Arachin 5a

ערכין ה׳ ע״א

Arakhin 5a

Learn Arachin 5a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Arachin 5a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Consecrating part of an animal, 'for the מזבח' pledges, and ערך vows on a baby or a utensil

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא about someone who says 'the leg of this animal is an עולה.' רבי מאיר says only the leg is holy, so the animal is sold to be brought as an עולה, and only the money for the leg is holy. רבי יהודה, רבי יוסי and רבי שמעון say the whole animal becomes an עולה. The גמרא uses this to challenge רבא. Even רבי מאיר agrees that consecrating a vital part makes the whole animal holy. רבא answers in steps, distinguishing קדושת הגוף from קדושת דמים, a whole animal from one limb, and an unblemished animal from a blemished one. Three questions about pledges 'for the מזבח' follow, from רבה, רבא and רב אשי, and all end in תיקו. Then a new משנה teaches that a baby under one month can be pledged by his value but has no ערך. The גמרא explains that רבי מאיר and the רבנן argue over whether a person ever speaks for nothing. It also shows that רב's ruling about the ערך of a utensil follows only רבי מאיר.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. StatementConsecrating just the leg: only the leg becomes holy
2. StatementThe holy leg cannot lose its holiness
3. StatementThe practical solution: sell the animal for an עולה
4. StatementThe other view: the whole animal becomes an עולה
5. ChallengeEven רבי מאיר agrees about a vital body part
6. Resolutionרבא's new answer: holiness on the body versus holiness on the value
7. Challengeאביי: you yourself said value-holiness becomes body-holiness
8. Resolutionרבא: the whole animal versus one limb
9. Challengeאביי: the one-limb case was an open question for רבה
10. ResolutionThe open question was only about an unblemished animal
11. ChallengeEven an unfit-for-the-altar case was left open
12. ResolutionThat question came before we knew this ברייתא
13. Questionרבה's question in full
14. QuestionThe two sides of רבה's question
15. ConclusionThe question stays unresolved
16. QuestionDoes a poor person pay less when he pledges his valuation for the altar?
17. QuestionThe two sides: valuation rules versus altar rules
18. Conclusionרבא's question stays unanswered
19. QuestionAn ancestral field given to the altar: fixed price or real value?
20. Conclusionרב אשי's question also stays unanswered
21. StatementA baby under one month: can be pledged by value, but has no valuation
22. StatementA ברייתא: ערך vow on a baby under one month
23. QuestionWhat is the root of their argument?
24. ResponseDoes a person ever speak for no reason?
25. QuestionWhose view is רב's ruling about a utensil?
26. ResponseIt follows רבי מאיר
27. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
28. ResolutionYou might have thought even the רבנן agree
29. ResolutionA utensil leaves no room for a mistake, so the גמרא had to say רב follows only רבי מאיר