Gemara Clarity

Megillah 6a

מגילה ו׳ ע״א

Learn Megillah 6a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Megillah 6a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Identifying biblical places (רקת, קטרון, עקרון) and the opposing fortunes of קסרי (Rome) and ירושלים

Overview

This amud matches place names from תנ״ך with cities known in the time of the גמרא. It starts by identifying חמת, רקת and כנרת. רבא proves from eulogies said in טבריא that רקת is טבריא, and two explanations are given for why the city is also called טבריא. Next, זעירא says קטרון is ציפורי. The גמרא challenges him: קטרון was in זבולון's portion, and זבולון complained about his land, yet ציפורי was very fertile. Along the way it tells how הקדוש ברוך הוא comforted זבולון with the treasures of his sea and sand. The answer is that זבולון still wanted flat fields and vineyards like נפתלי had. The amud then reads verses about עקרון as being about קסרי, the Roman capital, and teaches that קסרי and ירושלים always have opposite fortunes. It ends with רבי יצחק's teachings about עשו, and the last of these continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאִישְׁתְּכַח כְּווֹתִי.

and it was found in accordance with my opinion.

חַמַּת זוֹ טְבֶרְיָא,

Hammath is Tiberias,

וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ חַמַּת?

and why was it called Hammath?

עַל שׁוּם חַמֵּי טְבֶרְיָא.

On account of the hot springs of Tiberias.

The steps (27)

  1. StatementFirst identification: חמת is טבריא, רקת is ציפורי
  2. Challengeרבא objects: everyone knows רקת is טבריא
  3. ProofMore proof: the eulogy for רבי זירא
  4. StatementRevised identification: רקת is טבריא
  5. Statementרבי ירמיה: why the city is called טבריא
  6. Statementרבא: טבריא means its appearance is good
  7. Statementזעירא identifies קטרון as ציפורי
  8. ChallengeChallenge: קטרון was in זבולון's territory, and זבולון complained about his land
  9. Statementזבולון complains to הקדוש ברוך הוא and is answered
  10. Statementרב יוסף explains each word of the verse
  11. Questionזבולון asks how he will know if others take his goods
  12. ResponseThe sign: whoever takes without paying will not prosper
  13. ChallengeIf קטרון is ציפורי, why would זבולון complain?
  14. Rejectionציפורי did flow with milk and honey
  15. Rejectionציפורי's fertile land was more than a fair share
  16. Resolutionזבולון still preferred fields and vineyards
  17. ProofThe verse about נפתלי's fields supports the answer
  18. Statementעקרון is קסרי, the thorn in ישראל's side
  19. StatementThe idol worship of the nations will be removed
  20. StatementThe gathering places of אדום will become places of Torah
  21. Statementלשם is פמייס, and עקרון is קסרי
  22. StatementTwo explanations of 'capital city of kings'
  23. Statementקסרי and ירושלים cannot both thrive or both fall
  24. ProofThe verse 'I shall be filled from the ruined one'
  25. ProofA second verse: one nation grows strong from the other
  26. Statementיצחק pleads for mercy on עשו
  27. Statementיעקב asks God not to fulfill עשו's evil desires