Gemara Clarity

Nedarim 62a

נדרים ס״ב ע״א

Learn Nedarim 62a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Leftover figs after the harvest, רבי טרפון's regret, and when one may use the honor of תורה

Overview

A ברייתא teaches that once most of the fig-cutting knives are put away, the leftover figs are treated as ownerless: taking them is not גזל, and they need no מעשר. The גמרא tells three stories about this. רבי eats the figs, but רבי יוסי בר רבי יהודה refuses, because he thinks the owner's invitation was only polite. רבי חמא בר רבי חנינא proves to his attendant that eating is allowed. Then an owner nearly drowns רבי טרפון, who saves himself by saying his name, and he regrets all his life that he used the crown of תורה. רבי יוחנן teaches with a קל וחומר from בלשצר that whoever uses the crown of תורה is uprooted from the world. The גמרא explains that the owner took רבי טרפון for a thief, and that רבי טרפון regretted it because he could have paid the man off. Related teachings follow: learn תורה out of love and not for honor, and do not use it as a crown or as a digging tool. Finally רבא rules that a person may make himself known where he is a stranger, and that a תלמיד חכם may ask to be heard first, just as a כהן takes first. The source for the כהן, וקדשתו, continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

תָּנָא:

It was taught:

הוּקְפְּלוּ רוֹב הַמַּקְצוּעוֹת —

If most of the knives have been folded up and put away,

מוּתָּרוֹת מִשּׁוּם גֵּזֶל,

they are permitted with regard to stealing,

וּפְטוּרוֹת מִן הַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת.

and they are exempt from tithes.

The steps (25)

  1. StatementLeftover figs become ownerless once the knives are put away
  2. Statementרבי eats, רבי יוסי does not, and the owner invites them
  3. ResolutionWhy רבי יוסי still refused: the owner was only being polite
  4. Statementרבי חמא eats, but his attendant refuses
  5. Proofרבי חמא quotes a teaching that permits eating
  6. StatementAn owner nearly drowns רבי טרפון for eating figs
  7. Conclusionרבי טרפון regrets using the crown of Torah
  8. StatementWhoever uses the crown of תורה is uprooted
  9. ProofProof from Belshazzar using the Temple vessels
  10. ChallengeWhy did the owner attack רבי טרפון?
  11. ResolutionThe owner thought he caught the thief
  12. ChallengeThen why was רבי טרפון pained?
  13. ResolutionHe could have paid instead
  14. StatementDo not learn תורה to gain titles
  15. ConclusionLearn out of love, and honor will come
  16. StatementDo מצוות and learn תורה for their own sake
  17. ProofA קל וחומר from בלשצר
  18. StatementYou may make yourself known where people don't know you
  19. ChallengeWhat about רבי טרפון?
  20. Resolutionרבי טרפון could have paid instead
  21. ChallengeTwo פסוקים about self-praise seem to clash
  22. ResolutionKnown place versus unknown place
  23. StatementA תלמיד חכם may ask to be heard first
  24. QuestionWhere do we learn that a כהן goes first?
  25. Responseוקדשתו: a כהן comes first in every holy matter