Shevuos 6a

שבועות ו׳ ע״א

Shevuot 6a

Learn Shevuos 6a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 6a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whether the משנה about combining the shades of נגעים follows רבי עקיבא, and where we learn that רבי עקיבא ranks the shades "זו למעלה מזו"

Overview

The גמרא first finishes an earlier discussion. The problem of קרום ביצה can be solved from the פסוק "ולשאת ולספחת", but the problem of סיד היכל cannot. So it concludes that our משנה does not follow רבי עקיבא. Then it asks where we learn that רבי עקיבא ranks the shades "זו למעלה מזו". It first tries a ברייתא in which יהושע, the son of רבי עקיבא, asks his father why the חכמים named four shades of נגעים. Since יהושע suggested only one rule, 'from קרום ביצה and up', the גמרא infers that רבי עקיבא holds all the shades combine with שאת. But that proof is pushed off: maybe each main shade combines only with its own secondary. Next the גמרא brings רבי חנינא's picture of four cups of milk with more and more drops of blood. This too is challenged. It may fit only reddish (פתוך) shades. Even for those, רבי עקיבא's own description in a משנה in נגעים does not match the cups of milk: the same red sits on a brighter or a duller white.

Opening lines

The steps (12)

1. RejectionThe egg-membrane problem can be solved
2. ConclusionThe lime problem remains, so the משנה is not like רבי עקיבא
3. QuestionWhere do we learn רבי עקיבא's ranking of the shades?
4. ProofA ברייתא: why list four shades?
5. ResponseTo teach that they combine, and the son's comeback
6. ResponseA כהן must know the shades and their names
7. ProofProof from what רבי יהושע left out
8. RejectionMaybe each shade only pairs with its own secondary
9. Proofרבי חנינא's cups of milk analogy
10. RejectionMaybe רבי עקיבא only meant reddish-white shades
11. RejectionEven for reddish shades, did we really hear it?
12. Proofמשנה in נגעים: רבי עקיבא's description of reddish shades