Avodah Zarah 40a

עבודה זרה מ׳ ע״א

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Topic

Identifying kosher fish products from a גוי: brine, salted fish, scales, and fish roe

Overview

This amud is about how to tell whether fish products bought from a גוי are kosher. First, the גמרא explains that brine in open barrels needs two כילבית fish, while sealed barrels need only one. Next, רב הונא and רב נחמן argue whether salted fish needs both head and spine to be recognizable, or just one of them. עולא limits their argument to dipping food in the brine, and רב פפא rules that the head and spine of every single fish must be recognizable. He explains that a ברייתא permitting a whole jug of pieces is talking about pieces that fit together. Then comes a story: רב הונא בר חיננא permitted a boatload of fish because he saw scales, while רבא forbade it, and two reports disagree about what exactly was permitted. רב חיננא בר אידי rules on a boat full of barrels where a כילבית was found in one of them. Finally, רב rules that fish innards and roe must be bought from a מומחה. The גמרא shows that non-kosher fish also have eggs, and רבא explains that an expert is needed when the eggs have melted. The amud ends by beginning a question on רבי דוסתאי's view, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. ChallengeWhy teach two כילבית fish if one is enough?
2. ResolutionOpen barrels versus sealed barrels
3. StatementHead and spine, or head or spine?
4. ChallengeAren't fins and scales the signs?
5. ResolutionThat משנה is about fish with misleading heads
6. StatementThe argument is only about dipping in the brine
7. Statementרבי זירא stops dipping in the brine
8. ConclusionThe הלכה: every fish needs head and spine
9. ChallengeOne marked piece permits the whole jug
10. Resolutionרב פפא: The Pieces Fit Together
11. ChallengeThen Why Say It at All?
12. ResolutionMaybe They Matched by Chance
13. StatementA Boat of Fish Arrives, and רב הונא בר חיננא Permits It
14. Challengeרבא Objects: Scales Are Everywhere Here
15. ConclusionEach Rabbi Announces His Own Ruling
16. StatementOne Report: Only the Brine Was Permitted
17. StatementAnother Report: Even the Fish Were Permitted
18. Conclusionרב אשי Neither Forbids Nor Permits
19. StatementA boat of barrels with a כילבית in one barrel
20. Questionרב אדא asks for the source
21. ResponseHeard from three great teachers
22. StatementFish innards and roe only from an expert
23. ChallengeDo non-kosher fish even have roe?
24. ResolutionDelete the word 'their roe'
25. ResolutionAll fish have eggs; the difference is where they hatch
26. ChallengeWhy need an expert? Just check the signs
27. ChallengeFish signs are fins and scales, not egg signs
28. ResolutionThe ברייתא means the signs of fish roe
29. StatementThe ברייתא lists the signs of kosher eggs
30. ResolutionThe expert is needed when the eggs have melted
31. ChallengeSetting up a question based on רבי דוסתאי's view