Gemara Clarity

Shevuos 40a

שבועות מ׳ ע״א

Shevuot 40a

Learn Shevuos 40a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 40a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The minimum claim for an oath (value or actual coins, partial admission or one witness), and whether admitting one of two claimed items counts as a partial admission.

Overview

The גמרא continues the argument between רב, who reads the משנה's 'two silver' as a claim for value (שוה), and שמואל, who reads it as actual coins (דוקא). It tries to support רב from the gold דינר case, but רבי אלעזר says that case was a claim for 'a דינר of coins', where every coin, even a פרוטה, is the same kind. A ברייתא about a 'coined gold דינר' is also turned aside by רב אשי, and then רבי חייא brings a ברייתא that does support רב. Next, שמואל teaches that the two-מעה minimum applies only to the oath of a partial admission. A one-witness oath applies even for a פרוטה, which is learned from a פסוק and a ברייתא. שמואל also rules that if someone claims wheat and barley and the other admits to one, he must swear, and רבי יוחנן agrees. The גמרא tries to prove this ruling from the משנה about wheat and barley, but the proof is turned aside. A new attempt from the case of vessels and land begins, and it continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

תֵּדַע, דְּקָא תָנֵי סֵיפָא:

Know it is so, for the latter clause teaches:

״דִּינַר זָהָב לִי בְּיָדֶךָ״,

'I have a gold dinar in your hand,'

״אֵין לְךָ בְּיָדִי אֶלָּא דִּינָר כֶּסֶף

'You have nothing in my hand except a silver dinar

וּטְרֵיסִית וּפוּנְדְּיוֹן וּפְרוּטָה״ –

or a tereisit, or a pundeyon, or a peruta' –

The steps (20)

  1. ProofProof for the value reading from the gold dinar case
  2. Rejectionרבי אלעזר: the claim was for a dinar's worth of coins
  3. ProofThe wording 'one type of coin' fits רבי אלעזר
  4. ResolutionHow רב reads the same line
  5. QuestionMust רבי אלעזר also agree with שמואל on the first clause?
  6. Responseרבי אלעזר follows שמואל only in the latter clause
  7. ProofA ברייתא about a coined gold dinar seems to support רב
  8. Rejectionרב אשי: saying 'a gold dinar' is like saying 'a coined gold dinar'
  9. Proofרבי חייא's ברייתא about a סלע supports רב
  10. StatementThe two-מעה minimum applies only to partial admission, not to one witness
  11. QuestionWhy is one witness different?
  12. ResponseThe פסוק shows one witness can create an oath
  13. ProofWherever two witnesses obligate money, one witness obligates an oath
  14. StatementClaimed wheat and barley, admitted one: he must swear
  15. Proofרבי יצחק praises the ruling and says רבי יוחנן agrees
  16. QuestionDid ריש לקיש disagree?
  17. Responseריש לקיש was silent, either waiting or drinking
  18. ProofA possible proof for שמואל from the wheat-and-barley משנה
  19. RejectionThe proof is rejected: the משנה's case shows רבן גמליאל's strength
  20. ProofA second attempt: the משנה about vessels and land