Beitzah 7b

ביצה ז׳ ע״ב

Learn Beitzah 7b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Beitzah 7b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The rooster-distance rule for eggs on יום טוב, the שאור/חמץ measures dispute, and covering the blood of a slaughter on יום טוב

Overview

The amud opens by defining when a rooster counts as 'near' a hen: she must be able to hear him by day and be able to reach him. A river with no proper bridge blocks her, and so does a rope bridge. The גמרא then explains why רבי יוסי בן שאול's ruling about an egg found on יום טוב mentions that the nest was checked the day before, and it brings his ruling, in the name of רב, about crushed garlic left uncovered. Next it returns to the משנה's dispute about שאור and חמץ. בית שמאי learn from an extra word that the two have different measures, and בית הלל show that both words are needed. After a challenge from רבי זירא, the גמרא concludes that the dispute is only about ביעור (removal); for eating, both are a כזית. The last topic is slaughtering a חיה or עוף on יום טוב with no earth ready to cover the blood. רבה and רב יוסף explain the משנה as advice given to someone who comes to ask. They disagree about the order of digging and slaughtering in בית שמאי's advice. The amud ends with רב יהודה's condition of a shovel stuck in the ground before יום טוב, a challenge about crushing earth, and an answer that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (32)

1. StatementNearby means the hen can hear the rooster by day
2. Statementרב מרי checks as far as sixty houses
3. StatementRivers, bridges and rope bridges
4. StatementA hen once crossed on a rope bridge
5. ChallengeIf there is no rooster, why mention checking the nest?
6. ResolutionThe check rules out an egg laid yesterday
7. ChallengeEven after a check, maybe the egg partly came out yesterday
8. ResolutionThe case of רבי יוחנן is rare
9. StatementUncovered crushed garlic is dangerous
10. StatementBack to the משנה: בית שמאי on the measure for שאור
11. QuestionWhat is the reason of בית שמאי?
12. ResponseThe extra word שאור teaches a different measure
13. Responseבית הלל: the word שאור alone would not teach חמץ
14. Responseבית הלל: the word חמץ alone would not teach שאור
15. ChallengeChallenge to בית שמאי from רבי זירא's rule
16. ResolutionEveryone agrees about eating; the dispute is about removal
17. ProofAn אמורא confirms the dispute is only about removal
18. ProofA ברייתא also places the dispute on the verse about removal
19. StatementNew משנה topic: slaughtering a wild animal or bird on יום טוב
20. QuestionDoes 'one who slaughters' mean only after the fact?
21. ChallengeThe end of the משנה implies slaughtering is allowed from the start
22. Resolutionבית הלל really mean 'do not slaughter and then cover'
23. ChallengeThe end of the משנה shows בית הלל allow covering after the fact
24. Resolutionרבה: השוחט means someone who comes to ask
25. Resolutionרב יוסף: same reading, but dig before slaughtering
26. Questionאביי asks if the dispute depends on רבי זירא's rule
27. Questionאביי spells out the suggested split
28. ResponseBoth accept רבי זירא; רבה worries about wasted digging
29. Responseרב יוסף: allowing the digging protects שמחת יום טוב
30. Statementרב יהודה limits the case to a shovel stuck in the ground before Yom Tov
31. ChallengeBut digging still crushes earth
32. ResolutionThe answer in the name of רב begins