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Shevuos 15a

שבועות ט״ו ע״א

Shevuot 15a

Learn Shevuos 15a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 15a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How Temple vessels, ירושלים and the עזרה are made holy: anointing versus service for vessels, the חמץ loaves of the תודה for the city, and שירי מנחה for the עזרה.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a דרשה: "וכן תעשו" teaches that what was done in the משכן must also be done in later generations. רבא challenges this from a ברייתא. It says משה's vessels became holy through anointing (משיחה), but later vessels become holy through their first use in the service (עבודה). The גמרא answers that the word "אותם" limits anointing to משה's vessels. רב פפא brings the future-tense פסוק "אשר ישרתו" to show that later vessels depend on service. The גמרא then explains why both words are needed. Next, the גמרא turns to the משנה's "two תודות" used to add to ירושלים. A ברייתא and a פסוק in נחמיה show that this means the חמץ loaves, the largest part of the תודה. Finally, רמי בר חמא teaches that the עזרה is made holy with שירי מנחה, food that becomes unfit if it leaves the עזרה, just as the תודה loaves become unfit if they leave ירושלים.

Opening lines

וְכֵן תַּעֲשׂוּ״ – לְדוֹרוֹת.

"And so shall you do" – for future generations.

מֵתִיב רָבָא:

Rava raises an objection:

כׇּל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁעָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה –

All the vessels that Moses made –

מְשִׁיחָתָן מְקַדַּשְׁתָּן,

their anointing makes them holy;

The steps (20)

  1. StatementThe phrase "and so shall you do" applies to later generations
  2. Challengeרבא's challenge: later vessels don't need anointing
  3. ResolutionA special verse limits anointing to משה's vessels
  4. ChallengeMaybe later vessels can use either method
  5. Resolutionרב פפא: later vessels depend on service
  6. ChallengeWhy do we need the word 'them'?
  7. Resolution'Them' rules out anointing for later vessels
  8. StatementThe two thanks-offerings means their bread
  9. QuestionWhat is the source?
  10. Responseרב חסדא's verse from נחמיה
  11. QuestionWhat does 'large' mean?
  12. ResponseLarge for their kind
  13. ChallengeDoes size matter before Heaven?
  14. ResolutionLarge means the biggest part of the thanks-offering
  15. ProofProof from the measurements of the thanks-offering loaves
  16. StatementThe Temple courtyard is made holy only with leftover meal-offerings
  17. ChallengeBut thanks-offering loaves are also eaten in the courtyard
  18. ResolutionFood eaten only there, and unfit if taken out
  19. ChallengeShould the meal-offering then be leavened too?
  20. RejectionThere is no such thing as a leavened meal-offering