Shabbos 83a

שבת פ״ג ע״א

Shabbat 83a

Learn Shabbos 83a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How the טומאה of עבודה זרה works: testing רבה's and רבי אלעזר's explanations against ברייתות, רב אשי's reading of היסט in both directions, and how an idol can move something.

Overview

On the previous עמוד, רבה and רבי אלעזר gave two explanations of רבי עקיבא's comparison of עבודה זרה to נדה. רבה said the dispute is only about אבן מסמא. רבי אלעזר said the dispute is about משא itself. The גמרא first asks what the comparison to נדה adds in רבי אלעזר's view, and answers that an idol is not מטמא through its separate limbs. It then explains that רב חמא בר גוריא's question about limbs followed רבה's reading. Next, two ברייתות seem to support רבי אלעזר against רבה. רבה defends himself, and both אמוראים reword the second ברייתא to fit their views. רב אשי then asks what the word 'הן' adds, and he reads the ברייתא as separating two directions of היסט: an impure thing moving others, and others moving it. Finally the גמרא asks how an idol could ever move something. רמי בריה דרב ייבא starts to answer with a משנה about a balance scale, and the answer continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (14)

1. ChallengeWhy compare an idol to a menstruating woman rather than to a carcass?
2. ResolutionThe comparison teaches that an idol's separate limbs do not transmit impurity
3. ChallengeThen why was רב חמא בר גוריא unsure about limbs?
4. Resolutionרב חמא בר גוריא followed רבה's explanation
5. ChallengeA ברייתא seems to show the רבנן deny carrying impurity
6. Resolution'Like a שרץ' only means no heavy-stone impurity
7. ChallengeA second ברייתא says the רבנן deny impurity through moving
8. RejectionThis ברייתא cannot be read as it stands, even regarding gentiles
9. Resolutionרבה rewords the ברייתא to fit his view
10. Resolutionרבי אלעזר rewords the ברייתא to fit his view
11. Challengeרב אשי asks what the word 'they' adds
12. Resolutionרב אשי's reading: moving others versus being moved
13. QuestionHow can an idol move something?
14. ResponseThe balance-scale case from a משנה