Menachos 41b

מנחות מ״א ע״ב

Menachot 41b

Learn Menachos 41b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 41b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Moving ציצית between garments, קלא אילן on an all-תכלת טלית, and the required number and length of ציצית strings

Overview

The amud continues the discussion of moving ציצית from one garment to another. Two attempts to prove that this is always allowed are pushed back. In the end, a dispute between רב (forbids) and שמואל (permits) is cited, along with two parallel disputes: lighting from one נר to another, and following רבי שמעון on dragging on שבת. אביי reports that רבה, who usually followed רב, followed שמואל in all three, so moving ציצית is allowed in practice. In between, ברייתות discuss a טלית made entirely of תכלת and when strings of קלא אילן are פסול, and רב נחמן בר יצחק explains the difference as four strings versus eight. Stories follow of how sages protected their ציצית when garments went to the launderer. A new ברייתא then gives בית שמאי's and בית הלל's numbers for how many strings are used and how long they hang, and רב פפא rules four strings, within three fingerbreadths of the edge, hanging four. The גמרא challenges this with a ברייתא saying ציצית have no measure, and it begins its answer at the end of the amud.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. StatementThe condition: the strings must not be broken
2. ProofCan we learn that strings may always be moved to another garment?
3. RejectionMaybe only when the first garment is worn out
4. StatementA טלית entirely of תכלת: any color except קלא אילן
5. ChallengeAnother ברייתא says קלא אילן is כשר after the fact
6. ResolutionFour strings versus eight strings
7. ProofDoes this prove ציצית may be moved to another garment?
8. RejectionMaybe the concern is only for someone who moved them anyway
9. Statementרב and שמואל disagree about moving ציצית
10. StatementA parallel dispute about lighting from one lamp to another
11. StatementA parallel dispute about following רבי שמעון on dragging
12. Conclusionרבה followed שמואל in these three rulings
13. StatementWhat רבי שמעון said about dragging
14. StatementHow three אמוראים protected their ציצית during washing
15. StatementHow many strings go into ציצית
16. StatementHow long must the hanging strings be?
17. StatementMeasuring a Torah handbreadth with different fingers
18. Statementרב הונא and רב יהודה give their numbers for ציצית
19. Conclusionרב פפא rules on the הלכה
20. ChallengeBut ציצית have no fixed measure
21. ChallengeDoes 'no measure' mean no measure at all?
22. ResolutionNo, that is not what it means