Horayos 2a

הוריות ב׳ ע״א

Horayot 2a

Learn Horayos 2a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Horayos 2a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who is פטור when a בית דין rules in error, what wording makes a real הוראה, and the man who mixed up חלב with שומן under the court's ruling.

Overview

The משנה opens מסכת הוריות. If a בית דין mistakenly permits something the Torah forbids, an ordinary יחיד who acts on that ruling by mistake is פטור, because he relied on the בית דין. A judge who knew they were wrong, or a תלמיד who is ראוי להוראה, is חייב, because he really relied on himself. The גמרא asks what wording makes a ruling count. In one version שמואל requires "you are permitted," and רב דימי מנהרדעא requires "you are permitted to do it." In a second version the opinions are switched. In both versions, אביי, רבי אבא and רבינא use the same three sources to show that a real הוראה tells people to act. The גמרא then asks why the משנה says 'שוגג', and רבא has two versions about a man who mixed up חלב with שומן after the court permitted חלב. רבא's attempted proofs from the משנה are rejected, and the case turns out to be a dispute between רב (פטור) and רבי יוחנן (חייב). רב פפא defends רבי יוחנן with the rule of שב מידיעתו, and רבא adds that even רב agrees this man does not count toward the majority of the community. Finally the גמרא asks why the משנה lists its cases in the order it does, and the answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. StatementAn individual who follows the court's mistaken ruling is exempt
2. StatementA judge who knew the truth, or a qualified student, is liable
3. ConclusionThe general rule: relying on yourself or on the court
4. Statementשמואל: the court must say 'You are permitted'
5. Statementרב דימי: they must say 'You are permitted to do it'
6. QuestionWhy does רב דימי need the extra words?
7. ResponseWithout 'to do it' the ruling is incomplete
8. Proofאביי supports רב דימי from the rebellious elder
9. Proofרבי אבא's proof from the woman who was allowed to remarry
10. Proofרבינא's proof from the opening words of our משנה
11. StatementA second version: שמואל requires 'to do it'
12. StatementA second version: רב דימי says 'you are permitted' is enough
13. Challengeאביי challenges רב דימי from the זקן ממרא משנה
14. Challengeרבי אבא challenges רב דימי from the woman who was allowed to remarry
15. Challengeרבינא shows the משנה's wording does not fit רב דימי
16. QuestionWhy does the משנה need the word 'unwittingly'?
17. Resolutionרבא's first answer: 'unwittingly' includes the man who mixed up the fats
18. Resolutionרבא's second version: the man who mixed up the fats is liable
19. QuestionWhat was obvious to רבא was a question for רמי בר חמא
20. Proofרבא tries to prove from the extra words in the משנה that the mix-up case is exempt
21. RejectionRejection: the words may only exempt the one who truly relied on the ruling
22. ProofOther version: רבא tries to prove from the same words that the mix-up case is liable
23. RejectionRejection: the משנה may mean either by mistake or on their word
24. StatementThe mix-up case is an older dispute between רב and רבי יוחנן
25. ChallengeA ברייתא is brought against רבי יוחנן: a משומד is excluded
26. StatementThe ברייתא continues: only one who would turn back if he knew brings an offering
27. ChallengeThe man who mixed things up would never turn back
28. Resolutionרב פפא: the man will turn back when the court does
29. Statementרבא: even רב agrees this man does not count toward the majority
30. QuestionBack to the משנה: why list all these cases?
31. ChallengeThe first part builds up, but the liability part should go the other way