Kiddushin 3a

קידושין ג׳ ע״א

Learn Kiddushin 3a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Why משניות say "דרכים" or "דברים," and what the numbers in our משנה come to exclude

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining why משניות sometimes say "דרכים" (ways) and sometimes say "דברים" (matters). First it says the אתרוג משנה uses "דרכים" to hint that an אתרוג grows like a vegetable. But the משניות about the כוי and about גיטין also say "דרכים," and nothing about their topics fits. So the גמרא gives one general rule: where a subject's laws split into different cases, the משנה says "דרכים"; where there is no split, it says "דברים." רבי אליעזר's wording, "like a tree in every matter," proves this rule. Next the גמרא asks what the numbers "three" and "two" in our משנה come to exclude. It answers that "three" rules out חופה. For רב הונא, who holds that חופה does work, "three" instead rules out חליפין. The גמרא begins explaining why: חליפין works even with less than a פרוטה, but a woman is not acquired for so little. That explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (11)

1. ResolutionWhy the אתרוג משנה says "ways"
2. ChallengeChallenge from the כוי משנה
3. ChallengeSecond challenge from גיטין
4. ResolutionNew rule: a split into cases means "ways"
5. ProofProof from רבי אליעזר's wording
6. QuestionWhat do the numbers exclude?
7. ResponseThe number three rules out a wedding canopy
8. ChallengeAccording to רב הונא, what does the number rule out?
9. ResolutionFor רב הונא, the number rules out symbolic exchange
10. ChallengeMaybe symbolic exchange really does work for a woman
11. ResolutionSymbolic exchange works with less than a פרוטה, but a woman does not