Gemara Clarity

Makkos 4a

מכות ד׳ ע״א

Makkot 4a

Learn Makkos 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Makkos 4a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Drawn water that disqualifies a מקוה or a טבילה, and the punishments of עדים זוממין

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a quoted משנה about three לוגין of drawn water, just short of the full amount, into which a קורטוב of wine or milk fell. The תנא קמא says the מקוה is not disqualified, while רבי יוחנן בן נורי says everything follows the appearance. The גמרא then asks whether רבא can really say that רב follows רבי יוחנן בן נורי, since רב פפא was unsure how רב read the משנה. The answer is that רב פפא had a doubt, but רבא was sure. אביי then reminds רב יוסף that רב יוסף himself once taught the other reading, under which רב's ruling fits everyone. Next comes another ruling of רב: if a barrel of drawn water falls into the still ים הגדול, immersing at that spot does not work, though in a flowing river there is no problem. A ברייתא supports this and adds that a loaf of תרומה falling there becomes טמא, even though it started out pure. Finally, a new משנה begins about עדים זוממין. רבי מאיר says they can get both lashes and payment, or eighty lashes, while חכמים give only one punishment.

Opening lines

חָסֵר קוּרְטוֹב,

less one kortov,

שֶׁנָּפַל לְתוֹכָן קוּרְטוֹב יַיִן,

into which a kortov of wine fell,

וּמַרְאֵיהֶן כְּמַרְאֵה יַיִן,

and their appearance is like the appearance of wine,

וְנָפְלוּ לַמִּקְוֶה – לֹא פְּסָלוּהוּ.

and they fell into a ritual bath, they did not disqualify it.

The steps (16)

  1. StatementThe משנה's first view: wine-colored and water-colored mixtures
  2. Statementרבי יוחנן בן נורי: it all depends on how it looks
  3. ChallengeWasn't this already an open question?
  4. Questionרב פפא's first side: רב's text said 'less a קורטוב'
  5. Questionרב פפא's second side: no 'less a קורטוב' in the first case
  6. ChallengeThen רב would match everyone, not just רבי יוחנן בן נורי
  7. Resolutionרב פפא was unsure, but רבא was sure
  8. Statementרב יוסף says he never heard this teaching
  9. Responseאביי reminds רב יוסף what he once taught
  10. StatementA barrel of drawn water falls into the sea
  11. StatementOnly the still sea, not a flowing river
  12. ProofA ברייתא supports רב: a barrel of wine in the Great Sea
  13. QuestionWhat does 'and likewise' add?
  14. ResponseThe loaf's חזקה of purity does not save it
  15. Statementמשנה: Lashes and payment for false money testimony
  16. Statementמשנה: Eighty or forty lashes for false lashes testimony