Sotah 45a

סוטה מ״ה ע״א

Learn Sotah 45a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sotah 45a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The judges who measure for the עגלה ערופה, hidden and 'floating' corpses and sheaves, and the laws of שכחה

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining how many judges go out to measure for the עגלה ערופה. It shows that the plural words ויצאו and ומדדו teach other laws: the judges go in person, and they always measure. Our משנה does not follow רבי אליעזר בן יעקב, who says the סנהדרין, the מלך and the כהן גדול must take part. רב יוסף tries to prove from the case of a זקן ממרא at בית פגי that he needs the entire סנהדרין. אביי pushes the proof aside, but a ברייתא then supports רב יוסף. Next, the גמרא shows that even the רבנן agree a hidden corpse gets no עגלה ערופה, because each פסוק is read by its own context, and it maps out the sources for the laws of שכחה. רבי ירמיה asks whether sheaves floating in the air of one's own field count as in the field, and two attempted proofs are turned aside. Finally a scholar asks אביי which of two stacked bodies to measure from, and אביי's answer begins on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (40)

1. Responseרבי שמעון does not learn from the extra letter ו
2. ChallengeShouldn't 'go out' and 'measure' add more judges too?
3. ResolutionThose words teach other laws
4. StatementOur משנה does not follow רבי אליעזר בן יעקב
5. ProofWhy the מלך and כהן גדול are called judges
6. QuestionDoes רבי אליעזר בן יעקב need the whole סנהדרין?
7. Proofרב יוסף brings the case of the זקן ממרא at בית פגי
8. QuestionHow many judges went out to בית פגי?
9. QuestionWhy did they leave? Not for an optional matter
10. ProofSo they went for a מצוה: measuring for the calf
11. Rejectionאביי: maybe they went out to expand the city
12. ProofA ברייתא supports רב יוסף
13. ChallengeDoes the hidden-corpse rule follow only רבי יהודה?
14. Resolutionרב: even the רבנן agree, because context decides
15. ProofIn עגלה ערופה, 'in the ground' limits the law
16. ConclusionIn שכחה, 'in the field' widens the law
17. ChallengeWhy does רבי יהודה need a verse to leave out hidden sheaves?
18. ResolutionYes, רבי יהודה learns it from the harvesting comparison
19. QuestionSo what is 'בַּשָּׂדֶה' for?
20. Response'בַּשָּׂדֶה' includes forgotten standing grain
21. QuestionWhere do the רבנן learn forgotten standing grain?
22. ResponseThe רבנן learn it from 'when you reap your harvest in your field'
23. Responseרבי יהודה uses the verse for sheaves that flew into a friend's field
24. ResponseThe רבנן learn the floating-sheaves rule from 'your field'
25. Conclusionרבי יהודה does not learn from 'the field' versus 'your field'
26. Questionרבי ירמיה asks: is the air of a field like the field?
27. ProofA proof from רבי אבהו that floating sheaves in one's own field are forgotten
28. RejectionIf you read it that closely, resting sheaves in a friend's field would be forgotten
29. Rejection'Floated' only describes how sheaves usually get into a friend's field
30. ProofA ברייתא about one sheaf placed on top of another
31. ProofEveryone agrees the upper, 'floating' sheaf is not forgotten
32. RejectionThe upper sheaf was already acquired by the owner
33. ChallengeThen why mention a sheaf on top of another?
34. ResolutionThe detail is there for the lower sheaf
35. ChallengeBut the reason given was 'because it is floating'
36. ResolutionRead it as 'like floating'
37. Statementאביי says he is ready for any question
38. QuestionTwo slain bodies one on top of the other
39. QuestionThe two sides: buried or floating?
40. QuestionThird option: measure from neither body