשי for making a garland
32. ResolutionThe ban applies only to men, like the כהן גדול
33. QuestionWhat does 'this, not this' mean?
34. ResponseThe angels protest: Is this fitting for Israel?
35. Responseה׳ answers: They set up an idol in the היכל
36. StatementGive צדקה even when money is tight
37. QuestionWhat do the words 'and so they shall be shorn and pass' mean?
38. ResponseShearing off your money for charity saves you from גיהנם
39. ResponseThe parable of the shorn sheep and the unshorn sheep