Gemara Clarity

Megillah 6b

מגילה ו׳ ע״ב

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

Open Megillah 6b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Rome held in check, effort and success in תורה, provoking the wicked, and keeping פורים in a leap year

Overview

The amud opens by finishing רבי יצחק's explanation that גרממיא of אדום would destroy the world if it were let loose. רבי חמא בר חנינא adds that Rome and גרממיא fight each other every day, which keeps both sides weak. רבי יצחק then teaches that real success in תורה comes only through hard work. The גמרא limits this to sharpening one's understanding, since business success and remembering one's learning need help from Heaven. Next, רבי יצחק warns not to provoke a lucky רשע. The גמרא challenges this and gives three answers: personal affairs versus matters of Heaven, a צדיק גמור versus a lesser צדיק, and a רשע whose luck is shining. After עולא describes the huge city of רומי, a new משנה teaches that in a leap year the מגילה and the gifts to the poor belong in אדר שני. The גמרא matches the משנה to the opinions in a ברייתא, rules like רבן שמעון בן גמליאל, and shows the reasons for his view, a discussion that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

גֶּרְמַמְיָא שֶׁל אֱדוֹם,

This is Germamya of Edom,

שֶׁאִלְמָלֵי הֵן יוֹצְאִין,

for if they were to go out,

מַחֲרִיבִין כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ.

they would destroy the entire world.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא:

And Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said:

The steps (34)

  1. StatementThe danger of גרממיא of Edom
  2. StatementEndless wars keep both sides weak
  3. StatementBelieve only those who worked hard and succeeded
  4. StatementThe rule applies to תורה, not business
  5. ConclusionEven in תורה: effort sharpens, but remembering needs Heaven's help
  6. StatementDo not provoke a wicked man while fortune smiles on him
  7. Challengeרבי יוחנן says it is permitted to provoke the wicked
  8. ProofA ברייתא backs up the challenge and rereads רבי יצחק's verse
  9. ResolutionPersonal matters versus matters of Heaven
  10. ResolutionA second answer: it depends on how righteous you are
  11. Proofרב הונא's reading of the פסוק in חבקוק
  12. ResolutionA third answer: a רשע whose luck is shining is different
  13. Statementעולא describes the huge size of רומי
  14. Statementעולא continues: the privileges, bathhouses and borders of רומי
  15. StatementThe משנה: reading the מגילה after a leap year is declared
  16. StatementInference: the special Torah portions are the same in both אדרs
  17. ChallengeWhose opinion is the משנה? It seems to match no one
  18. Statementרבי אליעזר son of רבי יוסי: no second reading at all
  19. StatementThe third opinion: everything of the second Adar belongs only to the second Adar
  20. StatementAll agree: no eulogies or fasting in either Adar
  21. QuestionIsn't the third opinion the same as the first?
  22. Resolutionרב פפא: The four special Torah readings are the difference
  23. Resolutionרב פפא lays out the other two opinions
  24. ChallengeOur משנה fits none of the three opinions
  25. ResolutionThe משנה follows the תנא קמא because gifts go with the מגילה
  26. ResolutionOr the משנה follows רבן שמעון בן גמליאל and has missing words
  27. StatementThe הלכה follows רבן שמעון בן גמליאל
  28. StatementBoth sides learn from the same פסוק
  29. Statementרבי אליעזר ברבי יוסי: פורים in the אדר right after שבט
  30. StatementHow רבן שמעון בן גמליאל reads "every single year"
  31. QuestionWhat is the real logic behind רבן שמעון בן גמליאל's view?
  32. Responseרבי טבי: keep פורים next to פסח
  33. Responseרבי אלעזר: a פסוק about a "second" letter
  34. StatementOpening line: why the verses needed to be written