Shabbos 116a

שבת קט״ז ע״א

Shabbat 116a

Learn Shabbos 116a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Is ויהי בנסוע a separate ספר? Saving the margins of a ספר תורה from a fire, and how to treat ספרי מינין and the debate houses of the מינין.

Overview

This עמוד opens by finishing a ברייתא about the special marks around the פרשה of ויהי בנסוע הארון. The תנא קמא says the marks show the פרשה is out of place. רבי says they show it is a ספר of its own, which is why רבי יונתן can speak of 'seven books of the Torah.' רבן שמעון בן גמליאל holds that the פרשה was put here to separate two punishments, and רב אשי says it really belongs in the section of the דגלים. The גמרא then asks whether the blank margins (גליונות) of a ספר תורה may be saved from a fire on שבת. It tries four proofs: a worn-out scroll, an erased scroll, the rule that margins make hands טמא, and a ברייתא about burning margins. It pushes off every one, so the question is never decided. That last ברייתא leads into the laws of ספרי מינין. רבי יוסי says to cut out and bury the שמות, while רבי טרפון and רבי ישמעאל say even the שמות may be burned, because heretics knowingly deny ה׳. The עמוד ends with stories about the debate house בי אבידן and begins a story about אימא שלום that continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (40)

1. StatementThe first opinion: the section is not in its place
2. Statementרבי: the section is a book of its own
3. QuestionWhose view fits the 'seven pillars' teaching?
4. ResponseIt follows רבי
5. QuestionWho disagrees with רבי?
6. Responseרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: the section will one day be moved
7. ResponseWhy the section was placed here: to separate two punishments
8. ResponseThe second punishment: the complainers
9. ResponseThe first punishment: running away from סיני
10. QuestionWhere does the section really belong?
11. Responseרב אשי: in the section about the banners
12. QuestionDo we save the blank margins of a Torah scroll from a fire?
13. ProofAttempted proof from a worn-out Torah scroll
14. ProofThe proof spelled out: why not save it for its margins?
15. RejectionRejection: a worn-out scroll is different
16. ProofAn erased scroll should be saved because of its margins
17. RejectionThe question is only about true margins, not erased writing space
18. ChallengeBut the erased scroll still has real margins
19. ResolutionThe margins were cut off and thrown away
20. ProofMargins make hands טמא, so they must be holy
21. RejectionMargins attached to the scroll are different
22. ProofA ברייתא says margins are left to burn
23. RejectionThe margins are those of heretical books
24. ChallengeWhy mention the margins of heretical books at all?
25. ResolutionHeretical books are treated like blank margins
26. StatementThe ברייתא about heretical books quoted again
27. Statementרבי יוסי: cut out the שמות and bury them
28. Statementרבי טרפון swears to burn them, שמות and all
29. StatementHeretics are worse than idol worshippers
30. ProofA verse about putting ה׳ behind the door
31. Proofרבי ישמעאל's קל וחומר from the סוטה
32. ProofDavid's verse about hating God's enemies
33. StatementHeretical books are not saved from any destruction
34. QuestionDo we save the books of בי אבידן?
35. Responseרבי אבהו is unsure
36. Statementרב and שמואל's practice regarding these houses
37. Statementרבא's polite excuse for not coming
38. Statementמר בר יוסף's confidence and the danger
39. StatementNicknames for the heretics' gospel book
40. StatementIntroducing the story of אימא שלום