Siman - Eruvin Daf 53
- מערת המכפלה
Rav and Shmuel disagreed on the meaning of מערת המכפלה. One taught that the cave was, שני בתים זה לפנים מזה – two rooms one in front of the other, and the other taught, בית ועליה על גביו – it consisted of a room with an upper level above it. The Gemara asks that the term “a double cave” is indeed a fitting description for a cave with a room and an upper level (Rashi – because it has two ceilings ), however what does the word מכפלה mean according to the one who says that it was a cave with one room behind the other? Rashi explains that it is essentially one cave with two sections. The Gemara answers, שכפולה בזוגות – that it had multiples of couples, meaning that many couples were buried there.
- How the residents of Yehudah retained their learning
Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav that the residents of Yehudah, נתקיימא תורתם בידם – retained their Torah knowledge, unlike the residents in the Galil. Four reasons are given.
- דדיקי לישנא – They were precise in matters of language, meaning that they meticulously reviewed what they were taught using the exact language of their Rebbeim.
- ומתנחי להו סימנא – and gave simanim for what they learnt to aid in memorization . Rashi explains that since they knew the exact language of the teachings they were able to attach appropriate symbols to each one.
- גמרו מחד רבה – they learned from only one teacher. Rashi explains that even if two teachers teach the same thing, it might be confusing and difficult to remember because they use different words.
- דגלו מסכתא – Rashi gives two explanations. Either that they taught what they learned to others, or they sought reasons for what they had learned.
זו קצרה וארוכה
Rebbe Yehoshua ben Chananyah said that “In all my days no one ever beat me in a verbal encounter except for a woman, a little boy and a little girl”. In the incident with the little boy, he once was walking down the road and saw a little boy sitting by a fork in the road. He asked him which path he should take to get to the city, and the boy answered, זו קצרה וארוכה – This one is short and long, וזו ארוכה וקצרה – and this one is long and short. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Chananyah went down the path that was “short and long” and when he approached the city he discovered that it was surrounded with gardens and orchards that blocked access to it. He went back to the boy and asked him “Didn’t you tell me that this path is short?” The boy responded that he had also told him that it was long. Rebbe Yehoshua kissed the boy on his head and said, אשריכם ישראל – Praiseworthy are you Yisroel, שכולכם חכמים גדולים אתם – for you are all very wise, מגדולכם ועד קטנכם – from your old to your young.
