Sotah 38b

סוטה ל״ח ע״ב

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Topic

רבי יהושע בן לוי's teachings on ברכת כהנים and stinginess, and who is included in ברכת כהנים

Overview

The amud opens by ending an earlier argument: the הלכה follows אביי and not רב חסדא about calling out 'כהנים'. Next comes a סימן, a list of keywords for a series of teachings by רבי יהושע בן לוי. He teaches that ה׳ desires ברכת כהנים, that a כהן who blesses is blessed, and that a כהן who skips the blessing breaks three מצוות עשה. רב adds that a כהן who never goes up may be unfit, and the גמרא shows the two views fit together. A כהן must start moving toward the דוכן during the ברכה of עבודה, and even a slight movement counts. Then come teachings about generous and stingy people, ending with the claim that the עגלה ערופה is brought because of stingy people who send travelers off without food or an escort. Finally, the גמרא discusses a בית הכנסת made up entirely of כהנים, who is included in the blessing, and whether barriers or standing at the sides matter. That last question is answered from a משנה in מסכת פרה, and the proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (32)

1. ConclusionThe final ruling: the הלכה follows אביי, not רב חסדא
2. StatementA memory aid for the coming teachings of רבי יהושע בן לוי
3. Statementהקדוש ברוך הוא desires ברכת כהנים
4. StatementA כהן who blesses is himself blessed
5. StatementA כהן who does not go up to bless breaks three מצוות עשה
6. Statementרב: A כהן Who Does Not Go Up May Be Unfit
7. Resolutionרב and רבי יהושע בן לוי Speak About Different Cases
8. StatementA כהן Must Go Up During the ברכה of עבודה
9. ChallengeChallenge: רבי אמי and רבי אסי Went Up Later
10. ResolutionAnswer: They Started Walking in Time
11. Proofרבי אושעיא's Teaching Supports the Answer
12. ProofA משנה about a כהן who is also the חזן
13. ChallengeBut the חזן never moved from his place
14. ResolutionMoving a tiny bit counts
15. StatementOnly a generous person leads the blessing over the cup
16. StatementEven birds recognize stingy people
17. StatementBenefiting from a stingy person breaks a prohibition
18. StatementActually, two prohibitions
19. StatementThe broken-neck heifer comes only because of stingy people
20. ProofProof from the elders' declaration
21. StatementA synagogue made up entirely of כהנים
22. QuestionWho is being blessed?
23. ResponseThey bless their brothers in the fields
24. ChallengeChallenge: people behind the כהנים are not blessed
25. ResolutionForced to be away versus choosing to be away
26. ChallengeA contradicting teaching: only some of the כהנים go up
27. ResolutionIt depends on whether ten are left
28. StatementBack to the teaching about people behind the כהנים
29. QuestionWhat blocks the blessing? Is a partition a problem?
30. ResponseEven an iron wall does not block
31. QuestionWhat about people standing at the sides?
32. Proofאבא מר בר רב אשי begins a proof from sprinkling