Shevuos 39a

שבועות ל״ט ע״א

Shevuot 39a

Learn Shevuos 39a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 39a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The warning before a court oath (אימת שבועה) and the גמרא's analysis of it

Overview

This amud continues the warning that בית דין gives a person before he takes an oath. A ברייתא lists the ways a false oath is harsher than other sins. The world trembled when 'לא תשא' was said, the פסוק says 'לא ינקה', and the punishment reaches the sinner's family and even the whole world. It also comes immediately and destroys even wood and stones. If the person still insists on swearing, the court tells him the oath goes by the meaning of המקום and the בית דין, as משה did when he made ישראל swear. That oath also bound future generations, future גרים and later מצוות like מקרא מגילה. The גמרא then goes back over the ברייתא line by line. It explains that שבועת הדיינין may be said in any language, and that the world trembled because of 'לא ינקה', which is told apart from רבי אלעזר's teaching about תשובה. It also explains that for other sins the family gets a different punishment, while for a false oath it gets the sinner's own. The amud ends with a challenge from 'כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה', and the answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. StatementThe whole world trembled at 'Do not take God's name in vain'
2. StatementOther sins can be cleared, but this one 'will not be cleared'
3. StatementThe punishment reaches the sinner's family too
4. StatementThe punishment reaches the whole world
5. ChallengeMaybe the world is punished only when all the listed sins are done
6. ResolutionA פסוק in ירמיהו shows the oath alone is enough
7. StatementA false oath is punished immediately
8. StatementExplaining the words of the פסוק in זכריה
9. StatementIf he refuses or agrees to swear
10. StatementThe oath follows the court's meaning, not his
11. ProofSupport from משה רבינו
12. StatementThe oath also covered future generations and converts
13. StatementThe oath also covered מצוות added later, like reading the מגילה
14. QuestionWhat does 'it too is said in its language' mean?
15. ResponseThe judges' oath joins the list of things that may be said in any language
16. QuestionWhy did the world tremble at 'Do not swear falsely'?
17. RejectionNot because it was given at סיני
18. RejectionNot because it is more severe than other sins
19. ResponseThe ברייתא's own reason: 'He will not clear'
20. ChallengeBut other sins also say 'He will not clear'
21. ResolutionThat verse teaches about people who repent
22. StatementThe ברייתא says the family is punished for a false oath
23. ChallengeOther sins also punish the family
24. Proofרבי שמעון: families cover for their sinners
25. ResolutionElsewhere a different punishment, here the same punishment
26. Proofרבי: only the sinner gets כרת
27. StatementFor a false oath, the whole world is punished
28. ChallengeMaybe only if he does all the listed sins
29. ResolutionA false oath alone makes the land mourn
30. ChallengeAren't all Jews responsible for each other's sins?