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Shevuos 35b

שבועות ל״ה ע״ב

Shevuot 35b

Learn Shevuos 35b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Oaths by descriptions of ה׳, which written names are holy or may be erased, and whether a כנוי is enough for a שבועת העדות

Overview

The גמרא finishes אביי's explanation that an oath 'by the Gracious and Compassionate' counts as an oath by ה׳, since only ה׳ fits those words. Heaven and earth are different, because they really exist on their own. Next, ברייתות teach which partial names of ה׳ may be erased. They also teach whether letters added before or after a name may be erased, and the הלכה follows אחרים that endings after the name may not be erased. Then the גמרא goes through פסוקים in the stories of אברהם, לוט, נבות, מיכה, גבעת בנימין, שיר השירים and דניאל, asking whether each name is holy (קודש) or ordinary (חול). Along the way it learns that welcoming guests is greater than greeting the שכינה, and it rereads the יש אומרים so that שמואל's teaching has a source. Finally, it returns to the משנה's rule that an oath with a כנוי makes witnesses liable. אביי answers a ברייתא that seems to require ה׳'s actual name: the two sources follow different תנאים. The גמרא then explains how the רבנן know that the witnesses' אלה includes an oath without requiring the actual Name.

Opening lines

״בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא רַחוּם״ קָאָמַר.

"By the One Who is compassionate" is what he is saying.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא:

Rava said to him:

אִי הָכִי, ״בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ״ נָמֵי –

If so, "by heaven and by earth" too –

״בְּמִי שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ שֶׁלּוֹ״ קָאָמַר!

he should be saying "by the One to Whom heaven and earth belong"!

The steps (38)

  1. ResolutionFinishing the answer: the oath means the Compassionate One
  2. ChallengeThen heaven and earth should count too
  3. ResolutionWhy heaven and earth are different
  4. StatementWhich partial divine names may be erased
  5. Statementרבי יוסי: צבאות may be fully erased
  6. Conclusionשמואל rules against רבי יוסי
  7. StatementLetters attached before ה׳'s name may be erased
  8. StatementLetters attached after ה׳'s name may be erased
  9. Statementאחרים: endings after the name may not be erased
  10. Conclusionרב הונא rules like אחרים
  11. StatementMemory list for the coming topics
  12. StatementNames with אברהם are holy, except one
  13. StatementA pair of תנאים say that name is holy too
  14. QuestionWhose view supports welcoming guests over greeting the שכינה?
  15. ResponseIt follows that pair of תנאים
  16. StatementNames with לוט are ordinary, except one
  17. Statementנבות names are holy, מיכה names are ordinary
  18. Statementרבי אליעזר splits the מיכה names by spelling
  19. StatementThe Names in the Story of גבעת בנימין
  20. Challengeרבי אליעזר Asks: Would ה׳ Promise and Not Deliver?
  21. Resolutionרבי יהושע Answers: They Never Asked If They Would Win
  22. StatementEvery שלמה in שיר השירים Means ה׳, With One Exception
  23. StatementSome Say the Bed of שלמה Is Also Ordinary
  24. QuestionWhat does 'this too' mean?
  25. Challengeשמואל's teaching fits neither opinion
  26. ResolutionRereading the יש אומרים to fit שמואל
  27. StatementKings in Daniel are ordinary except one
  28. StatementA second holy verse in Daniel
  29. ProofDaniel would not curse Israel
  30. RejectionThe תנא קמא Can Explain the Verse Too
  31. StatementBack to the משנה: Substitute Names Count
  32. ChallengeA ברייתא Says the Oath Must Use the Name
  33. Resolutionאביי: Two Different Opinions
  34. Proofרבי חנינא בר אידי's Source
  35. ChallengeA two-sided challenge to the Rabbis
  36. ResolutionThe Rabbis learn the meaning of the word from a ברייתא
  37. ChallengeThe סוטה verse says more than just אלה
  38. ResolutionThe ברייתא means an אלה always comes with an oath