Beitzah 2b

ביצה ב׳ ע״ב

Learn Beitzah 2b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Beitzah 2b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why an egg laid on יום טוב is forbidden: רב נחמן's מוקצה reading is rejected, רבה explains it through הכנה, and רב יוסף compares it to falling fruit

Overview

This amud first finishes רב נחמן's reading, in which בית שמאי follow רבי שמעון (who permits מוקצה) and בית הלל follow רבי יהודה (who forbids it). He supports this by showing that the סתם משנה about chopping beams on יום טוב follows רבי יהודה. The גמרא asks why רבי ruled leniently for שבת but strictly for יום טוב. It answers that people respect שבת, while יום טוב is more likely to be treated lightly and so needs a stricter fence. The גמרא then challenges רב נחמן: if the issue is מוקצה, the משנה should have stated the dispute about the chicken, or about the chicken and its egg together, so his reading is dropped. רבה explains instead that the chicken is meant for eating and the egg is forbidden because of הכנה: an egg laid on a יום טוב that falls on Sunday was finished on שבת, and one holy day may not prepare for another. אביי challenges him from an ordinary יום טוב and an ordinary שבת. רבה answers that both are rabbinic גזירות, and the rabbis did not extend them to eggs found inside a slaughtered chicken because that case is rare. Finally רב יוסף offers a new reason, a גזירה because of fruit that falls from a tree, and אביי begins to question it on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. ProofThe unattributed משנה for יום טוב follows רבי יהודה
2. ChallengeWhy did רבי rule differently for שבת and יום טוב?
3. Resolutionשבת is taken seriously, יום טוב might be belittled
4. ChallengeIf the issue is מוקצה, why argue about the egg instead of the chicken?
5. ResolutionThe egg shows how far בית שמאי's leniency goes
6. ChallengeWhy not use the chicken to show how far בית הלל's strictness goes?
7. ChallengeEven if leniency is preferred, the משנה could have mentioned both
8. Resolutionרבה: the chicken is meant for eating, and the problem is הכנה
9. StatementAn egg laid today was finished yesterday
10. Statementרבה's source: weekday prepares, holy days do not
11. Challengeאביי: an egg on an ordinary יום טוב should be allowed
12. ResolutionA rabbinic גזירה because of יום טוב after שבת
13. Challengeאביי: an egg on an ordinary שבת should be allowed
14. ResolutionA rabbinic גזירה because of שבת after יום טוב
15. ChallengeDo we really make such a גזירה? Eggs found inside a slaughtered chicken
16. Resolutionרבה: Fully Formed Eggs Inside a Chicken Are Rare
17. Statementרב יוסף: The Egg Is Forbidden Because of Falling Fruits
18. Questionאביי Asks Why Falling Fruits Are Forbidden