יבמות סא עמוד ב - סב עמוד א

Read the Gemara carefully with your חברותא. Take turns being the one to read out loud, so that you each have the opportunity to both read and listen. Experiment with punctuation (where does each sentence end? Where does a new sentence begin?) and also with meaning (can you translate the words so that they make sense in context?).

Use the “key words” section below to help you with these steps. A key word is a word that tells you what the Gemara is doing: For example, asking a question, beginning an answer, or bringing a prooftext.

As you read, fill in the “new words” section where appropriate. Use the guiding questions, as well as the structure chart (see below) to accompany and guide your reading. Your answers will not be collected, but it may be helpful to you in our class discussions to take some notes.

Key Words:

Please make sure that you know the definitions of the following words:

New Words:

Please write down any words that are new to you. Look up the definitions and write them down, so that you can share them in class. This will also help you remember them the next time you come across them in the Gemara!

Structure Chart:

As we've practiced in class, make a structure chart of this Gemara. Be sure that all key words are represented on this chart. You can create it on Sefaria, in Google docs, or by hand, using colors and whatever techniques work best for you to understand what the Gemara is doing in this sugya.

Guiding questions:

1. What part of the Mishnah is the Gemara commenting on?

1. What is the Gemara’s first question?

1. What is the answer?

1. What is the second question?

1. What is the answer?

1. What challenge does the Gemara then pose?

1. How does the Gemara respond to this challenge?

1. What is the next challenge posed by this Gemara?

1. How does the Gemara respond to this challenge?

1. What is the prooftext that is brought to support this response?

1. How does the Gemara explain each part of this prooftext? Be sure that you understand why it quotes all the different פסוקים!

1. What is the next Tannaitic source quoted by the Gemara? How is it the same as or different from our Mishnah?

1. What question is asked about this source?

1. What is the answer?

1. What is the next Tannaitic source quoted by the Gemara? How is it the same as or different from our Mishnah?

1. What is the answer?

1. Of all the פרו ורבו possibilities presented in this sugya, whose reasoning do you think makes the most sense? Why?

1. If you had to defend either Hillel or Shammai’s positions, what rationale or prooftext would you have used?