Megillah 10b

מגילה י׳ ע״ב

Learn Megillah 10b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Megillah 10b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The end of the walled-cities discussion (קדושה ראשונה), and the opening אגדתא on מגילת אסתר: ויהי בימי, the traditions of רבי לוי, and the opening פסוקים of the חכמים

Overview

This amud finishes a discussion about walled cities. The גמרא fixes the wording of a ברייתא: the returning exiles did not consecrate the cities, they only found them and listed them, because קדושה ראשונה lasts forever. That clashes with another view of רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי. The גמרא answers that two תנאים reported him differently, or that the 'forever' view really belongs to רבי אלעזר ברבי יוסי, based on 'אשר לוא חומה'. Then the גמרא turns to the מגילה itself. It tests the tradition that 'ויהי' signals trouble, and רב אשי narrows it to 'ויהי בימי'. Next come three traditions of רבי לוי: אמוץ and אמציה were brothers, which shows that ישעיהו descended from the modest תמר, and the ארון took up no space and stood by a miracle. The amud ends with a series of פסוקים that חכמים used to open the מגילה, including the lesson that ה׳ does not rejoice when the wicked fall but makes others rejoice. רב דימי בר יצחק's opening continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (45)

1. ChallengeWhy would they need to consecrate the cities?
2. ResolutionThey found the cities and listed them
3. StatementAny city with a tradition of a wall from יהושע's time
4. Challengeרבי ישמעאל contradicts himself
5. ResolutionTwo תנאים reported his view differently
6. ResolutionThe statement really belongs to רבי אלעזר ברבי יוסי
7. ProofProof from 'אשר לוא חומה'
8. Statement'ויהי' always signals trouble
9. ProofProofs from אסתר, רות and בראשית that 'ויהי' signals trouble
10. ProofMore proofs from יהושע and שמואל that 'ויהי' signals trouble
11. ChallengeChallenge from the joyful eighth day of the משכן
12. ResolutionThe dedication day also had a tragedy
13. ChallengeMany more happy uses of 'וַיְהִי'
14. Resolutionרב אשי narrows the rule to 'וַיְהִי בִּימֵי'
15. ProofThe five places that say 'וַיְהִי בִּימֵי'
16. Statementרבי לוי's tradition: אמוץ and אמציה were brothers
17. QuestionWhat does this tradition teach us?
18. ResponseA modest bride merits kings and prophets
19. ProofThe source is תמר
20. ChallengeCovering the face does not make someone look like a harlot
21. ResolutionShe was always covered at home, so יהודה did not recognize her
22. ProofKings through דוד, prophets through ישעיהו
23. StatementThe space of the ארון is not part of the measurement
24. ProofA ברייתא and two פסוקים about the space around the ארון
25. ConclusionThe ארון stood by a miracle
26. Statementרבי יונתן opens the מגילה with a פסוק about cutting off בבל
27. StatementReading each word of the פסוק, ending with ושתי
28. Statementרבי שמואל בר נחמני opens with thorns replaced by good trees
29. StatementThe thorn is המן, who made himself an idol
30. ProofA פסוק linking thorns to idol worship
31. StatementThe cypress is מרדכי
32. ProofProof that מרדכי is the head of spices
33. StatementThe nettle is ושתי
34. ProofProof that רפידה means part of the בית המקדש
35. StatementThe myrtle is אסתר
36. ProofProof that אסתר was called הדסה
37. StatementThe end of the verse: reading the מגילה and the days of פורים
38. Statementרבי יהושע בן לוי's opening: ה׳ rejoices to do harm
39. ChallengeDoes ה׳ really rejoice when the wicked fall?
40. ProofThe angels were not allowed to sing at the sea
41. Resolutionה׳ does not rejoice, but He makes others rejoice
42. ProofThe spelling 'ישיש' proves the answer
43. StatementA new opening: the sinner gathers for the righteous
44. Statementרבה בר עופרן's opening: the king and princes destroyed in עילם
45. StatementIntroducing רב דימי בר יצחק's opening