Gemara Clarity

Shevuos 33b

שבועות ל״ג ע״ב

Shevuot 33b

Learn Shevuos 33b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 33b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

When witnesses are liable for שבועת העדות: testimony about a קנס, the משנה's exemption for non-money cases, and the sources that this oath applies only to money claims.

Overview

The amud opens at the end of a ברייתא that makes witnesses liable for שבועת העדות when they deny knowing that a man slandered a girl. That case is a קנס, and admitting to a קנס normally exempts a person. The גמרא explains that the ברייתא follows רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון: admitting exempts only when there are no witnesses at all. Next comes a new משנה. It rules that witnesses are exempt when the oath concerns lineage, such as being a כהן or a לוי, or concerns crimes that carry the death penalty, because no money is at stake. The גמרא then asks how a person can make witnesses swear about money owed to someone else. שמואל answers that he holds a הרשאה, and the גמרא shows that a הרשאה can be written for movables as long as the defendant has not yet denied the claim. Finally, a ברייתא brings several sources that שבועת העדות applies only to money claims. רבי אליעזר learns it from the repeated ״או״ and defends the comparison against רוצח and סוטה. רבי עקיבא learns it from the word ״מאלה״, רבי יוסי הגלילי from 'he saw or he knew', and רבי שמעון from a comparison to פקדון. רבי שמעון also begins a קל וחומר that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁהוֹצִיא אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי

that so-and-so put out

שֵׁם רַע עַל בִּתִּי״ – חַיָּיבִין.

a bad name about my daughter – they are liable.

הוֹדָה מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ – פָּטוּר.

If he admitted on his own – he is exempt.

הָא מַנִּי –

Whose is this?

The steps (24)

  1. ChallengeEnd of the ברייתא about witnesses to slander
  2. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון
  3. ChallengeThe last clause seems to follow the רבנן
  4. ResolutionThe whole ברייתא follows רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון
  5. StatementNew משנה: oaths about family status
  6. StatementDeath-penalty cases, and the ruling: exempt
  7. ChallengeInference from the משנה clashes with the later clause
  8. Resolutionשמואל: the speaker has power of attorney
  9. Challengeנהרדעי: no power of attorney for movables
  10. ResolutionThe rule applies only after the defendant denied the claim
  11. QuestionWhere do we learn that this oath is only about money?
  12. Responseרבי אליעזר learns it from the repeated word "or"
  13. ChallengeChallenge from the "or"s about a murderer
  14. ResolutionCompare only "or"s that come with an oath
  15. ChallengeChallenge from the "or"s of סוטה
  16. ResolutionAdding 'no כהן' to the comparison, which removes סוטה
  17. Responseרבי עקיבא learns the money limit from the word 'of these'
  18. Responseרבי יוסי הגלילי reads 'he saw or he knew'
  19. QuestionWhat is 'seeing without knowing'?
  20. ResponseExample: 'I counted out a מנה for you in front of witnesses'
  21. QuestionWhat is knowing without seeing?
  22. ResponseThe example: witnesses heard the admission
  23. Responseרבי שמעון compares the oath to the deposit oath
  24. Proofרבי שמעון begins a קל וחומר from פקדון