Gemara Clarity

Shabbos 32b

שבת ל״ב ע״ב

Shabbat 32b

Learn Shabbos 32b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 32b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Sins that bring death to one's family, and other sins with matching punishments and rewards

Overview

This amud discusses which sins bring death to a person's wife or young children. רבי נתן says unfulfilled נדרים cause a man's wife to die, and רבי says they cause young children to die. In another ברייתא, רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון blames נדרים and רבי יהודה הנשיא blames ביטול תורה. The גמרא explains that רבי changed his mind after hearing רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון. More opinions follow: אמוראים argue whether the sin is neglecting מזוזה or ביטול תורה, and תנאים argue whether it is מזוזה or ציצית. Each view is tied to a פסוק. ריש לקיש then praises ציצית: a careful person will be served by 2,800 servants. Next the גמרא gives a סימן and lists sins with matching punishments: שנאת חנם, not separating חלה, and not separating תרומות ומעשרות. For חלה and מעשרות it also promises a reward. The amud ends with גזל, which brings locusts and famine, and רבא begins comparing the 'cows of Bashan' to the women of מחוזא, a comparison that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְנִמְסְרוּ לְעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ.

and they were handed over to the unlearned people.

תַּנְיָא רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר:

It was taught: Rabbi Natan says:

בַּעֲוֹן נְדָרִים מֵתָה אִשָּׁה שֶׁל אָדָם,

For the sin of vows, a man's wife dies,

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִם אֵין לְךָ לְשַׁלֵּם

as it says: "If you have nothing to pay,

The steps (28)

  1. ConclusionThese מצוות were entrusted even to unlearned people
  2. Statementרבי נתן: unfulfilled vows can cost a man his wife
  3. Statementרבי: unfulfilled vows can cost a man his young children
  4. StatementA dispute: vows or neglecting Torah study
  5. QuestionWhat verse supports the ביטול תורה view?
  6. ResponseThe source: 'In vain I struck your children'
  7. StatementThe same verse can also support the vows view
  8. ChallengeIsn't רבי יהודה הנשיא the same as רבי?
  9. ResolutionHe changed his mind after hearing רבי אלעזר
  10. StatementA new dispute: מזוזה or ביטול תורה
  11. ConclusionThe root of the dispute: how far back a verse connects
  12. Statementרבי מאיר and רבי יהודה argue: מזוזה or ציצית
  13. QuestionThe מזוזה view has a source, but what is the ציצית view's source?
  14. ResponseSource for ציצית: 'Also on your corners is found blood'
  15. StatementThe same verse also supports the מזוזה view
  16. StatementThe reward for being careful with ציצית
  17. StatementA memory aid for the coming list of sins
  18. StatementThe punishment for baseless hatred
  19. StatementThe punishment for not separating חלה
  20. StatementGiving חלה brings blessing
  21. StatementThe punishment for neglecting תרומות and מעשרות
  22. QuestionHow does the verse show this?
  23. ResponseSummer sins take away winter rain
  24. StatementGiving מעשרות brings an overflowing blessing
  25. QuestionWhat does 'עד בלי די' mean?
  26. ResponseYour lips will wear out from saying 'enough'
  27. StatementRobbery brings locusts and terrible famine
  28. Statementרבא identifies the 'cows of Bashan' with the women of מחוזא