Menachos 33a

מנחות ל״ג ע״א

Menachot 33a

Learn Menachos 33a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 33a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Laws of מזוזה: how it is written, which side and which doorway it goes on, how it is positioned, and how high it goes

Overview

This amud is a series of rulings about how and where to put up a מזוזה. It first finishes שמואל's rule that the מזוזה goes in the outermost טפח of the doorway, not beyond it. Next it rules that a מזוזה written on two sheets is פסולה, and explains away a ברייתא that seems to disagree. It then teaches that the hinge socket (היכר ציר) tells us which side counts as the right side. A story about רב נחמן and the ריש גלותא shows this rule used in practice. רב rules that a מזוזה placed like a bolt is פסולה. The גמרא settles this with the report about רבי's house: lying sideways like a peg is invalid, while standing upright is fine. It also teaches that only the entrance people regularly use needs a מזוזה. Finally, שמואל and רב הונא disagree about how high the מזוזה goes. A ברייתא with רבי יהודה and רבי יוסי seems to leave שמואל without a source, and the answer that he follows רבי יוסי continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. ResolutionWhy שמואל had to say the מזוזה goes in the טפח near the street
2. StatementA מזוזה written on two sheets is invalid
3. ChallengeA ברייתא seems to allow two sheets on one doorpost
4. ResolutionThe ברייתא means sheets that could be split onto two doorposts
5. StatementUse the hinge to decide which side gets the מזוזה
6. QuestionWhat is the hinge indication?
7. Responseרב אדא: it is the hinge socket
8. QuestionWhen is this rule needed?
9. ResponseA doorway between two rooms, like the men's and women's rooms
10. Statementרב נחמן tells the Exilarch to hang the doors first
11. StatementA מזוזה placed like a bolt is invalid
12. ChallengeBut the mezuzot in רבי's house were like bolts
13. ResolutionLying sideways like a peg versus standing upright
14. ChallengeBut רב הונא's study-hall entrance had a מזוזה
15. ResolutionFollow the entrance people regularly use
16. Statementשמואל: place it at the start of the upper third
17. Statementרב הונא: anywhere between a handbreadth from top and bottom
18. ChallengeA baraita: רבי יהודה allows anywhere, רבי יוסי requires the top
19. Challengeשמואל's ruling seems to match neither תנא
20. Resolutionשמואל actually follows רבי יוסי