Eiruvin 48a, b

An interesting conversation between Rabbi Chiyya and Rabbi Yosei (son of Rabbi Chanina) takes up much of daf 48a.  Rabbi Chiyya teaches a baraita that tells us to build an iron partition to divide a small water hole that "lies between two Shabbat limits" so that people of both towns can draw water on Shabbat.  And Rabbi Yosei laughs.

Much of today's daf is devoted to explaining why Rabbi Yosei would laugh at his colleague's words.  Great effort goes into explaining that this laughter cannot be what it seems: rude behaviour on the part of Rabbi Yosei.  Instead, Rabbi Yosei must be responding to something unusual in the baraita.

As an aside, how fascinating that the emotional, social response of one rabbi toward another is captured and remembered in our text.  That is not 'side information'; it is in the Talmud and just as deserving of thought and debate as any other passage in the Talmud.  The Talmud provides us not only with direction regarding halacha, but with lessons on how we should treat each other.

But back to the narrative of daf 48.  One of the more interesting debates regarding Rabbi Yosei's response to Rabbi Chiyya concerns the four cubits allowed to a person over Shabbat.  If the person is 'in the middle', then s/he would be limited to 2 cubits in any direction.  However, if s/his is on one end of the four cubits, then s/he is either limited to one direction of movement (and back), or s/he actually uses an 8 cubit radius.

In addition, the rabbis question the size of a cubit.  Should a person use the understood measurement of a cubit used for consecrated property, the standard six handbreadths, or should s/he use his/her own forearm (from elbow to tip of index finger) to measure those four cubits?  I love that the standard cubit, the objective measurement, is six handbreadths.  If measures of forearms aren't standard, why would handbreadths be any diferent?

At the end of 48a and throughout 48b, the rabbis liken this debate to that of eiruvin for a grouping of three courtyards where the two on the outside open up on the third in the middle.  The placement of eiruvin is discussed, as is the status of Rav Yehuda in contrast with Rav Sheshet.  

Slowly I am beginning to understand more of the basic concepts of eiruvin.  And only 48 dapim in to the masechet!  To be clear, I am only BEGINNING to understand.