Gemara Clarity

Shabbos 88a

שבת פ״ח ע״א

Shabbat 88a

Learn Shabbos 88a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shabbos 88a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The date of מתן תורה (the dispute between the רבנן and רבי יוסי), followed by אגדות about Israel's acceptance of the תורה and the praise of נעשה ונשמע.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a calendar answer about the date of מתן תורה: did it happen on 6 סיון, as the רבנן say, or on 7 סיון, as רבי יוסי says? A ברייתא from סדר עולם puts ראש חודש סיון on Monday, but רבי יוסי answers that it follows the רבנן. A ברייתא in רבי יוסי's own name says משה 'had no time' on the sixth. The גמרא explains this as שבת preparation, not מתן תורה. A Galilean's דרשה about 'threes' is shown to follow the רבנן. Then the גמרא turns to אגדות about מתן תורה: the mountain held over Israel like a tub, the claim of force this raises, and its fix through the willing acceptance in the days of אחשורוש. Next comes ריש לקיש's teaching that all of creation depended on Israel accepting the תורה. A series of teachings then praises Israel for saying נעשה before נשמע: the two crowns, the angels' secret, and the apple tree. The amud ends with a מין mocking רבא as one of a rash nation, and רבא's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לְרַבָּנַן שְׁמוֹנָה חֲסֵרִים עֲבוּד.

According to the Rabbis, they established eight lacking months.

תָּא שְׁמַע, דְּתַנְיָא בְּ״סֵדֶר עוֹלָם״:

Come and hear, as it was taught in Seder Olam:

נִיסָן שֶׁבּוֹ יָצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם

The Nissan in which Israel left Egypt:

בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר שָׁחֲטוּ פִּסְחֵיהֶן,

on the fourteenth they slaughtered their Pesach offerings,

The steps (26)

  1. ResolutionHow the רבנן's calendar works out
  2. Challengeסדר עולם puts ראש חודש סיון on Monday
  3. Resolutionרבי יוסי: that source follows the רבנן
  4. Statementרבי יוסי's account of משה's trips up the mountain
  5. ChallengeHow could he come down without going up?
  6. ResolutionCorrected text: the fourth, fifth, and sixth days
  7. ChallengeWas he busy on the sixth because the תורה was given?
  8. RejectionNo: he was busy preparing for שבת
  9. StatementThe Galilean's דרשה about 'threes'
  10. ConclusionThe דרשה follows the רבנן
  11. StatementThe mountain held over Israel like a tub
  12. ChallengeThis gives a claim against the תורה's obligation
  13. ResolutionThe תורה was accepted again willingly in the time of אחשורוש
  14. QuestionHow can the earth be both afraid and quiet?
  15. ResponseFirst it feared, and in the end it was calm
  16. QuestionWhy was the earth afraid?
  17. ResponseCreation depended on Israel accepting the Torah
  18. StatementTwo crowns for נעשה ונשמע, removed after the sin
  19. StatementAt Horeb they received them, at Horeb they lost them
  20. Statementמשה merited and took all the crowns
  21. StatementThe crowns will be returned in the future
  22. Statementנעשה before נשמע is the secret of the angels
  23. StatementIsrael is like the apple tree: fruit before leaves
  24. StatementA heretic sees רבא bleeding while learning
  25. ChallengeThe heretic mocks Israel as a rash nation
  26. Resolutionרבא begins his answer