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Yevamos 4b

יבמות ד׳ ע״ב

Yevamot 4b

Learn Yevamos 4b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yevamos 4b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How the ציצית/כלאים pairing is learned from סמוכים, and why the words 'צמר ופשתים' are extra yet still teach that wool and linen may be crossed in ציצית

Overview

The גמרא is explaining when רבי יהודה learns laws from verses placed side by side (סמוכים). He does this only when the link is obvious (מוכח) or a verse is extra (מופנה). The ציצית verse placed next to the כלאים verse qualifies for one of these two reasons. The גמרא first shows that both כלאים verses, 'לא יעלה עליך' and 'לא תלבש שעטנז', are needed, since each fixes a gap in the other. It then finds that the words 'צמר ופשתים' are extra, because the school of רבי ישמעאל teaches that every 'garment' in the תורה means wool or linen, and a word-link of 'שעטנז / שעטנז' covers the rest. Next the גמרא asks why these extra words are needed to allow כלאים in ציצית at all. The תורה already requires a wool תכלת thread, even on linen garments. The answer is that without 'צמר ופשתים' we might read 'הכנף' to mean the threads must match the garment's material. That reading would forbid wool threads on linen and linen threads on wool, and 'צמר ופשתים' teaches that this crossing is allowed.

Opening lines

שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ לְאַפְנוֹיֵי.

Learn from this that it is free [to teach].

וְגַבֵּי צִיצִית נָמֵי,

And regarding ציצית as well,

אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא — מִשּׁוּם דְּמוֹכַח,

if you want, say: because it is obvious,

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא — מִשּׁוּם דְּמוּפְנֶה.

and if you want, say: because it is free.

The steps (19)

  1. ConclusionConclusion: the extra verse is free to teach
  2. StatementThe ציצית case also qualifies, for one of two reasons
  3. ProofFirst reason: the placement is obviously meaningful
  4. ProofSecond reason: the שעטנז verse is extra
  5. RejectionBoth verses are needed: 'לא יעלה' alone would be too broad
  6. RejectionAnd 'לא תלבש' alone would be too narrow
  7. ChallengeEven so, why write 'wool and linen'?
  8. ProofWe already know clothing means wool and linen
  9. RejectionMaybe wearing would ban every mixture
  10. ResolutionA word-link would teach it anyway
  11. ChallengeWhy would we ever think כלאים is forbidden in ציצית?
  12. ProofGarments are wool or linen, and תכלת is wool
  13. QuestionHow do we know תכלת is wool?
  14. ResponseSince שש is linen, תכלת is wool
  15. ResolutionThe words are needed because of רבא's reasoning
  16. Challengeרבא's contradiction between 'הכנף' and 'צמר ופשתים'
  17. ResolutionWool and linen work on any garment; other materials only on their own kind
  18. ChallengeBut the school of רבי ישמעאל does not hold like רבא
  19. ResolutionThe words are needed to allow wool on linen and linen on wool