Shevuos 38a

שבועות ל״ח ע״א

Shevuot 38a

Learn Shevuos 38a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

שבועת הפקדון: when one oath that denies several claims counts as one oath and when it counts as many (כלל versus פרט)

Overview

The גמרא first closes an earlier discussion by saying the משנה proves nothing on that question. It then turns to the משנה of שבועת הפקדון and brings a ברייתא where four תנאים argue about when a man who falsely denies several claims in one oath is liable once (כלל) and when he is liable for each claim (פרט). שמואל and רבי יוחנן explain the argument between רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה differently, especially about the word 'and' in 'וְלֹא לָךְ'. שמואל learns his reading from the ברייתא, and רבי יוחנן learns his from the משנה. Each one answers the other's proof. Several lines of the משנה seem to go against שמואל, and the גמרא first answers by reading them without the ו. It then asks whether the תנא could really have made that mistake so many times, and says instead that the משנה follows רבי. רבי יוחנן rules that small values of several items add up to a פרוטה, and רב אחא and רבינא argue whether the general opening of the oath adds its own liability. Two counts in ברייתות of רבי חייא, fifteen and twenty, are explained so that neither one settles that argument. The amud ends with רבא asking רב נחמן about one oath said to five claimants, and the question continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (33)

1. ConclusionNo proof can be brought from the משנה
2. StatementThe משנה of the oath on a deposit
3. Statementרבי מאיר and רבי יהודה on one oath or many
4. Statementרבי אליעזר and רבי שמעון add their views
5. Statementשמואל: רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה use the terms in opposite ways
6. Statementרבי יוחנן's different reading of the dispute
7. QuestionWhat is the root of their disagreement?
8. ResponseOne learns from the ברייתא, the other from the משנה
9. Proofשמואל's proof from the ברייתא
10. Rejectionרבי יוחנן reads the ברייתא differently
11. Challengeשמואל's objection: why mention where he agrees?
12. Proofרבי יוחנן's proof from the משנה
13. Rejectionשמואל deflects רבי יוחנן's proof from the משנה
14. ChallengeChallenge from the triple "and not yours" in the משנה
15. ResolutionRead the משנה without the "and"
16. ChallengeChallenge from the deposit, pledge, stolen and lost items
17. ResolutionRead the list without the "and"
18. ChallengeChallenge from the wheat, barley and spelt
19. ResolutionRead the grains without the "and"
20. ChallengeCould the Teacher of the משנה Really Err So Many Times?
21. ResolutionThe משנה Follows רבי
22. ChallengeA Challenge from רבי מאיר's Own Words
23. ResolutionRead רבי מאיר's Words Without the ו
24. QuestionWhat Does 'Even' Add?
25. ResponseA Single Grain Includes All of That Grain
26. StatementQuoting the משנה: Deposit, Pledge, Stolen and Lost Items
27. Statementרבי יוחנן: Values Add Up to a פרוטה
28. Statementרב אחא and רבינא argue about the general oath
29. ChallengeChallenge from רבי חייא's count of fifteen
30. Resolutionרבי חייא counted only the specific items
31. ChallengeChallenge from רבי חייא's count of twenty
32. ResolutionThe twenty is about four different items
33. Questionרבא asks about one oath covering five claimants