Menachos 39b

מנחות ל״ט ע״ב

Menachot 39b

Learn Menachos 39b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 39b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How ציצית strings must be made (wound versus loose), which string materials work on which garments, and whether silk garments need ציצית by Torah law

Overview

This amud opens with רב and רבה בר בר חנה arguing about a cloak whose ציצית strings were wound all the way down, with nothing hanging loose. רבה בר בר חנה reads the words גדיל and פתיל as a choice, so either style is fine. רב says loose threads are always needed, and גדילים only teaches that four strings are used. Then שמואל, quoting לוי, rules that wool strings work on a linen garment, and the גמרא asks whether linen strings work on wool. רב יהודה answers that both work, and that wool and linen strings work on any garment, even silk. This clashes with רב נחמן, who says silk is exempt; the גמרא explains he means exempt מדאורייתא but obligated מדרבנן, and it works through challenges and proofs from a ברייתא. Using רבא's reading of two פסוקים, wool and linen work for every garment, while other materials work only for their own kind. Finally, the גמרא gives רב נחמן's source from the school of רבי ישמעאל, that a Torah 'garment' means only wool or linen. אביי shows that another teaching of the same school includes silk and other materials.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. Statementרב and רבה בר בר חנה disagree about a fully wound cloak
2. QuestionWhat is the basis of their disagreement?
3. Responseרבה בר בר חנה: either wound cords or loose threads
4. Responseרב: loose threads are always needed; גדילים teaches the number of strings
5. StatementWool strings work on a linen garment
6. QuestionDo linen strings work on a wool garment?
7. Responseרב יהודה: wool and linen strings work on any garment
8. StatementThis clashes with רב נחמן: silk is exempt
9. Challengeרבא challenges רב נחמן from a ברייתא
10. ResolutionThe obligation for silk is only rabbinic
11. ChallengeChallenge from the end of the ברייתא: wool and linen together
12. ResolutionRead it as wool OR linen
13. ProofSupport: silk strings work only on their own kind
14. RejectionRejecting the support with רבא's contradiction
15. Resolutionרבא's resolution: wool and linen work for everything, others for their own kind
16. Statementרב נחמן's source: Torah 'garments' are only wool and linen
17. Statementאביי: two teachings from the same school disagree
18. ProofThe other teaching: 'או בגד' includes other materials