Shevuos 30b

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Shevuot 30b

Learn Shevuos 30b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Conduct in בית דין: who stands and sits, honoring a תלמיד חכם while keeping the court fair, and judges' duties learned from ״מִדְּבַר שֶׁקֶר תִּרְחָק״.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier question with a second answer: רב יוסף told רב נחמן that עולא was a תלמיד חכם because it matters when a case is decided by שודא דדייני. Next it narrows the argument between the חכמים and רבי יהודה about standing in court. עולא says עדים always stand. רב הונא says that at גמר דין the judges sit and the בעלי דינין stand, and a second version gives a different source for this. Stories follow about honoring a תלמיד חכם in court without making the other side feel the judge is biased: רב נחמן and the duck, and רב פפא and the court's agent. רבה בר רב הונא gives rules for a צורבא מרבנן who has a case with an עם הארץ. He also rules that a scholar need not testify before a lesser judge, but only in money matters and never where there is חילול ה׳. אמימר seats all the witnesses for רב יימר, explaining that the עשה of כבוד התורה outweighs the עשה of witnesses standing. Finally, after a סימן, a ברייתא begins listing rules for judges learned from ״מִדְּבַר שֶׁקֶר תִּרְחָק״, and this list continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. ResolutionA second reason: judicial discretion
2. Statementעולא: the argument is only about litigants; witnesses always stand
3. Statementרב הונא: the argument is only during the deliberation, not at the verdict
4. StatementSecond version of רב הונא: the source is the witnesses
5. Questionרב נחמן's dilemma: should he stand for רב הונא's wife?
6. ResponseThe solution: a duck thrown on רב נחמן
7. ChallengeHow could the judge stand if litigants must stand at the verdict?
8. ResolutionThe judge half-sits while giving the verdict
9. StatementSeating both a Torah scholar and an unlearned litigant
10. StatementThe story of רב בר שרביא in רב פפא's court
11. ChallengeWouldn't the unlearned man feel he can't argue his case?
12. ResolutionThe unlearned man blames the agent, not the judge
13. StatementThe scholar should not come early and sit with the judge
14. StatementException: a scholar with a regular learning time
15. StatementA scholar need not testify before a lesser judge
16. ProofSupport from the law of returning lost objects
17. StatementDignity counts only in money matters, not when there is חילול ה׳
18. Statementאמימר seats all the witnesses for רב יימר
19. Challengeרב אשי: witnesses must stand
20. Resolutionכבוד התורה outweighs witnesses standing
21. StatementA memory aid for the coming discussions
22. StatementA judge must not defend his own mistaken rulings
23. StatementNo ignorant student should sit before the judge
24. StatementDo not join a partner you know is a robber
25. StatementA judge who senses the case is a fraud