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Megillah 7b

מגילה ז׳ ע״ב

Learn Megillah 7b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

פורים gifts, drinking and the פורים meal; the differences between יום טוב, שבת and יום הכפורים

Overview

This amud opens with stories about פורים gifts. רבי אושעיא thanks רבי יהודה נשיאה for a gift that counted as both משלוח מנות and מתנות לאביונים. Next, רבה and מרי בר מר trade gifts through אביי, who describes a huge meal. Then רבא says a person must drink on פורים until he cannot tell 'cursed is המן' from 'blessed is מרדכי'. The next story, about רבה and רבי זירא, shows that drinking going badly wrong. רבא also rules that a סעודת פורים eaten at night does not count, and a story with רב אשי and רב כהנא shows this rule in action. A new משנה then teaches that the only difference between יום טוב and שבת is food preparation, and the גמרא explains the debate with רבי יהודה over preparing the tools for food. Another משנה compares שבת and יום הכפורים. This leads to a discussion of whether מלקות remove כרת, where בי רב's proof from the משנה is turned back by רב נחמן and רב אשי.

Opening lines

קִיַּימְתָּ בָּנוּ רַבֵּינוּ,

You have fulfilled through us, our teacher,

״וּמִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ

"And sending portions one to another

וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים״.

and gifts to the poor."

רַבָּה שַׁדַּר לֵיהּ לְמָרֵי בַּר מָר

Rabba sent to Marei bar Mar

The steps (34)

  1. ConclusionOne gift fulfills two פורים מצוות
  2. Statementרבה sends a simple gift through אביי
  3. Statementמרי בר מר sends back a sharp-tasting gift
  4. Statementאביי describes the huge meal at מרי בר מר's house
  5. Statementאביי explains his big appetite with two folk sayings
  6. StatementTwo אמוראים swap their פורים meals
  7. Statementרבא: drink on פורים until you can't tell המן from מרדכי
  8. Statementרבה and רבי זירא's פורים feast goes terribly wrong
  9. Conclusionרבי זירא refuses a second פורים feast
  10. StatementThe סעודת פורים must be eaten by day
  11. Questionרב אשי asks why the רבנן did not come to learn
  12. Responseרב כהנא: They are probably busy with the סעודת פורים
  13. Challengeרב אשי: Couldn't they eat it at night?
  14. Resolutionרב כהנא quotes רבא: a night meal does not count
  15. Conclusionרב אשי confirms the rule and reviews it forty times
  16. StatementNew משנה: The only difference between יום טוב and שבת is food preparation
  17. StatementInference: Preparatory steps for food are forbidden on both days
  18. StatementThe משנה does not follow רבי יהודה
  19. QuestionWhat is the first opinion's reason?
  20. ResponseEach side's word in the verse
  21. ChallengeWhat does the first opinion do with 'for you'?
  22. Resolution'For you': not for non-Jews or dogs
  23. ChallengeWhat does רבי יהודה do with 'that'?
  24. ResolutionSplitting preparations into two kinds
  25. StatementThe difference between שבת and יום הכפורים
  26. Statementשבת and יום הכפורים are equal regarding payment
  27. QuestionWhose opinion is the משנה?
  28. ResponseIt follows רבי נחוניא בן הקנה
  29. Statementמלקות remove כרת, according to רבי חנניה בן גמליאל
  30. Statementרבי יוחנן: his colleagues disagree
  31. ProofProof from our משנה that the חכמים disagree
  32. Rejectionרב נחמן: The משנה follows רבי יצחק
  33. ProofThe source for רבי יצחק's view
  34. Rejectionרב אשי: Even the רבנן can explain the משנה