Gemara Clarity

Sotah 22a

סוטה כ״ב ע״א

Learn Sotah 22a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sotah 22a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Learning without understanding: the רשע ערום, the עם הארץ, and the משנה's list of מבלי עולם

Overview

The amud opens with the last definition of the משנה's רשע ערום: someone who read מקרא and learned משנה but never served תלמידי חכמים. אמוראים argue over what to call such a person: עם הארץ, בור, כותי, or מגוש. רב נחמן בר יצחק backs the מגוש view with a popular saying. A ברייתא then lists definitions of an עם הארץ, ending with the view that even one who learned without serving scholars is one. The גמרא explains 'שונים' in משלי and the ברייתא calling the תנאים מבלי עולם. Both refer to people who repeat הלכות or rule from their משנה without understanding. Returning to the משנה, a ברייתא lists a praying maiden, a visiting widow, and a premature baby as מבלי עולם. The גמרא limits the maiden to fake piety like יוחני בת רטיבי. It explains the premature baby either as a scholar who scorns his teachers or as one who rules before he is ready. רב's reading of a פסוק warns against both ruling too early and refusing to rule when qualified.

Opening lines

שֶׁקָּרָא וְשָׁנָה

who read and learned

וְלֹא שִׁימֵּשׁ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים.

but did not serve Torah scholars.

אִתְּמַר:

It was stated:

קָרָא וְשָׁנָה

One who read and learned

The steps (24)

  1. ResponseThe end of the explanation of a cunning wicked person
  2. StatementThree opinions on what to call such a person
  3. StatementA fourth opinion: he is like a sorcerer
  4. ProofSupport for the sorcerer opinion from a popular saying
  5. StatementA ברייתא lists definitions of an ignorant person
  6. Statementאחרים: even one who learned but did not serve scholars
  7. StatementReading without learning makes one a בור; learning nothing is like a beast
  8. Statementרבי יצחק explains 'those who repeat' as people who repeat הלכות
  9. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
  10. ResolutionWe might have thought it means repeating sins, as רב הונא teaches
  11. StatementA ברייתא: the תנאים wear down the world
  12. ChallengeCould they really wear down the world?
  13. Resolutionרבינא: they rule הלכה straight from their משנה
  14. ProofA ברייתא of רבי יהושע supports רבינא
  15. StatementBack to the משנה: more people who wear down the world
  16. ChallengeChallenge: רבי יוחנן learned good things from a maiden and a widow
  17. ProofThe maiden who prayed not to cause others to sin
  18. ProofThe widow who walked far to pray for the reward of her steps
  19. ResolutionThe ברייתא means someone like יוחני בת רטיבי
  20. QuestionWhat is 'a baby whose months were not complete'?
  21. ResponseIt means a תלמיד חכם who scorns his teachers
  22. Responseרבי אבא: A student who rules before he is ready
  23. Proofרב's teaching: 'She has cast down many wounded' is the student who rules too early
  24. StatementThe second half: a qualified scholar who refuses to rule