What’s the shortest perek in shas Gemara

The shortest perek (chapter) in Shas (the Talmud) is Perek Bemeh Madlikin — actually, let me give you the precise answer:

The shortest chapter in the Babylonian Talmud is generally considered to be Chapter 4 of Makkot (perek "Elu Hen HaLokin"), though several very short chapters compete for this distinction. However, the most commonly cited answer is Perek 3 of Tamid or specific chapters in tractate Middot or Kinnim — but the single most frequently cited answer in this discussion is the third chapter of Makkot, which has only a few mishnayot and a very brief Gemara.

Let me give you a more structured and honest breakdown.

Key Takeaways

The question of the "shortest perek in Shas" is debated and depends on how you measure (by lines, by daf, or by words).
Tractate Kinnim Chapter 3 is often cited as extremely short in the Mishnah, but has no Gemara in the Bavli.
Makkot Chapter 3 (Daf 13b–24b) has a brief Gemara section.
Chapters in Tamid and Middot are among the shortest with actual Gemara.
The shortest single chapter with full Gemara discussion is a matter of some debate among students of Shas.

Detailed Answer

Defining "Shortest"

The answer depends on what we're measuring:

Shortest by daf count — how many pages of Gemara the chapter spans
Shortest by Mishnah alone — chapters with very few mishnayot
Shortest in a tractate that has Gemara — since some tractates (like Kinnim, Middot, Tamid) have little or no Bavli Gemara

Leading Candidates

1. Makkot, Chapter 3 ("Elu Hen HaLokin")

This is the most commonly cited answer. The chapter begins on Makkot 13b and the Mishnaic and Gemara content is relatively compact. It is famous for ending with the moving aggadic passage about Rabbi Akiva and the foxes at the Temple Mount [Makkot 24b].

2. Tamid — Various Chapters

Tractate Tamid has some of the shortest chapters in Shas, and its Gemara is sparse — it is largely Mishnah with brief Talmudic commentary. Several of its chapters span less than a single amud.

3. Middot — Various Chapters

Similarly, Tractate Middot (dealing with the Temple's dimensions) has almost no Bavli Gemara and very short chapters, but it is often not counted in discussions of "Shas Gemara" for this reason.

4. Kinnim, Chapter 3

The Mishnah of Kinnim Chapter 3 is famously brief and complex — the Vilna Gaon reportedly said it was the hardest chapter in all of Mishnah — but it has no Bavli Gemara at all.

The Most Precise Answer

Among chapters that have actual Gemara discussion in the Babylonian Talmud, Makkot Chapter 3 is the most widely cited as the shortest. Some yeshiva students and scholars also point to short chapters in Avodah Zarah, Horayot, or Temurah as contenders.

Note: This question is one that Shas enthusiasts and lomdim (scholars) enjoy debating, and there is no single universally agreed-upon "official" answer. If you're looking for a precise word-count analysis, a concordance or digital Talmud tool (like Sefaria) would give the most accurate measurement.

For a fun chavruta exercise, try comparing the shortest chapters across different tractates yourself! 📖