Gemara Clarity

Nedarim 50b

נדרים נ׳ ע״ב

Learn Nedarim 50b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Stories of unexpected wealth and of תורה in plain 'vessels', the explanation of the ביצה טורמיטא and כלופסין, and stories about רבי and בר קפרא.

Overview

The גמרא finishes its list of the people through whom רבי עקיבא became rich. It then tells how רב גמדא's 'wasted' purchase of a monkey led him to a pile of pearls. Next, בת קיסר mocks רבי יהושע בן חנניה as an ugly vessel for beautiful תורה. He answers with the example of wine, which spoils in silver and gold. A woman who describes שמואל's looks in a mocking way is put in שמתא by רב יהודה and dies. The גמרא then returns to our משנה and explains the ביצה טורמיטא, a specially shrunk egg that doctors use. It also explains the word כלופסין, a kind of fig used for cooked dishes, and tells a story about a thousand kinds of fig dishes. The amud ends with stories about רבי's great wealth and his witty student-colleague בר קפרא, and that last story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וּמִן אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל טוֹרָנוּסְרוּפוּס,

And from the wife of Turnus Rufus,

וּמִן קְטִיעָא בַּר שָׁלוֹם.

and from Ketia bar Shalom.

רַב גַּמָּדָא יְהֵיב אַרְבָּעָה זוּזִי

Rav Gamda gave four zuz

לְסָפוֹנָאֵי לְאֵתוֹיֵי בְּהוֹן מִידַּעַם.

to sailors, to bring him something with them.

The steps (25)

  1. StatementTwo more sources of רבי עקיבא's wealth
  2. Statementרב גמדא, the monkey, and the pearls
  3. ChallengeThe emperor's daughter mocks רבי יהושע's appearance
  4. Responseרבי יהושע asks where the palace keeps its wine
  5. ResolutionThe wine spoils, and so does תורה
  6. ChallengeBut some people are handsome and learned
  7. ResolutionThey would be even more learned if they were plain
  8. StatementA woman loses her case before רב יהודה
  9. ChallengeShe protests that שמואל would not have ruled this way
  10. Questionרב יהודה asks if she knew שמואל
  11. ResponseShe describes שמואל in unflattering terms
  12. Conclusionרב יהודה puts her in שמתא and she dies
  13. QuestionWhat is a ביצה טורמיטא?
  14. Responseשמואל explains how the egg is made and used
  15. Statementשמואל tests himself with a stalk
  16. StatementA משנה about a worker and two kinds of figs
  17. QuestionWhat are כלופסין?
  18. Responseכלופסין are figs used for cooked fruit
  19. StatementA lawsuit over a thousand kinds of fig dishes
  20. Statementרבי is amazed: we never even saw such good things
  21. StatementA hugely expensive wedding, and בר קפרא is not invited
  22. Statementבר קפרא's sharp remark about reward
  23. StatementAfter being invited, בר קפרא changes his קל וחומר
  24. Statementרבי asks בר קפרא not to make him laugh
  25. Statementבר קפרא begins his reply