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Shabbos 55a

שבת נ״ה ע״א

Shabbat 55a

Learn Shabbos 55a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 55a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The duty to protest wrongdoing, the ת׳ marks in יחזקאל, the end of זכות אבות, and רב אמי's rule that death and suffering come from sin

Overview

This עמוד is about responsibility for wrongdoing and about Divine justice. The גמרא first explains that the זקנים are judged because they did not protest against the sins of the שרים. A story follows: שמואל ignores a crying woman, and he explains that the main duty belongs to מר עוקבא, the אב בית דין from בית דוד. רבי זירא then tells רבי סימון to rebuke the ריש גלותא's household even if they will not listen. The proof is the story in יחזקאל of the ת׳ marks. The צדיקים were first protected, but מדת הדין argued that they could have protested and did not, so punishment began with them. The גמרא explains the bronze altar, the six destroying angels, and five meanings of the letter תיו. It then brings four opinions on when זכות אבות ended. Finally, רב אמי teaches that there is no death without sin and no suffering without sin, with a פסוק for each half. The גמרא will test this rule on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

זְקֵנִים מֶה חָטְאוּ?

The Elders, what did they sin?

אֶלָּא אֵימָא:

Rather, say:

עַל זְקֵנִים, שֶׁלֹּא מִיחוּ בַּשָּׂרִים.

Concerning the Elders, that they did not protest against the princes.

רַב יְהוּדָה הֲוָה יָתֵיב קַמֵּיהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל.

Rav Yehuda was sitting before Shmuel.

The steps (37)

  1. QuestionWhat did the Elders do wrong?
  2. ResponseThe Elders are judged for not protesting
  3. Statementשמואל ignores a crying woman
  4. Challengeרב יהודה challenges שמואל with a verse
  5. Resolutionשמואל explains that מר עוקבא is responsible
  6. ProofVerse showing the House of David must judge justly
  7. Statementרבי זירא urges רבי סימון to rebuke the ריש גלותא's household
  8. ChallengeRabbi Simon objects that they will not listen
  9. ResolutionRebuke them even if they will not accept
  10. ProofThe one good decree that was taken back
  11. StatementInk for the righteous, blood for the wicked
  12. QuestionJustice asks what separates the two groups
  13. ResponseOne group is fully righteous, the other fully wicked
  14. ChallengeThey could have protested and did not
  15. ResolutionTheir protest would not have worked anyway
  16. ChallengeYou knew it would fail, but did they?
  17. ProofThe verse shows the punishment began with the righteous
  18. StatementRead 'My sanctified ones' instead of 'My Sanctuary'
  19. StatementImmediately the six destroyers arrive
  20. ChallengeWas there really a bronze altar then?
  21. ResolutionBegin where they sing before Me
  22. QuestionWho are the six men?
  23. ResponseSix angels of destruction
  24. QuestionWhy specifically the letter תיו?
  25. Responseרב: תיו for live and תיו for die
  26. Responseשמואל: the merit of the fathers has ended
  27. Responseרבי יוחנן: the merit of the fathers will bring mercy
  28. Responseריש לקיש: תיו ends ה׳'s seal of truth
  29. Responseרבי שמואל בר נחמני: they kept the תורה from א to ת
  30. QuestionFrom when did the merit of the Forefathers end?
  31. Responseרב: From the days of הושע בן בארי
  32. Responseשמואל: From the days of חזאל
  33. Responseרבי יהושע בן לוי: From the days of אליהו
  34. Responseרבי יוחנן: From the days of חזקיהו
  35. StatementNo death without sin and no suffering without sin
  36. ProofA verse showing that death comes from sin
  37. ProofA verse showing that suffering comes from sin