Gemara Clarity

Shabbos 4b

שבת ד׳ ע״ב

Shabbat 4b

Learn Shabbos 4b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 4b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Finding a תנא who holds that neither עקירה nor הנחה needs a 4x4 area: first רבי עקיבא, then רבי

Overview

Earlier, רבה explained the case of a hand in the משנה using רבי עקיבא's rule that an object in the air counts as resting (קלוטה כמי שהונחה דמיא). The גמרא first objects that רבה himself once asked a בעיא about this. Do רבי עקיבא and the רבנן argue below ten טפחים, about קלוטה? Or do they argue above ten, about learning זורק from מושיט? The answer is that רבה later resolved his doubt: רבי עקיבא holds קלוטה. Then a new problem arises. קלוטה only shows that הנחה needs no 4x4 area, while עקירה might still need one. So רב יוסף says instead that the משנה follows רבי. The גמרא looks for a source. The ברייתא of the tiny ledge (זיז) is pushed away with אביי's explanation: the case is tree branches, and רבי holds שדי נופו בתר עיקרו. Next comes a ברייתא about throwing across a רשות היחיד, where שמואל says רבי makes him liable twice, implying no 4x4 is needed for either עקירה or הנחה. The amud ends as the גמרא starts to reject this proof with a statement of רב and שמואל that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וּבְתוֹךְ עֲשָׂרָה פְּלִיגִי?

And is it within ten handbreadths that they disagree?

וְהָא מִיבַּעְיָא בָּעֵי לַהּ רַבָּה!

But Rabba himself raised this as a dilemma!

דְּבָעֵי רַבָּה:

For Rabba asked:

לְמַטָּה מֵעֲשָׂרָה פְּלִיגִי —

Do they disagree below ten handbreadths?

The steps (13)

  1. ChallengeChallenge: רבה himself was unsure where they argue
  2. Questionרבה's dilemma, first side: they argue below ten
  3. Questionרבה's dilemma, second side: they argue above ten
  4. ResolutionAnswer: רבה later resolved his dilemma
  5. ChallengeNew challenge: maybe only lifting needs a 4x4 area
  6. Resolutionרב יוסף: The משנה Follows רבי
  7. QuestionWhich Ruling of רבי?
  8. ProofProposed Source: The Small Projection
  9. Rejectionאביי: The Case Is a Tree with Branches Leaning Out
  10. RejectionThe Real Dispute: Do Branches Follow the Trunk?
  11. ProofA new proof from an object thrown across a private domain
  12. ProofTwo liabilities show that no 4x4 area is needed
  13. RejectionSetting up a challenge from what רב and שמואל said