Makkos 24b

מכות כ״ד ע״ב

Makkot 24b

Learn Makkos 24b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

רבי עקיבא laughs while the other חכמים weep: the comfort of seeing a prophecy of destruction come true, which guarantees that the prophecy of redemption will also come true.

Overview

The amud opens with the end of the first story. The חכמים hear the noise of Rome and weep, while רבי עקיבא laughs. His reason is a קל וחומר: if God gives so much good to those who go against His will, those who do His will will get far more. Then the גמרא tells a second story. At the ruins of the בית המקדש, the חכמים see a fox come out of the קדש הקדשים and they weep, but רבי עקיבא laughs. He explains with a פסוק in ישעיהו that names אוריה and זכריה together as witnesses. That pairing ties זכריה's prophecy of rebuilding to אוריה's prophecy of destruction. Since the destruction has fully come true, the rebuilding is sure to come true as well. The חכמים answer, 'עקיבא, you have comforted us,' and the הדרן closes the פרק and all of מסכת מכות.

Opening lines

The steps (9)

1. Responseרבי עקיבא explains why he laughs at Rome's success
2. StatementA fox comes out of the קדש הקדשים
3. QuestionWhy laugh? Why weep?
4. ChallengeWhy are אוריה and זכריה named together?
5. ResolutionThe two prophecies are linked
6. ProofWhat each prophet said
7. ResponseThe destruction came true, so the rebuilding will too
8. ConclusionAkiva, you have comforted us
9. ConclusionHadran — Closing the chapter and finishing the tractate