Gemara Clarity

Pesachim 56a

פסחים נ״ו ע״א

Learn Pesachim 56a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 56a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The end of the משנה about the six customs of the people of יריחו, a ברייתא about six actions of חזקיה המלך, and the גמרא's explanation of how the people of יריחו grafted palm trees (מרכיבין דקלים).

Overview

This amud opens with the end of the משנה, which finishes listing the customs of the people of יריחו that the חכמים protested. The גמרא brings a ברייתא with the same three-and-three pattern: six actions of חזקיה המלך, three the חכמים agreed with and three they did not. It then explains two of יריחו's customs. Grafting palms is either pouring a special mixture into the tree (רב יהודה) or placing a male branch on a female palm (רב אחא בריה דרבא). 'Bundling שמע' gets several explanations: not pausing, pausing in the wrong place, or leaving out ברוך שם. That leads to the question of why we say ברוך שם at all. ריש לקיש answers with the story of יעקב and his sons, and the חכמים rule that it is said quietly. רבי אבהו adds that it was said aloud where מינים might complain. Finally, a ברייתא records the dispute between רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה on how to classify the six customs of יריחו. The amud ends with a challenge to רבי יהודה from a משנה about harvesting before the עומר, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאוֹכְלִין מִתַּחַת הַנְּשָׁרִים בְּשַׁבָּת,

and they would eat from beneath the trees that shed fruit on Shabbat,

וְנוֹתְנִין פֵּאָה לַיָּרָק.

and they would give the corner-gift to the poor from vegetables.

וּמִיחוּ בְּיָדָם חֲכָמִים.

And the Sages protested against them.

גְּמָ׳ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן:

GEMARA: The Sages taught:

The steps (30)

  1. StatementThe last customs of יריחו that the חכמים protested
  2. StatementSix actions of חזקיה המלך: the three the חכמים agreed with
  3. StatementThe three actions of חזקיה the חכמים did not agree with
  4. QuestionHow did they graft the palm trees?
  5. Responseרב יהודה: pouring a special mixture into the palm
  6. Responseרב אחא son of רבא: placing a male palm branch on a female
  7. QuestionWhat does 'bundling שמע' mean?
  8. Responseרב יהודה: they did not pause
  9. Responseרבא: they paused in the wrong place
  10. Statementברייתא: רבי מאיר says they did not pause
  11. Statementרבי יהודה: they paused but skipped ברוך שם
  12. QuestionWhy do we say ברוך שם at all?
  13. ResponseAnswer: ריש לקיש's teaching
  14. Statementיעקב loses prophecy before revealing the End
  15. Statementיעקב fears one of his sons is unworthy
  16. StatementThe sons answer: שמע ישראל
  17. Statementיעקב responds with ברוך שם
  18. QuestionThe dilemma: משה didn't say it, יעקב did
  19. ConclusionThe ruling: say it quietly
  20. StatementParable of the king's daughter
  21. Statementרבי אבהו: The custom was changed to say it aloud
  22. StatementIn נהרדעא they still say it quietly
  23. StatementA ברייתא introduces six customs of the people of יריחו
  24. StatementThe three customs the Sages approved (according to רבי מאיר)
  25. StatementThe three customs the Sages did not approve (according to רבי מאיר)
  26. Challengeרבי יהודה objects: Then why only יריחו?
  27. Resolutionרבי יהודה's new framework: all against the Sages' wishes, but only three protested
  28. StatementThe three customs the Sages tolerated (according to רבי יהודה)
  29. StatementThe three customs the Sages protested (according to רבי יהודה)
  30. ChallengeWas the harvesting really against the Sages' will?