Shevuos 32a

שבועות ל״ב ע״א

Shevuot 32a

Learn Shevuos 32a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

שבועת העדות: what counts as a demand, why only a denial in בית דין counts, witnesses denying together or one after another, and the single witness and דבר הגורם לממון

Overview

This amud finishes the discussion of שמואל's rule. If a plaintiff only runs after witnesses and they swear on their own that they know no testimony, they are פטור. The גמרא shows that the משנה's word 'said' is not strict, because people usually make their demands out loud. A ברייתא then supports שמואל. Next, אביי learns from 'אם לוא יגיד' that only a denial in בית דין makes witnesses liable, since only there would their testimony make someone pay. From רב פפא's challenge, the גמרא concludes that the oath can be taken outside בית דין but the denial must be in בית דין. For two witnesses who deny 'together', רב חסדא says the משנה follows רבי יוסי הגלילי. רבי יוחנן instead explains it with תוך כדי דיבור. Finally, the גמרא explains why the second witness is exempt, which brings in the argument about a single witness and דבר הגורם לממון. It then starts explaining אביי's list of סוטה witness cases, and that list continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. ChallengeWitnesses must hear the demand from the plaintiff
2. ResolutionRunning after the witnesses is the new point
3. ChallengeThe משנה also says the plaintiff 'said'
4. RejectionThe word 'said' in the משנה is not exact
5. ProofProof from the deposit case that 'said' is not strict
6. ConclusionSo 'said' is not strict in either משנה
7. ChallengeWhy say 'said' twice if it is never strict?
8. ResolutionThe משנה just describes what usually happens
9. ProofA ברייתא supports שמואל
10. StatementQuoting the משנה about five oaths
11. QuestionWhy only a denial in בית דין counts
12. Responseאביי: only where testimony would make someone pay
13. ChallengeMaybe the oath itself must be in court too
14. ResolutionA ברייתא makes a person liable for each oath
15. ProofFive oaths in court bring only one liability
16. ConclusionOath outside court, denial in court
17. StatementThe משנה: both witnesses denied together
18. ChallengeCan two things happen at the exact same instant?
19. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי יוסי הגלילי
20. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: Denials close together count as together
21. ChallengeThe denial sentence is too long to fit
22. ResolutionEach witness starts right after the other finishes
23. Statementמשנה: one after the other, only the first is liable
24. StatementThe משנה does not follow רבי אלעזר son of רבי שמעון
25. QuestionWhat are the two Tannaim arguing about?
26. Rejectionאביי's statement rules out the suggested explanation
27. ResolutionNew explanation: does something that causes money count as money?
28. Statementאביי's statement quoted in full to be explained
29. StatementA single witness to a sota's sin is liable
30. StatementWitnesses of warning are exempt because they are only a cause of a cause