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Pesachim 113b

פסחים קי״ג ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 113b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 113b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Traits God loves and hates, the lone witness and hating a sinner, numbered aggadic lists, and teachings of רבי יוסי איש הוצל

Overview

The amud opens with רבא telling רב ספרא that the praise for a sinless bachelor is meant for people like רב חנינא and רב אושעיא, who stayed pure among the זונות. The גמרא then lists three people הקדוש ברוך הוא loves and three He hates. One of the hated is a lone witness to a sexual sin, as the story of טוביה and זיגוד shows. רב rules that such a witness may hate the sinner, and רב נחמן בר יצחק says it is even a מצוה. רב אשי adds that the witness may tell his teacher only if the teacher trusts him like two witnesses. Next comes a chain of numbered lists: people whose lives are not lives, groups that hate or love each other, people no one can bear, כנען's commands to his sons, the traits of the horse, and seven who are shunned by Heaven. Teachings from רבי יוסי איש הוצל follow: do not consult astrologers, honor anyone greater than you in even one thing, and a woman waits one עונה after her days of דם טהור. The amud ends with a ברייתא listing the many names of יוסף איש הוצל, whose real name is איסי בן עקביה. A second list of names, for רבי יצחק בן טבלא, continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

תָּנֵי תַּנָּא קַמֵּיהּ

The tanna taught before

דְּרָבָא וְרַב סָפְרָא,

Rava and Rav Safra,

צָהֲבוּ פָּנָיו דְּרַב סָפְרָא.

Rav Safra's face lit up.

אָמַר לוֹ רָבָא:

Rava said to him:

The steps (36)

  1. Statementרב ספרא rejoices when the ברייתא is taught
  2. Rejectionרבא says the praise is for חכמים like רב חנינא and רב אושעיא
  3. StatementThree people whom God loves
  4. StatementThree people whom God hates
  5. ProofThe story of טוביה and זיגוד
  6. ChallengeZigud protests the unfairness
  7. Resolutionרב פפא explains: one witness only spreads a bad name
  8. Statementרב: The lone witness may hate the sinner
  9. QuestionWhich 'enemy' does the verse mean?
  10. ChallengeA ברייתא says the enemy is a Jew
  11. ConclusionSo the enemy in the verse must be a Jew
  12. ChallengeBut hating a fellow Jew is forbidden
  13. ResolutionSuggestion: witnesses saw him sin
  14. RejectionThen everyone would hate him
  15. ConclusionThe case: he alone saw him sin
  16. StatementIt is a מצוה to hate him
  17. QuestionMay he tell his teacher so he will hate him too?
  18. ResponseOnly if the teacher trusts him like two witnesses
  19. StatementThree whose lives are not real lives
  20. StatementGroups whose members hate one another
  21. StatementThree groups that love one another
  22. StatementFour types of people no one can bear, plus a fifth from יש אומרים
  23. QuestionWhy did the first opinion leave out the remarrying husband?
  24. ResponseHe may be forced to take her back
  25. StatementThe five commands כנען gave his sons
  26. StatementSix traits of the horse
  27. StatementSeven people who are shunned by Heaven
  28. StatementDo not consult astrologers
  29. StatementHonor anyone greater than you, even in one area
  30. StatementAfter the days of pure blood, she may not be intimate right away
  31. QuestionHow long must she wait?
  32. Responseרב: one set time period
  33. StatementA ברייתא lists the many names of יוסף איש הוצל
  34. QuestionWhat is his real name?
  35. ResponseHis real name is איסי בן עקביה
  36. StatementA second list: the names of רבי יצחק בן טבלא