Shabbos 13b

שבת י״ג ע״ב

Shabbat 13b

Learn Shabbos 13b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The end of the story of the תלמיד who died young (the danger of closeness during נדה), and the opening of the משנה about the eighteen גזירות made in the attic of חנניה בן חזקיה בן גרון

Overview

This amud begins at the end of a story from תנא דבי אליהו. A young תלמיד חכם died young, and אליהו explained that he was punished for being physically close to his wife during her ימי ליבון, which breaks 'לא תקרב'. רב דימי and the scholars of ארץ ישראל give milder versions of what he did, but he was punished in every version. A new משנה then says that in the attic of חנניה בן חזקיה בן גרון, בית שמאי outnumbered בית הלל and eighteen גזירות were made. אביי asks whether the משנה says 'ואלו' or 'אלו', and a ברייתא proves it is 'ואלו', so the earlier lamplight rules are among those גזירות. The גמרא praises חנניה בן חזקיה twice: his group wrote מגילת תענית, and he saved ספר יחזקאל by explaining its difficult passages. Along the way, רבן שמעון בן גמליאל explains why later generations do not record their rescues. Finally, the גמרא starts listing the eighteen גזירות with the משנה of things that disqualify תרומה, and it begins asking which תנא holds that eating impure food only disqualifies. That question continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. QuestionThe widow asks why her learned husband died young
2. Questionאליהו questions the widow about how her husband acted
3. Responseאליהו's verdict: he died for treating the clean days lightly
4. Statementרב דימי: they only shared one bed
5. StatementIn ארץ ישראל: a garment separated between them
6. StatementThe משנה: eighteen גזירות in the attic of חנניה בן חזקיה
7. Questionאביי asks: does 'ואלו' point back or forward?
8. ProofProof from a ברייתא that links the lamplight rules to the attic
9. ConclusionConclusion: the משנה says 'ואלו'
10. Statementחנניה בן חזקיה and his group wrote מגילת תענית
11. StatementWe also cherish the rescues, but there are too many to write
12. StatementA second reason: a person who has lost his mind does not feel the hurt
13. StatementA third reason: dead flesh does not feel the scalpel
14. ChallengeChallenge: the dead do feel pain
15. ResolutionAnswer: it means numb, dead flesh on a living person
16. Statementחנניה בן חזקיה saved ספר יחזקאל
17. ResponseHow he did it: three hundred jugs of oil in the attic
18. QuestionWhat are the eighteen decrees?
19. ResponseThe list of things that disqualify תרומה
20. QuestionWho holds that eating impure food only disqualifies?