Gemara Clarity

Shabbos 11a

שבת י״א ע״א

Shabbat 11a

Learn Shabbos 11a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 11a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

A chain of רב's aggadic sayings (the בית הכנסת's height, dangers and sufferings, the dream fast), when Torah learners stop for קריאת שמע and תפלה, and a new משנה on safeguards before and on שבת.

Overview

This amud opens by finishing a calculation about סדום, landing on 26 calm years and proving it from a פסוק. It then brings a chain of sayings from רב, all passed down by רבא בר מחסיא through רב חמא בר גוריא. A city whose houses are taller than its בית הכנסת will be destroyed, though poles and towers do not count. רב אשי says this is how he saved מתא מחסיא, and when the city falls anyway, the גמרא answers that it fell for a different sin. Next come a ranking of whose power is most dangerous to live under, a list of the worst kinds of suffering, and a saying that a government's concerns are too vast to write down. Then רב teaches that a fast cancels a bad dream; רב חסדא adds that it must be on the same day, and רב יוסף adds that it applies even on שבת. A story about רב יהושע בריה דרב אידי shows why a dream fast cannot be postponed. The גמרא returns to the משנה on stopping for קריאת שמע and תפלה, and sorts out three cases: ordinary people, full-time learners like רבי שמעון בן יוחי, and those doing עיבור השנה. Finally, a new משנה lists safeguards against slipping into a שבת violation out of habit, and the גמרא begins by quoting a related משנה about drinking across two domains.

Opening lines

עֶשְׂרִים וָשֵׁשׁ, דִּכְתִיב:

Twenty-six, as it is written:

״שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה עָבְדוּ אֶת כְּדׇרְלָעוֹמֶר

"Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer

וּשְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָרָדוּ.

and thirteen years they rebelled.

וּבְאַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְגוֹ׳״

And in the fourteenth year, etc."

The steps (27)

  1. ProofFinishing the count for סדום: twenty-six years, proven from a verse
  2. StatementA city with roofs higher than the synagogue will be destroyed
  3. StatementThe rule covers the houses themselves, not poles and towers
  4. Statementרב אשי says he saved מתא מחסיא
  5. ChallengeBut the city was destroyed
  6. ResolutionIt was not destroyed for that sin
  7. StatementWhose power is hardest to live under
  8. StatementThe worst kinds of suffering
  9. StatementGovernment's concerns are too vast to write down
  10. ProofA verse that hints at this idea
  11. StatementFasting cancels a bad dream
  12. StatementThe fast must be on the same day
  13. StatementA dream fast is allowed even on שבת
  14. StatementA guest refuses a fine meal because he is fasting
  15. ChallengeWhy not postpone the fast?
  16. ResolutionA dream fast cannot be postponed
  17. StatementBack to the משנה: stopping for קריאת שמע
  18. ChallengeWhy does the משנה repeat itself?
  19. ResolutionThe end of the משנה is about Torah learners
  20. ProofA ברייתא about Torah learners
  21. StatementOnly full-time learners may skip stopping for prayer
  22. ChallengeA ברייתא says scholars do not stop even for קריאת שמע
  23. ResolutionThat ברייתא is about people working on the leap year
  24. ProofProof: in יבנה they did not stop during the leap-year work
  25. StatementNew משנה: safeguards before and on שבת
  26. Statementמשנה continued: the חזן, and the זב and זבה
  27. StatementThe גמרא quotes a משנה about drinking across two domains