Rif Eruvin 13a {Eruvin 46b continues ... 48a}

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13a

{Eruvin 46b continues}
are regarding the end of an eruv {=when there was an eruv techumin for several Shabbatot, and eat was partially consumed and there is now less than 2 meals worth, and we say that we rule leniently that it is still OK}, but regarding the beginning of an eruv, I would say no. Therefore it informs us that the halacha is like Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri, for the words of Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri are comparable to the beginning of an eruv.

Rabbi Yaakov and Rabbi Zerika said that the halacha is like Rabbi Akiva over his colleagues; like Rabbi Yossi over his colleagues; like Rabbi over his colleagues.
How is the above statement evaluated in terms of practical halacha?
Rabbi Assi said: Halacha. {That is, we rule that way.}
Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said: Matin. {=We lean that way. We lean like him even against many, and can instruct an individual of this, but do not teach this in public.}
Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina said: Nirin {they appear. That is, we do not even instruct an individual, but if someone conducts himself like Rabbi Yossi we do not make him do it over.}

Rabbi Yaakov bar Iddi cited Rabbi Yochanan (ben Nuri): Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda, the halacha is like Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yossi, the halacha is like Rabbi Yossi. And it need not be said that Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yossi, the halacha is like Rabbi Yossi.

Rav Ashi said: We too say: Rabbi Yossi and Rabbi Shimon, the halacha is like Rabbi Yossi. For Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba cited Rabbi Yochanan, "Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon, the halacha is like Rabbi Yehuda." Now, against Rabbi Yehuda he {=Rabbi Shimon} does not prevail, against Rabbi Yossi need not be said {but rather, obviously, the halacha would be like Rabbi Yossi}.

It was a question to them: Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Shimon, what? {Who prevails?} The question stands.

Even though Rav argues on Rabbi Yochanan, in these rules {of pesak}, we establish like Rabbi Yochanan, and even {where Rabbi Yossi's opinion appears} in a brayta.

{Eruvin 47b}
Rav Yehuda cited Shmuel: The articles of a gentile do not acquire Shabbat rest.
And Rav Chiyya bar Avin cited Rabbi Yochanan: The articles of a gentile do acquire Shabbat rest, as a decree on the ownership of gentiles because of the ownership of an Israelite.

Some rams arrived at Mavrachta {= a villiage within 4000 cubits of Mechoza} on Yom Tov. Rava permitted the residents of Mechoza to travel to Mechoza via an eruv to purchase them and to travel with them to Mechoza. {Even though the gentiles had brought them from a place beyond the techum of that town. On Yom Tov, one is allowed to obtain on credit purchases of food.}
Ravina said to Rava: What is your thought process here? That Rav Yehuda cited Shmuel that the articles of a gentile do not acquire Shabbat rest? But Rav Chiyya bar Avin cited Rabbi Yochanan that the articles of a gentile do acquire Shabbat rest, as a decree on the ownership of gentiles because of the ownership of an Israelite. And {in a dispute between} Shmuel and Rabbi Yochanan, the halacha is like Rabbi Yochanan!
Thereupon, Rava retracted and ruled instead that the residents of Mavrachta may acquire them, because for them, all of Mavrachta is like 4 cubits.

Rabbi Chiyya taught {a brayta}: A חרס {fish pond} between two techum of Shabbat {of two towns} -

To explain חרס, it is like charitz, a furrow full of water, and it is between two techums of Shabbat

{Eruvin 48a}
- needs a iron partition to partition it, to permit half of it to this techum and its other half to this techum.
Rabbi Chayya bar Chanina laughed at him.
Why did he laugh at him? For this is a leniency that the Sages were lenient as regards water. Just as Rabbi Tavla inquired of Rav: A suspended partition, does it permit in a ruin? He said to him: A suspended partition only permits by water, for it is a leniency in which the Sages were lenient by water. Therefore, even a partition of reeds {and not of iron} permits.

"But the Sages say: He has only four cubits":
These four cubits, where {in Scripture} are they written?
As they learnt {in a brayta}: {Shemot 16:29}:

כט רְאוּ, כִּי-ה נָתַן לָכֶם הַשַּׁבָּת--עַל-כֵּן הוּא נֹתֵן לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי, לֶחֶם יוֹמָיִם; שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו, אַל-יֵצֵא אִישׁ מִמְּקֹמוֹ--בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי

29 See that the LORD hath given you the sabbath; therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place {tachtav}, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.'

Like Tachtav {=under himself}. And how much is under him? His body is 3 cubits {prone}, and one cubit in order to stretch out his hands and legs. These are the words of Rabbi Meir. And Rabbi Yehuda says: His body is three cubits, and one cubit in order to take an article from under his head and to place it under his legs, and to take an article from under his legs and to place it under his head.
What is the difference between them? This is the distinction between them: 4 cubits exactly. For Rabbi Meir holds 4 cubits exactly, and Rabbi Yehuda holds loose {cubits}.