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Horayos 2b

הוריות ב׳ ע״ב

Horayot 2b

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

Open Horayos 2b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who is liable for acting on בית דין's mistaken ruling: the judge or תלמיד who knew better, the משנה's general rule, and the מחלוקת between רבי יהודה and חכמים

Overview

The amud first finishes a question about the order of cases in the משנה. Then it asks why the משנה lists both a judge who knew בית דין erred and a תלמיד ראוי להוראה. רבא explains that the extra case teaches that even someone who is only learned (גמיר), or only sharp (סביר), is liable for acting on his own knowledge. He names שמעון בן עזאי and שמעון בן זומא as examples. אביי objects that such great scholars would be sinning on purpose (מזיד). רבא answers that their mistake was thinking they must obey the חכמים even when the חכמים are wrong. Next the גמרא explains what each half of the משנה's general rule (זה הכלל) comes to include. Finally, שמואל says the משנה follows רבי יהודה, while חכמים hold that an individual who follows בית דין's ruling is חייב. The גמרא proves from the ברייתא's structure that, for חכמים, a minority who followed a ruling brings its own קרבן. It then starts to show why the first ברייתא belongs to רבי יהודה, and that proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

זוֹ וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר זוֹ קָתָנֵי.

He teaches: this, and there is no need to say that.

וְיָדַע אֶחָד מֵהֶן שֶׁטָּעוּ

And one of them knew that they erred

אוֹ תַּלְמִיד וְרָאוּי לְהוֹרָאָה.

or a student who is fit to issue rulings.

תַּרְתֵּי לְמָה לִי?

Why do I need two?

The steps (29)

  1. ResolutionThe later cases follow a 'this, and certainly that' order
  2. ChallengeWhy does the משנה list two similar cases?
  3. Resolutionרבא: The second case is needed for a different kind of scholar
  4. Challengeאביי: 'Fit to rule' already means fully skilled
  5. Resolutionרבא clarifies: The extra case teaches that even half-skilled scholars count
  6. QuestionWho is an example of someone fit to rule?
  7. Responseרבא: Like שמעון בן עזאי and שמעון בן זומא
  8. Challengeאביי: A scholar that great would be acting on purpose
  9. Challengeרבא turns the challenge back on אביי with a ברייתא
  10. QuestionHow can such a case happen?
  11. ResponseHe knew it was forbidden but erred about obeying the Sages
  12. ResolutionThe same answer works for רבא's examples
  13. QuestionWhat does 'one who relies on himself' come to include?
  14. ResponseIt includes one who scorns rulings
  15. Response'One who relies on the court' includes a ruling that was reversed
  16. ChallengeBut that case is taught openly
  17. ResolutionIt hints first, then explains
  18. Statementשמואל: The משנה follows רבי יהודה, but the Sages disagree
  19. ProofThe source for רבי יהודה's view
  20. ProofThe source for the Sages' view
  21. ChallengeWhat case is the ברייתא talking about? Not a sin without a ruling
  22. ChallengeBut a case with a ruling doesn't fit the verse either
  23. ResolutionRe-reading the ברייתא: a minority who followed a ruling is liable
  24. ProofThe ברייתא's second line: even a majority is liable
  25. Rejectionרב פפא: maybe nobody brings a קרבן
  26. ChallengeWhy did the ברייתא jump straight to the majority?
  27. ConclusionConclusion: a minority is liable with or without a ruling
  28. ChallengeBoth teachings are unnamed, so maybe the authors are reversed
  29. ResolutionReading exclusion words this way is רבי יהודה's style