Avodah Zarah 76a

עבודה זרה ע״ו ע״א

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Topic

Purging utensils: the נותן טעם לפגם views on the vessels of מדין, and why gentiles' spits need ליבון while קדשים utensils need only הגעלה

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining how each side of the נותן טעם לפגם debate reads the Torah's command to purge the utensils of מדין. The permitting view says the Torah only forbade a קדירה בת יומא, and an older pot is forbidden only by a rabbinic גזירה. The other view says even a same-day pot gives a spoiled taste, so the Torah itself forbids it. Next, רב עמרם asks רב ששת why our משנה requires ליבון for spits and grills when a teaching about קדשים requires only הגעלה. רב ששת answers that קדשים absorbed something permitted. רבא and אביי each reject that answer or offer their own, and each answer is challenged in turn. רב פפא then explains that an unused utensil gets crusty while one in daily use does not. רב אשי brings back רב ששת's answer, adding that what comes out later is only taste, not the forbidden food itself. Finally the גמרא gives practical details. רבי מני explains how much ליבון is needed and רב הונא explains how הגעלה is done. A story about רב עקביה's large cauldron begins and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. StatementThe Torah only forbade a pot used that same day
2. ChallengeThen a pot should be allowed after one day
3. ResolutionA rabbinic decree forbids the older pot too
4. QuestionHow does the other view read the verse?
5. ResponseEven a same-day pot gives a spoiled taste
6. ChallengeHeating spits in fire or purging them in hot water?
7. Resolutionרב ששת: Sacrifices Absorbed Something Permitted
8. Rejectionרבא: In the End It Releases Something Forbidden
9. Resolutionרבא: The Purging Means Also Rinsing and Scouring
10. Challengeאביי: Rinsing Is Cold, Purging Is Hot
11. Resolutionאביי: Each Source Fills In the Other
12. Challengeרבא: Then One Source Should List Everything
13. Resolutionרבא's new reason: each day purges the day before
14. ChallengeThis works for peace-offerings but not for sin-offerings
15. ResolutionCook a peace-offering in the same pot on the same day
16. ResolutionHow the daily cycle keeps running
17. ChallengeIf daily cooking purges the pot, why is הגעלה needed at all?
18. ResolutionA utensil left unused builds up a crust
19. Resolutionרב אשי returns to the first answer: permitted versus forbidden when absorbed
20. ResolutionWhat comes out is only taste, not the forbidden food itself
21. QuestionHow hot must the utensil get for ליבון?
22. QuestionHow is הגעלה done?
23. QuestionWhat about a large kettle?
24. ResponseThe incident of רב עקביה's cauldron begins