Shevuos 31b

שבועות ל״א ע״ב

Shevuot 31b

Learn Shevuos 31b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 31b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why the חכמים require a בית דין for a שבועת העדות taken מפי עצמו: is it a dispute about דון מינה ומינה, or a קל וחומר limited by דיו?

Overview

This amud finishes one discussion and then starts a new משנה about שבועת העדות. First, רב פפא explains why the חכמים say an oath taken on one's own counts only in בית דין. He says they learn it through a קל וחומר, and the rule of דיו limits that קל וחומר to בית דין. The other חכמים push back with a משנה about שבועת הפקדון. רב פפא agrees that the פקדון משנה involves the דון מינה ומינה dispute, but says our משנה does not. Next the גמרא explains three lines of the משנה. A ברייתא learns from the missing word ״וְנֶעְלַם״ that one is liable even for lying on purpose. רב explains what counts as a 'mistaken' oath. The גמרא then shows why רב's ruling about רב כהנא and רב אסי was still needed. A new משנה describes how a שבועת העדות happens and gives rules for repeated oaths, two witnesses, and two sets of witnesses. The גמרא opens with שמואל's ruling that witnesses are exempt until the plaintiff himself asks them, and starts to challenge it. The challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. Rejectionרב פפא: Learning from פקדון Would Leave No Room for Dispute
2. StatementThe חכמים' Real Source: A קל וחומר
3. Statementדיו Limits the קל וחומר to בית דין
4. ChallengeThe Rabbis Challenge רב פפא
5. ProofThe משנה About the Deposit Oath
6. ChallengeThe Challengers Finish Their Proof From the Deposit Case
7. Resolutionרב פפא Agrees About That משנה but Not About Ours
8. QuestionSource for Liability on an Intentional False Oath
9. ResponseThe Missing Word ״ונעלם״ Teaches Liability Even on Purpose
10. QuestionWhat Is an Unintentional Oath With Intentional Denial?
11. ResponseHe Knows It Is Forbidden but Not That It Brings a קרבן
12. ChallengeDoes our משנה already teach רב's ruling?
13. Resolutionרב's ruling was still needed because of ״וְנֶעְלַם״
14. StatementHow a שבועת העדות happens
15. StatementFive oaths outside court versus before the court
16. Statementרבי שמעון's reason: after denying in court they cannot take it back
17. StatementTwo witnesses who deny: together, one after the other, or one denies and one admits
18. StatementTwo sets of witnesses who deny one after the other
19. Statementשמואל: witnesses who swear before being asked are exempt
20. ChallengeWhat does שמואל add? A משנה already exempts a request not made by the plaintiff himself