Megillah 3b

מגילה ג׳ ע״ב

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

Open Megillah 3b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Priorities between תלמוד תורה, עבודה, מקרא מגילה and מת מצוה, and רבי יהושע בן לוי's rules defining a כרך

Overview

This עמוד first finishes a challenge to בית רבי, who said עבודה comes before תלמוד תורה. The angel who rebuked יהושע came because Torah study was neglected. The גמרא answers that Torah study of the רבים is greater than עבודה, but Torah study of a יחיד is less. It then challenges this from רבה בר הונא, who says festive-day mourning limits do not apply for a deceased תלמיד חכם. The גמרא answers that this rule proves the כבוד תורה of an individual, not the value of his study. Next, רבא ranks מצוות: מקרא מגילה comes before עבודה and תלמוד תורה, and a מת מצוה comes before both, learned from the word ״וּלְאַחוֹתוֹ״. He then asks whether מגילה or מת מצוה comes first, and answers that the מת מצוה wins because of כבוד הבריות. Finally, the גמרא studies rulings of רבי יהושע בן לוי about a כרך. These cover places near it or seen from it, a wall built after settling, the need for ten local בטלנין, and a city emptied of its בטלנין and then resettled. Another of his rulings begins at the end of the עמוד and continues on the next one.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. ChallengeTorah study outweighs the daily offerings
2. ResolutionTorah study of the many versus of an individual
3. ChallengeIs an individual's Torah really minor? A משנה about mourning on festive days
4. ChallengeNo festive restrictions when a Torah scholar dies
5. RejectionHonoring Torah is different from studying Torah
6. StatementReading the מגילה comes before עבודה and Torah study
7. StatementA מת מצוה comes before Torah study
8. StatementA מת מצוה comes before עבודה
9. ProofQuoting the ברייתא on "and for his sister"
10. ProofThe extra word allows impurity for a מת מצוה
11. QuestionReading the מגילה or burying a מת מצוה: which comes first?
12. Responseרבא answers: the מת מצוה comes first
13. StatementTowns near or visible from a walled city count as that city
14. StatementA teaching: each condition is enough by itself
15. QuestionHow can a place be near but not seen?
16. Responseרבי ירמיה: a town in a valley
17. StatementA city settled first and walled later counts as a village
18. ProofThe verse shows the wall must come before the settling
19. StatementA walled city without ten idlers counts as a village
20. ChallengeWhy say this if a משנה already teaches it?
21. ResolutionThe new point: visitors from outside do not count
22. StatementA destroyed walled city that is resettled counts as a walled city
23. Challenge'Destroyed' cannot mean the walls fell
24. Resolution'Destroyed' means it lost its ten idlers
25. StatementIntroducing another ruling of רבי יהושע בן לוי