Yoma 78a

יומא ע״ח ע״א

Learn Yoma 78a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yoma 78a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Crossing water in shoes on שבת, cooling off and damp cloths on יום הכפורים, and permitting בכורות

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא about a future spring that flows from the בית המקדש and grows into a river where people become טהור. רב יוסף draws a hint from it about how deep a נדה must immerse, but the הלכה does not follow him. The גמרא then asks about crossing water on שבת: a מנעל may be worn, while for a סנדל רב אשי says not to cross לכתחילה. A story about רבינא missing the ריש גלותא's lecture shows that ruling followed in practice. Next come rules for יום הכפורים: sitting on wet clay is forbidden, cooling off with fruit or similar things is allowed, and the אמוראים argue about cooling off with a cup. Two reports of רבי יהושע בן לוי's damp-cloth practice on יום הכפורים and תשעה באב are compared, and the concern of סחיטה supports רבה בר מרי's version. Then רבי אלעזר is asked whether a senior scholar needs the נשיא's permission to permit בכורות. רבי אבא retells the story brought as proof, and the real question turns out to be about a suspected כהן; the הלכה follows רבן שמעון בן גמליאל. The amud ends with a new question about going out in a certain kind of sandal, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (36)

1. StatementThe future spring grows into a purifying river
2. ProofThe verse from זכריה supports the description
3. Statementרב יוסף finds a hint about how deep a נדה must immerse
4. RejectionThe הלכה does not follow רב יוסף
5. QuestionCrossing water on שבת while wearing shoes
6. Responseרבי אמי and רבי אסי crossed while wearing shoes
7. QuestionWhat about a סנדל?
8. Responseרבינא crossed while wearing a סנדל
9. Statementרב אשי says not to cross in a סנדל from the outset
10. StatementThe ריש גלותא visits and רבינא is absent
11. Questionרפרם asks רבינא why he did not come
12. Responseרבינא says his foot hurt
13. Challengeרפרם suggests he should have worn shoes
14. ResolutionThe pain was in the back of the foot
15. Challengeרפרם suggests sandals
16. ResolutionThere was water on the way
17. Challengeרפרם says he could have crossed wearing the sandals
18. Resolutionרבינא cites רב אשי's ruling on sandals
19. StatementSitting on damp clay on יום הכפורים is forbidden
20. StatementOnly when the clay is dripping wet
21. StatementWet enough to make something else wet
22. StatementCooling off with fruit is permitted
23. ProofHow the אמוראים cooled off in practice
24. Statementרב פפא: full versus not-full cups
25. Statementרב: even a not-full silver cup is forbidden
26. Proofרבי יהושע בן לוי's wet-cloth practice
27. Statementרבה בר מרי's version with the fast days switched
28. RejectionThe reversed version was rejected because of wringing
29. QuestionDoes a זקן sitting in the ישיבה need the נשיא's permission to permit בכורות?
30. QuestionWhat exactly were they unsure about?
31. ResponseThe two sides: honoring the נשיא versus the זקן's stature
32. ProofEyewitness proof that even a great elder asked permission
33. Rejectionרבי אבא says the story happened differently
34. QuestionThe real question: can a suspected person rule on the matter?
35. ResponseThe answer: the הלכה follows רבן שמעון בן גמליאל
36. QuestionA new question about going out in a certain sandal