Gemara Clarity

Shabbos 26b

שבת כ״ו ע״ב

Shabbat 26b

Learn Shabbos 26b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 26b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which materials count as a "בגד" for נגעים: the source for including a small שלש על שלש piece of wool or linen, and the exclusion of other fabrics.

Overview

The גמרא records a claim (in context, from אביי) that רבי שמעון בן אלעזר and the תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל hold the same view. The תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל learns from the laws of נגעים that every 'garment' in the תורה means wool or linen. רבא disagrees: the two views differ about a שלשה על שלשה (three-by-three handbreadth) piece of other fabrics. Everyone agrees that a שלש על שלש (three-by-three fingerbreadth) piece of wool or linen gets נגעים, and a ברייתא learns this from the extra word 'והבגד'. The גמרא asks why that word does not teach the larger size instead. It concludes that the larger size, useful to rich and poor alike, follows by a קל וחומר from the smaller one, so the פסוק is needed only for the small piece. Next the גמרא asks whether 'והבגד' might include large pieces of other fabrics. It answers that the תורה names wool and linen twice, excluding other fabrics at both sizes, as אביי holds. Finally it turns to ask how this works according to רבא, and that question continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar

וְתַנָּא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל

and the Tanna of the school of Rabbi Yishmael

אָמְרוּ דָּבָר אֶחָד.

said one and the same thing.

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר — הָא דַּאֲמַרַן.

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar: that which we said.

The steps (17)

  1. StatementTwo sources say the same thing
  2. QuestionWhat is the תנא's teaching?
  3. ResponseAll Torah garments are wool or linen
  4. Statementרבא: the two views differ on other fabrics
  5. StatementEveryone agrees: small wool or linen piece gets נגעים
  6. QuestionWhat is the source?
  7. ResponseThe extra 'ו-ה' in והבגד
  8. ChallengeMaybe the extra word includes the bigger size
  9. ResolutionThe bigger size comes from a קל וחומר
  10. ChallengeThen the small size also comes from a קל וחומר
  11. ResolutionUseful to rich and poor vs. only to poor
  12. ConclusionThe small size is included only by the פסוק
  13. ChallengeMaybe the extra word includes a large piece of other fabrics
  14. ResolutionThe פסוק limits the law to wool and linen
  15. ChallengeMaybe the limit applies only to the small size
  16. ResolutionTwo limiting phrases exclude both sizes
  17. QuestionTurning to רבא's view of the dispute