Beitzah 3b

ביצה ג׳ ע״ב

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Topic

Answers to רבי יוחנן's contradiction about רבי יהודה and the egg, and the ברייתא about a doubtful or mixed egg, leading to the dispute about counted items and רב פפא's answer

Overview

On the previous amud, רבי יוחנן found a contradiction in רבי יהודה's view about an egg laid on ראש השנה, and he answered by reversing the opinions. Here רבינא keeps the opinions as they are. He says רבי יהודה permits the egg even on the first day, and he only argued 'שתי קדושות' according to the רבנן's own view. The רבנן answered that the two days are קדושה אחת. רבינא בריה דרב עולא gives another answer: the hen was kept for laying eggs, so the egg is מוקצה, and רבי יהודה holds of מוקצה. Next the גמרא quotes a ברייתא that forbids moving such an egg and forbids even a doubtful egg. That strict ruling on a doubt fits רבה (הכנה, a Torah law) but is hard for רב יוסף and רבי יצחק (a rabbinic גזירה). The גמרא answers that the doubt is a ספק טרפה. It then asks why such an egg is not nullified when it is mixed into a thousand eggs. This leads to the dispute between רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש over whether 'counted' items are significant. רב פפא answers that the ברייתא follows the תנא of ליטרא קציעות, and the גמרא begins quoting that משנה, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. Resolutionרבינא: Do not reverse the opinions
2. Resolutionרבי יהודה's argument: at least permit it on the second day
3. RejectionThe רבנן reply: the two days are one sanctity
4. Resolutionרבינא son of רב עולא: a hen kept for laying eggs
5. ChallengeObjection from a ברייתא: an egg laid on שבת or יום טוב may not be moved at all
6. ChallengeThe end of the ברייתא: covering the egg, a doubtful egg, and a mixed egg
7. StatementFor רבה the strict ruling makes sense
8. ChallengeFor רב יוסף and רבי יצחק the strict ruling is a problem
9. ResolutionThe end of the ברייתא is about a doubtful טרפה
10. ChallengeThe last line of the ברייתא fits only an egg that might be from יום טוב
11. ChallengeA doubtful טרפה egg should be nullified by a majority
12. ResolutionSuggested answer: an egg is important and cannot be nullified
13. ChallengeThe suggested answer fails for the view that only always-counted items are important
14. ProofThe משנה of the fenugreek bundles from a vineyard
15. Statementרבי מאיר's reason and the list of special items
16. Statementרבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש argue about the wording
17. ChallengeThe challenge returns: what about רבי יוחנן?
18. ResolutionThe egg ruling follows the תנא of the pressed figs
19. ProofThe משנה of the pressed figs