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Bava Kamma 78a

בבא קמא ע״ח ע״א

Learn Bava Kamma 78a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Whether 'שור או כשב' excludes כלאים from קרבנות, and where רבא's rule that 'שה' excludes כלאים is actually needed

Overview

The גמרא keeps working on the פסוק about animals fit for קרבנות (ויקרא 22:27: 'שור או כשב או עז'). It asks why 'שור או כשב' should not include כלאים. It answers that both halves of the פסוק exclude: one excludes כלאים and the other excludes a נדמה. Two inclusions would make no sense, but two exclusions do. Then the גמרא asks what רבא's rule, that 'שה' always excludes כלאים, is needed for. קדשים, מעשר בהמה and בכור all have their own sources, so the rule must be for פטר חמור, which may not be redeemed with כלאים. But רבי אלעזר allows redeeming with כלאים. For him, the rule teaches that an animal born from a kosher mother and a non-kosher father is not kosher. This answer works only if we do not follow רבי יהושע. The amud ends as the גמרא begins proving that a kosher animal can become pregnant from a non-kosher one, and that proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הָא גַּבֵּי קֳדָשִׁים נָמֵי נֶאֱמַר:

But regarding sacrificial animals it is also stated:

״שׁוֹר אוֹ כֶשֶׂב״ –

"A bull or a sheep"

שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה יָכוֹל לְהוֹצִיא כִּלְאַיִם מִבֵּינֵיהֶם,

from which you cannot produce a mixed breed between them,

וּנְרַבֵּי!

so let us include [a mixed breed]!

The steps (14)

  1. ChallengeWhy not include mixed breeds for sacrifices too?
  2. ResolutionThe end of the verse excludes, so the beginning excludes too
  3. ChallengeMaybe both parts of the verse include instead
  4. RejectionTwo exclusions make sense, two inclusions do not
  5. ChallengeWhat הלכה is רבא's 'שה' rule for?
  6. RejectionNot needed for sacrifices
  7. RejectionNot needed for animal tithe either
  8. RejectionThe rule is not needed for a firstborn animal
  9. RejectionA second reason the rule is not needed for a firstborn
  10. ResolutionThe rule is needed for redeeming a firstborn donkey
  11. ChallengeWhat is the rule for according to רבי אלעזר?
  12. ResolutionFor רבי אלעזר, the rule teaches that a mixed animal born from a kosher mother is not kosher
  13. QuestionCan a kosher animal become pregnant from a non-kosher one?
  14. ResponseYes, it is possible, and the גמרא begins bringing a source