Eruvin

OR BRIDGES, OR SEPULCHRAL MONUMENTS THAT CONTAINED DWELLING CHAMBERS, THE BOUNDARY OF THE TOWN IS EXTENDED1 TO INCLUDE THEM.2 SABBATH LIMITS,3 FURTHERMORE, ARE TO BE SHAPED4 LIKE A SQUARE TABLET5 IN ORDER THAT THE USE OF THE CORNERS6 MIGHT BE GAINED.7 GEMARA. Rab and Samuel are at variance. One learned,8 me'aberin9 and the other learned, me'aberin.10 He who learned ‘me'aberin’10 explains it as ‘adding a wing,’11 and he who learned, ‘me'aberin’ explains it in the same sense as that of ‘a pregnant woman’.9 The12 cave of Machpelah.13 Rab and Samuel differ as to its meaning. One holds that the cave consisted of two chambers one within the other; and the other holds that it consisted of a lower and upper chamber. According to him who holds that the chambers were one above the other the term machpelah13 is well justified but according to him who holds that it consisted of two chambers one within the other, what could be the meaning of machpelah? That it had multiples14 of couples.15 Mamreh the city of Arba.16 R. Isaac explained: The city of the four17 couples:15 Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah. And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel.18 Rab and Samuel are at variance. One holds that his name was Nimrod;19 and why was he called Amraphel? Because he ordered our father Abraham to be cast20 into a burning furnace.21 But the other holds that his name was Amraphel; and why was he called Nimrod? Because in his reign he led all the world in rebellion 22 against himself.23 Now there arose a new king over Egypt.24 Rab and Samuel differ. One explains: Actually a new king, and the other explains: He25 issued new decrees.26 He who explained: ‘actually a new king’, did so because it is written ‘new’,27 while he who explained: ‘he issued new decrees’, did so because it was not stated: ‘And the former king died and a new king reigned’. But, according to him who explained: ‘He issued new decrees’, may it not be objected that it was written: Who knew not Joseph?28 — What is the meaning of ‘Who knew not Joseph’? Who29 appeared as if he never knew Joseph. (Mnemonic:30 Eighteen, and twelve, we learned, in his generation, their heart).31 R. Johanan stated: I spent eighteen days at R. Oshaia Beribi32 and learned from him only one word in our Mishnah, viz., that ‘HOW ARE THE SABBATH BOUNDARIES OF TOWNS EXTENDED’ is to be read as me'aberin33 with an aleph. But, surely, this is not correct. For did not R. Johanan state, ‘R. Oshaia Beribi had twelve disciples and I spent eighteen days among them and gained a knowledge of every one's intellectual powers34 and of every one's wisdom? Now, is It likely that he gained a knowledge of every one's intellectual powers and of every one's wisdom and yet did not learn any Gemara?35 — If you like I may reply: He may have learnt much from them, but from him he did not learn [more than the one word]. And if you prefer I might reply: He meant to say that in our Mishnah he learned only one word.36 R. Johanan further stated: When we were studying Torah at R. Oshaia's eight of us used to sit in the space of one cubit.37 Rabbi stated: When we were studying Torah at R. Eleazar b. Shammua a six of us used to sit in one cubit.37 R. Johanan further stated: R. Oshaia Beribi in his generation was like R. Meir in his generation. As was the case with R. Meir in his generation that his colleagues could not fathom the depth of his knowledge38 so was it with R. Oshaia that his colleagues could not fathom the depth of his knowledge. R. Johanan further stated: The hearts39 of the ancients were like the door of the Ulam,40 but that of the last generations was like the door of the Hekal,40 but ours is like the eye of a fine needle. R. Akiba is classed among the ancients; R. Eleazar b. Shammua among the last generations. Others say: R. Eleazar b. Shammua is classed among the ancients and R. Oshaia Beribi among the last generations — ‘But ours is like the eye of a fine needle’ — And we, said Abaye, are like a peg in a wall in respect of Gemara.41 And we, said Raba, are like a finger in wax as regards logical argument.42 We, said R. Ashi, are like a finger in a pit43 as regards forgetfulness.44 Rab Judah stated in the name of Rab: The Judeans who cared for [the beauty of] their language retained their learning,45 but the Galileans who did not care for [the beauty of] their language46 did not retain their learning. But does this47 depend on whether one cares [for linguistic beauty]? — Rather say: The Judeans who were exact in their language,48 and who laid down mnemonics for their aid, retained their learning; but the Galileans who were not exact in their language,49 and who laid down no mnemonic as an aid, did not retain their learning. The50 Judeans who learned from one Master retained their learning, but the Galileans who did not learn from one Master did not retain their learning. Rabina said: The Judeans who made their studies accessible to the public51 retained their learning, but the Galileans who did not make their studies accessible to the public did not retain their learning. David made his studies accessible52 and Saul did not make his studies accessible. Of David who made his studies accessible it is written in Scripture: They that fear Thee shall see me and be glad;53 but of Saul who did not make his studies accessible to the public it is written: And whithersoever he turned himself boundary line is drawn along the outer side of that projection in a straight perpendicular line, to both extremities of that side of the town. drawn parallel to it at the prescribed distances of two thousand cubits, assume also a similar shape. By ‘SQUARE’ the circular shape only is intended to be excluded (cf. following note). the sides of the square or parallelogram in which the Sabbath boundaries of the town were shaped. represent a straight and continuous boundary line. discussions on the interpretation of a word in our Mishnah. Temple. The door of the Ulam was twenty cubits wide while that of the Hekal was only ten. learned.