Beitzah 21a

ביצה כ״א ע״א

Learn Beitzah 21a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Beitzah 21a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Preparing food on יום טוב when part of it is not for Jews: shared animals and dough, dog-dough, and food for soldiers

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא about sprinkling blood when the meat cannot be eaten that day. It implies the sprinkling is only acceptable after the fact, which fits רבא but is difficult for רבה בר רב הונא. The גמרא admits the difficulty, then suggests that the rabbis were stricter about שבות on שבת than on יום טוב. Next, רב הונא permits slaughtering on יום טוב an animal half owned by a גוי. He dodges רב אויא סבא's comparison to נדרים ונדבות, and later explains to his son that he was too tired to reason it out. The real difference: you cannot get even a כזית of meat without slaughtering the whole animal, but offerings are eaten from God's table. רב חסדא adds that shared dough may not be baked, because it can be split during kneading. Dog-dough that shepherds eat is explained as a case where a נבלה is already on hand for the dogs. Finally, רב הונא allows baking soldiers' bread if a Jewish child may eat from it. The גמרא challenges him from the story of שמעון התימני and the calf. The answers lead to a dispute between תנאים about whether one may cook for animals on יום טוב, and that ברייתא continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. ProofThe ending of the ברייתא: the offering is accepted, and the fats are burned at night
2. ProofInference: only after the fact, not from the start
3. ChallengeThis fits רבא but is difficult for רבה בר רב הונא
4. ConclusionThe גמרא admits: it is indeed difficult
5. Resolutionשבות on שבת is different from שבות on יום טוב
6. Questionרב אויא סבא asks about an animal half owned by a גוי
7. Responseרב הונא: it is permitted
8. ChallengeWhat about נדרים ונדבות?
9. Rejectionרב הונא changes the subject: 'A raven is flying!'
10. Challengeרבה questions his father: isn't he the great scholar you praised?
11. Resolutionרב הונא explains: I was exhausted, and the question needed real thought
12. QuestionSo what is the reason?
13. ResponseYou can't get a כזית without slaughtering, but offerings come from God's table
14. StatementA shared animal may be slaughtered, but shared dough may not be baked
15. ChallengeAn objection from dog-dough that shepherds also eat
16. ChallengeWhy not just split the dog-dough?
17. ResolutionDog-dough is different: the dogs might get a carcass instead
18. ChallengeDoes רב חסדא even accept the idea of הואיל?
19. Challengeרב חסדא does not accept 'since', so the dog-dough answer fails for him
20. ResolutionNew answer: the shepherds already have a carcass for the dogs
21. Questionרב הונא is asked about baking the soldiers' bread on יום טוב
22. Responseרב הונא: it depends on whether the soldiers mind a child eating some
23. ChallengeThe story of שמעון התימני and the calf for the raiders
24. Challengeרבי יהודה בן בבא's response: 'For you, not for non-Jews'
25. ChallengeWhy forbidden? Jews could eat from the calf too
26. Resolutionרב יוסף: the calf was a טרפה
27. ChallengeBut the טרפה calf was fit for dogs
28. ResolutionCooking for dogs is a dispute between תנאים
29. ProofThe ברייתא: does 'every soul' include animals?