Gemara Clarity

Shabbos 149b

שבת קמ״ט ע״ב

Shabbat 149b

Learn Shabbos 149b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 149b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Drawing lots with family versus outsiders, lots for weekday portions on יום טוב, the teaching about causing another's punishment, and a series of aggadot about נבוכדנצר.

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining why drawing lots for food with outsiders is forbidden, adding that בית הלל would also see a problem of רבית. With one's own family it is allowed, based on רב's ruling that a father may even lend to his household with interest to teach them. The גמרא then rereads the משנה (חסורי מחסרא): with family even unequal portions are fine, but with others they are forbidden every day as קוביא. Next, רבי יעקב בריה דבת יעקב explains that כהנים may not draw lots on יום טוב for ordinary weekday portions, even though they tend to quarrel. The same אמורא teaches that whoever causes another to be punished is kept out of the מחיצה of הקב"ה. Two proofs are rejected, and a third, from משלי and תהלים, is accepted. The גמרא then proves that חלשים means lots from a פסוק calling נבוכדנצר 'חולש על גוים.' This leads to a series of teachings about נבוכדנצר: his cruelty, the world's joy at his fall, the danger of his ruins, his miraculous shame, and his lowly place in גיהנם. A new דרשה on 'איך שבת נוגש' begins at the end and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וּכְדִבְרֵי בֵּית הִלֵּל אַף מִשּׁוּם רִבִּית.

And according to the words of Beit Hillel, also because of interest.

אִי הָכִי בָּנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ נָמֵי!

If so, his children and household members also (should be forbidden)!

בָּנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ הַיְינוּ טַעְמָא —

His children and household members, this is the reason:

כִּדְרַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב.

Like Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav.

The steps (25)

  1. Statementבית הלל adds a prohibition of interest
  2. ChallengeThen it should be forbidden with family too
  3. ResolutionInterest with family is allowed, to teach them
  4. ChallengeThen unequal portions should be allowed with family too
  5. ResolutionAgreed: the משנה is missing words
  6. ConclusionWith others it is forbidden, because of gambling
  7. QuestionWhat does 'but not for the portions' mean?
  8. ResponseWeekday portions on a Festival
  9. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
  10. ResolutionQuarrelsome כהנים might have justified an exception
  11. StatementCausing another's punishment keeps one out of ה''s presence
  12. QuestionWhat is the source?
  13. ProofProposed proof: the spirit of נבות and אחאב
  14. RejectionRejection: it was expelled for lying
  15. ProofSecond proof: נבוכדנצר and צדקיה
  16. RejectionRejection: the פסוק is all about נבוכדנצר, and צדקיה did nothing
  17. ProofThe accepted source: punishment is 'not good,' and evil cannot dwell with God
  18. QuestionHow do we know the word חלשים means lots?
  19. Responseנבוכדנצר is called חולש because he cast lots
  20. StatementThe captured kings finally rested
  21. StatementNo one laughed while נבוכדנצר lived
  22. StatementDo not stand in the ruins of נבוכדנצר's house
  23. Statementנבוכדנצר is miraculously humiliated when he tries to abuse צדקיהו
  24. StatementThe people in גיהנם tremble at נבוכדנצר's arrival, and a בת קול brings him low
  25. StatementOpening a new דרשה on the פסוק 'איך שבת נוגש'