Eruvin 26

Chapter 26

א ונמלך ומצאו בן עירו ואמר שמך כשמי ושם אשתך כשם אשתי פסול לגרש בו
1 and then he changed his mind;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. he decided not to divorce her.');"><sup>1</sup></span> and a fellow townsman met him and [asked for the document] saying: 'Your name is the same as mine and your wife's name is the same as my wife's name',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, as the town in which the parties lived was also the same, he desired to use that Get for divorcing his own wife.');"><sup>2</sup></span> [the document is] invalid for the purpose of divorcing therewith [the other man's wife]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sot. 20b, Git. 24a; from which it follows that a document cannot be used for a person for whom it was not originally intended. An objection against R. Ahi b. Josiah.');"><sup>3</sup></span> - What a comparison!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'thus now'.');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ב הכי השתא התם (דברים כד, א) וכתב לה כתיב בעינן כתיבה לשמה הכא ועשה לה כתיב בעינן עשייה לשמה עשייה דידה מחיקה היא
2 Concerning that case<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'there', that of divorce.');"><sup>5</sup></span> it is written in Scripture: And he shall write for her,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXIV, 1, emphasis on the last three words.');"><sup>6</sup></span> hence it is required that the writing shall be expressly for her sake;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'for her name'. The woman for whom it is to be used.');"><sup>7</sup></span> but in this case<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'here', the case of a suspected wife.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ג א"ר אחא בר חנינא גלוי וידוע לפני מי שאמר והיה העולם שאין בדורו של רבי מאיר כמותו ומפני מה לא קבעו הלכה כמותו שלא יכלו חביריו לעמוד על סוף דעתו שהוא אומר על טמא טהור ומראה לו פנים על טהור טמא ומראה לו פנים
3 it is written: And he shall execute upon her,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. V, 30, emphasis on 'execute . . her'.');"><sup>9</sup></span> hence it is required that the execution shall be expressly for her sake,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'for her name'. The woman for whom it is to be used.');"><sup>7</sup></span> and the execution in her case is the blotting out. R'Aha B'Hanina said: It is revealed and known before Him Who spoke and the world came into existence, that in the generation of R'Meir there was none equal to him; then why was not the halachah fixed in agreement with his views?
ד תנא לא ר"מ שמו אלא רבי נהוראי שמו ולמה נקרא שמו ר"מ שהוא מאיר עיני חכמים בהלכה ולא נהוראי שמו אלא רבי נחמיה שמו ואמרי לה רבי אלעזר בן ערך שמו ולמה נקרא שמו נהוראי שמנהיר עיני חכמים בהלכה
4 Because his colleagues could not fathom the depths<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to stand upon the end'.');"><sup>10</sup></span> of his mind, for he would declare the ritually unclean to be clean and supply plausible proof,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'show it a face'. rhtn rut');"><sup>11</sup></span> and the ritually clean to be unclean and also supply plausible proof.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'show it a face'. rhtn rut');"><sup>11</sup></span> One taught: His name was not R'Meir but R'Nehorai.
ה אמר רבי האי דמחדדנא מחבראי דחזיתיה לר' מאיר מאחוריה ואילו חזיתיה מקמיה הוה מחדדנא טפי דכתיב (ישעיהו ל, כ) והיו עיניך רואות את מוריך
5 Then why was he called R'Meir'? Because he enlightened<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he makes the eyes of the Sages shine'. rt. Hif., 'to give light', 'to cause to shine'. htruvb rvb');"><sup>12</sup></span> the Sages in the halachah. His name in fact was not even Nehorai but R'Nehemiah or, as others say: R'Eleazar B'Arak.
ו א"ר אבהו א"ר יוחנן תלמיד היה לו לר"מ וסומכוס שמו שהיה אומר על כל דבר ודבר של טומאה ארבעים ושמונה טעמי טומאה ועל כל דבר ודבר של טהרה ארבעים ושמונה טעמי טהרה
6 Then why was he called 'Nehorai'? Because he enlightened the Sages in the halachah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. previous note, of the rt. 'to shine'.');"><sup>13</sup></span> Rabbi<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' MS.M. 'Rab'.');"><sup>14</sup></span> declared: The only reason<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., , 'that'.');"><sup>15</sup></span>
ז תנא תלמיד ותיק היה ביבנה שהיה מטהר את השרץ במאה וחמשים טעמים
7 why I am keener than my colleagues is that I saw the back of R'Meir,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: When I studied under him my seat at the academy was in the row which had a back view of R. Meir.');"><sup>16</sup></span> but had I had a front view of him I would have been keener still, for it is written in Scripture: But thine eyes shall see thy teacher.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXX, 20.');"><sup>17</sup></span> R'Abbahu stated in the name of R'Johanan: R'Meir had a disciple of the name of Symmachus who, for every rule concerning ritual uncleanness, supplied forty-eight reasons in support of its uncleanness, and for every rule concerning ritual cleanness, forty-eight reasons in support of its cleanness. One taught: There was an assiduous student at Jamnia<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or Jabneh. The religious center and seat of the Sanhedrin after the destruction of Jerusalem.');"><sup>18</sup></span>
ח אמר רבינא אני אדון ואטהרנו ומה נחש שממית ומרבה טומאה טהור שרץ שאין ממית ומרבה טומאה לא כ"ש
8 who by a hundred and fifty reasons proved that a [dead] creeping thing was clean. Said Rabina: I also could by logical argument prove it to be clean. If a snake that kills [man and beast] and thus causes much uncleanness,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A corpse is unclean and imparts uncleanness to those who come in contact with it.');"><sup>19</sup></span> is itself ritually clean,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since it was not included among the eight unclean reptiles enumerated in Lev. XI, 29f.');"><sup>20</sup></span>
ט ולא היא מעשה קוץ בעלמא קעביד
9 how much more should a creeping thing, which does not kill [either man or beast] and consequently causes no uncleanness, be ritually clean. This, however, is no argument, since [the snake] is merely acting like a thorn.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The uncleanness which it causes has consequently no bearing on its own status. No inference a minori can, therefore, be drawn between snake and creeping thing.');"><sup>21</sup></span> R'Abba stated in the name of Samuel: For three years there was a dispute between Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel, the former asserting, 'The halachah is in agreement with our views' and the latter contending, 'The halachah is in agreement with our views'. Then a bath kol<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' v. Glos.');"><sup>22</sup></span>
י א"ר אבא אמר שמואל שלש שנים נחלקו ב"ש וב"ה הללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו והללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו יצאה בת קול ואמרה אלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים הן והלכה כב"ה
10 issued announcing, '[The utterances of] both<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'these and these'.');"><sup>23</sup></span> are the words of the living God, but the halachah is in agreement with the rulings of Beth Hillel'. Since, however, both are the words of the living God' what was it that entitled Beth Hillel to have the halachah fixed in agreement with their rulings? Because they were kindly and modest, they studied their own rulings and those of Beth Shammai,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf., e.g., Ber. 10b.');"><sup>24</sup></span>
יא וכי מאחר שאלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים מפני מה זכו ב"ה לקבוע הלכה כמותן מפני שנוחין ועלובין היו ושונין דבריהן ודברי ב"ש ולא עוד אלא שמקדימין דברי ב"ש לדבריהן
11 and were even so<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and no more but'.');"><sup>25</sup></span> [humble] as to mention the actions<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'words', 'things', hence 'actions' (cf. infra n. 7) .');"><sup>26</sup></span> of Beth Shammai before theirs, (as may be seen from<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'like that'.');"><sup>27</sup></span> what we have learnt: If a man had his head and the greater part of his body within the sukkah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ; in which every Israelite must live during the Festival of Tabernacles.');"><sup>28</sup></span>
יב כאותה ששנינו מי שהיה ראשו ורובו בסוכה ושלחנו בתוך הבית בית שמאי פוסלין וב"ה מכשירין אמרו ב"ה לב"ש לא כך היה מעשה שהלכו זקני ב"ש וזקני ב"ה לבקר את ר' יוחנן בן החורנית ומצאוהו יושב ראשו ורובו בסוכה ושלחנו בתוך הבית אמרו להן בית שמאי (אי) משם ראיה אף הן אמרו לו אם כך היית נוהג לא קיימת מצות סוכה מימיך
12 but his table in the house,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the booth was so small that it could not contain more than the parts of the body mentioned.');"><sup>29</sup></span> Beth Shammai ruled [that the booth was] invalid but Beth Hillel ruled that it was valid. Said Beth Hillel to Beth Shammai, 'Did it not so happen that the elders of Beth Shammai<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Here Beth Hillel mention the action of Beth Shammai before theirs. ht');"><sup>30</sup></span> and the elders of Beth Hillel went on a visit to R'Johanan B'Hahoranith and found him sitting with his head and greater part of his body within the sukkah while his table was in the house? ' Beth Shammai replied: From<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cur. edd. insert in parenthesis 'if' or 'indeed'.');"><sup>31</sup></span>
יג ללמדך שכל המשפיל עצמו הקב"ה מגביהו וכל המגביה עצמו הקב"ה משפילו כל המחזר על הגדולה גדולה בורחת ממנו וכל הבורח מן הגדולה גדולה מחזרת אחריו וכל הדוחק את השעה שעה דוחקתו וכל הנדחה מפני שעה שעה עומדת לו
13 there proof [may be adduced for our view for] they indeed told him, 'If you have always acted in this manner you have never fulfilled the commandment of sukkah'.) This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The privilege conferred upon Beth Hillel.');"><sup>32</sup></span> teaches you that him who humbles himself, the Holy One, blessed be He, raises up, and him who exalts himself, the Holy One, blessed be He, humbles; from him who seeks greatness, greatness flees, but him who flees from greatness, greatness follows; he who forces time<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. is over anxious to succeed and embarks in consequence on hazardous or perilous adventures.');"><sup>33</sup></span> is forced back by time<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' His efforts lead him into disaster.');"><sup>34</sup></span>
יד ת"ר שתי שנים ומחצה נחלקו ב"ש וב"ה הללו אומרים נוח לו לאדם שלא נברא יותר משנברא והללו אומרים נוח לו לאדם שנברא יותר משלא נברא נמנו וגמרו נוח לו לאדם שלא נברא יותר משנברא עכשיו שנברא יפשפש במעשיו ואמרי לה ימשמש במעשיו
14 but he who yields<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'is pushed back'.');"><sup>35</sup></span> to time<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or 'circumstances', sc. he does not aim above his means and does not overstrain his mental or physical powers.');"><sup>36</sup></span> finds time standing at his side.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He will succeed in due course.');"><sup>37</sup></span> Our Rabbis taught: For two and a half years were Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel in dispute, the former asserting that it were better for man not to have been created than to have been created, and the latter maintaining that it is better for man to have been created than not to have been created.
טו <big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> הקורה שאמרו רחבה כדי לקבל אריח ואריח חצי לבנה של שלשה טפחים דייה לקורה שתהא רחבה טפח כדי לקבל אריח לרחבו
15 They finally took a vote and decided that it were better for man not to have been created than to have been created, but now that he has been created, let him investigate his past deeds<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, if he find them at fault, make the necessary amends. apap anan');"><sup>38</sup></span> or, as others say, let him examine his future actions.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Before committing them. The underlying difference between the two versions is the interchange of pe for mem. Both and imply 'examination' but the former is more applicable to something actually done, the latter to something intended (cf. Rashi) .');"><sup>39</sup></span> <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>THE CROSS-BEAM OF WHICH THEY [THE RABBIS] SPOKE MUST BE WIDE ENOUGH TO HOLD AN ARIAH<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A half-sized brick.');"><sup>40</sup></span> WHICH IS HALF OF A LEBENAH<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A brick of full size.');"><sup>41</sup></span>
טז רחבה כדי לקבל אריח ובריאה כדי לקבל אריח רבי יהודה אומר רחבה אף על פי שאין בריאה היתה של קש ושל קנים רואין אותה כאילו היא של מתכת
16 OF THREE HANDBREADTHS. IT IS SUFFICIENT FOR A BEAM TO BE ONE HANDBREADTH WIDE IN ORDER TO HOLD THE WIDTH OF AN ARIAH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of one and a half handbreadths. Lit., 'to its width'. Var. lec. 'to its length', sc. the length of the ariah running the length of the beam.');"><sup>42</sup></span> [THE BEAM MUST BE] WIDE ENOUGH TO HOLD AN ARIAH BUT ALSO STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SUCH AN ARIAH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In order that it may have the appearance of a firm structure on which it is possible to build.');"><sup>43</sup></span> R'JUDAH RULED: [THE BEAM IS VALID IF IT IS SUFFICIENTLY] WIDE, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT STRONG.
יז עקומה רואין אותה כאילו היא פשוטה עגולה רואין אותה כאילו היא מרובעת כל שיש בהיקיפו שלשה טפחים יש בו רוחב טפח:
17 IF<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is a continuation of R. Judah's ruling.');"><sup>44</sup></span> IT WAS MADE OF STRAW OR REEDS IT IS LOOKED [UPON AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN MADE OF METAL; [IF IT WAS] CURVED<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that no brick can rest upon it.');"><sup>45</sup></span> IT IS LOOKED UPON AS THOUGH IT WERE STRAIGHT; [IF IT WAS] ROUND<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that no brick can rest upon it.');"><sup>45</sup></span> IT IS LOOKED UPON AS THOUGH IT WERE SQUARE. WHATSOEVER HAS A CIRCUMFERENCE OF THREE HANDBREADTHS IS ONE HANDBREADTH IN DIAMETER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Approximately. The circumference of a round cross-beam must consequently be no less than three handbreadths.');"><sup>46</sup></span>
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