Gemara Clarity

Avodah Zarah 34a

עבודה זרה ל״ד ע״א

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Topic

Glazed vessels for חמץ versus יין נסך, רבי עקיבא's three questions, and the twelve-month rule for gentile wine leftovers and vessels

Overview

The amud opens in the middle of מרימר's answer about glazed earthenware vessels on פסח. He forbids them because liquid seeps through them, which shows they absorb, and the תורה teaches that a כלי חרס never releases what it absorbed. The גמרא asks why he permitted the same vessels after they held gentile wine. It rejects the answer that חמץ is דאורייתא and יין נסך is only דרבנן. The real answer is that חמץ is used hot and wine is used cold. Next comes a story: רבי עקיבא could not answer three questions in גינזק, and the בית המדרש answered them, including that gentile jars are permitted after twelve months. The גמרא then turns to the משנה about gentile grape seeds and skins. Wet ones are forbidden and dry ones permitted, and שמואל defines the line as twelve months. רבי יוחנן, רב זביד and רב חביבא extend this twelve-month rule, and רב חביבא's last statement continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לְהוּ: אֲנָא חָזֵינָא לְהוּ דְּמִדַּיְּיתִי,

[He said] to them: I see that they sweat,

וְכֵיוָן דְּמִדַּיְּיתִי

and since they sweat,

וַדַּאי בָּלְעִי וַאֲסִירִי.

they certainly absorb, and they are forbidden.

מַאי טַעְמָא?

What is the reason?

The steps (15)

  1. Responseמרימר: The vessels sweat, so they absorb and are forbidden
  2. ResponseWhy purging does not help: earthenware never releases what it absorbed
  3. ChallengeChallenge: מרימר permitted the same vessels for gentile wine
  4. RejectionRejected answer: דאורייתא versus דרבנן
  5. ResolutionReal answer: חמץ is used hot, wine is used cold
  6. Statementרבי עקיבא in גינזק is asked three questions he cannot answer
  7. ResponseThe study hall answers רבי עקיבא's three questions
  8. Statementרב כהנא: the white cloak had no hem
  9. StatementGentile grape seeds and skins: wet ones are forbidden, dry ones are permitted
  10. QuestionWhat counts as wet and what counts as dry?
  11. Responseשמואל: wet means within twelve months, dry means after twelve months
  12. Statementרבי יוחנן: forbidden even for benefit, permitted even for eating
  13. Statementרב זביד: Aramean wine dregs are permitted after twelve months
  14. Statementרב חביבא בריה דרבא: jugs are permitted after twelve months
  15. Statementרב חביבא begins another teaching