Gemara Clarity

Menachos 71b

מנחות ע״א ע״ב

Menachot 71b

Learn Menachos 71b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 71b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The people of יריחו; reaping for fodder (קוצר לשחת), whether it divides a field for פאה, and whose view רבי מאיר follows

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא listing practices of the people of יריחו that the חכמים protested. The גמרא counts the items in that ברייתא and removes 'reaping' from its list, so it no longer clashes with our משנה. Next comes a new line from our משנה: one may reap young grain as animal fodder. The גמרא brings a משנה from מסכת פאה listing what divides a field for פאה. In that משנה, רבי מאיר says reaping for fodder divides the field, and the חכמים say it divides only if the area was also plowed. The גמרא then tries to find whose view רבי מאיר follows. רבי שמעון is ruled out by a ברייתא about bugs and wind. רבי יהודה is ruled out because his rule covers only animal food. רב דימי says רבי מאיר follows his teacher רבי עקיבא, based on a משנה about cutting a field in patches, as limited by שמואל. The amud ends with רבין's report that challenges שמואל's limit, and the discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַתִּירִין גַּמְזִיּוֹת שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ

They would permit consecrated branches

שֶׁל חָרוּב וְשֶׁל שִׁקְמָה,

of carob and of sycamore trees,

וּפוֹרְצִין פְּרָצוֹת בְּגַנּוֹתֵיהֶן וּבְפַרְדְּסוֹתֵיהֶן

and they would break openings in their gardens and their orchards

כְּדֵי לְהַאֲכִיל נֶשֶׁר לַעֲנִיִּים

in order to feed fallen fruit to the poor

The steps (14)

  1. StatementThe practices the חכמים protested
  2. ResolutionThe count proves reaping does not belong on the list
  3. StatementNew topic: reaping crops for animal fodder
  4. StatementWhat divides a field for פאה
  5. Statementרבי מאיר and the חכמים on reaping for fodder
  6. Statementרבי מאיר follows רבי שמעון
  7. ChallengeObjection from bugs and wind damaging the field
  8. ChallengeBugs should divide the field even more
  9. ResolutionA new answer: רבי מאיר follows רבי יהודה
  10. Challengeרבי יהודה only spoke about animals
  11. Resolutionרב דימי: רבי מאיר follows his teacher רבי עקיבא
  12. ProofThe משנה about cutting a field in spots
  13. Statementשמואל: רבי עקיבא means only unripe grain
  14. Challengeרבין reports that רבי עקיבא requires separate פאה even for grain cut for storage