Gemara Clarity

Gittin 8a

גיטין ח׳ ע״א

Learn Gittin 8a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Gittin 8a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Where the borders of ארץ ישראל run: ships, flowerpots, the sea and its islands, עכו, and the mixed status of סוריא

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a doubt about a flowerpot with a hole in it, resting off the ground. Does it count like the land, the way a ship's soil might? One way to look at it: a ship is weaker because it moves around, while a pot stays put. The other way: a ship is stronger because water is like solid ground, while a pot has air underneath it. רב נחמן בר יצחק then says the ship dispute applies only on the ים הגדול, since everyone agrees about the rivers of ארץ ישראל. A ברייתא maps the borders using an imaginary string from טורי אמנון to נחל מצרים, and רבי יהודה adds that the sea opposite the land is also ארץ ישראל, based on the word ״וּגְבוּל״. The גמרא then turns to רבי מאיר's ruling about עכו and proves from it that selling a slave to סוריא is like selling him to חוצה לארץ. Finally, a ברייתא lists three ways סוריא is like חוצה לארץ and three ways it is like ארץ ישראל. That list continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הָעֲשׂוּיָה לִבְרוֹחַ,

which is made to move away,

אֲבָל עָצִיץ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ עָשׂוּי לִבְרוֹחַ – לֹא.

but a flowerpot, which is not made to move away – no.

אִי נָמֵי:

Alternatively:

עַד כָּאן לָא קָאָמְרִי רַבָּנַן

the Rabbis only said

The steps (14)

  1. QuestionA boat moves around, but a flowerpot stays put
  2. QuestionWater counts like solid ground, but air does not
  3. StatementThe ship dispute is only about the Mediterranean
  4. ProofA ברייתא maps the borders, including islands in the sea
  5. Statementרבי יהודה: everything opposite the Land counts as the Land
  6. StatementThe string rule for islands off to the sides
  7. QuestionHow do the רבנן use the word ״וּגְבוּל״?
  8. ResponseThe word teaches about islands; רבי יהודה says islands need no verse
  9. StatementBack to the משנה: רבי מאיר on עכו
  10. QuestionIs selling a slave to סוריא like selling him to חוצה לארץ?
  11. ResponseAnswer from the משנה: סוריא counts as חוצה לארץ for slaves
  12. StatementA ברייתא: סוריא is like ארץ ישראל in three ways and like חוצה לארץ in three ways
  13. StatementThree ways סוריא is like חוצה לארץ
  14. StatementThree ways סוריא is like ארץ ישראל