Pesachim 50b

פסחים נ׳ ע״ב

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

Open Pesachim 50b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Working before holy days, incomes that lack סימן ברכה, and the binding force of local customs

Overview

The משנה ends its rule on local customs: a person should not break from the local practice, because it causes מחלוקת. It adds a parallel case about carrying פירות שביעית between places, where the תנא קמא requires ביעור and רבי יהודה disagrees. The גמרא asks why the משנה singles out work on ערב פסח, since a ברייתא says work on ערב שבת and ערב יום טוב from מנחה also brings no blessing. It answers that ערב פסח starts earlier (from חצות), or that on ערב פסח the worker can even receive שמתא. Related teachings follow: four types of people (diligent or lazy, rewarded or penalized), רבא on the women of מחוזא, and רבא's teaching that מצוות done שלא לשמה are still rewarded. A series of ברייתות then lists incomes that never see a סימן ברכה, ending with scribes and sellers of holy items, who do see blessing if they work לשמה. Finally, the גמרא returns to customs. רבי יוחנן rules that the children of בית שאן must keep their fathers' custom, and רב יוסף tells the people of חוזאי to drop their custom of taking חלה from rice. אביי begins a challenge to רב יוסף that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. StatementDo not deviate from local custom
2. StatementMoving Sabbatical-year produce between places
3. Statementרבי יהודה disagrees
4. ChallengeWhy single out ערב פסח?
5. ResolutionFirst answer: ערב פסח starts earlier
6. ResolutionSecond answer: ערב פסח has a stronger penalty
7. StatementThe full ברייתא about working near holy days
8. StatementFour types: diligent or lazy, rewarded or penalized
9. StatementDefining the four types
10. Conclusionרבא on the pampered women of מחוזא
11. ChallengeTwo verses about God's kindness seem to contradict
12. ResolutionResolution: לשמה versus שלא לשמה
13. ProofSupport from רב: keep learning even without pure motives
14. StatementNo blessing from relying on a wife's or a mill's earnings
15. StatementDefining the wife's earnings and the mill
16. ProofA wife who makes and sells goods is praised
17. StatementNo blessing from selling rods or jugs
18. ResponseReason: bulky goods attract the evil eye
19. StatementFour kinds of people who never see blessing
20. ResponseReason: people stare and wonder at them
21. StatementFour kinds of payment that never carry blessing
22. ResponseExplaining three of the four kinds of money that lack blessing
23. QuestionWhy do scribes' wages lack blessing?
24. ResponseThe Great Assembly fasted so scribes would not become rich
25. StatementAll who deal in holy work see no blessing unless they work for its sake
26. QuestionThe children of בית שאן ask to drop their fathers' custom
27. Responseרבי יוחנן rules the fathers' custom binds the children
28. Statementרב יוסף tells them to break the custom of חלה from rice
29. Challengeאביי begins a challenge from permitted things treated as forbidden