Gemara Clarity

Beitzah 8b

ביצה ח׳ ע״ב

Learn Beitzah 8b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Beitzah 8b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Covering blood on יום טוב: why a כוי's blood is not covered, mixed blood, and blood left from ערב יום טוב

Overview

This amud asks why the blood of a כוי, an animal whose status is doubtful, may not be covered on יום טוב. The גמרא first shows that the person does have covering material, so the problem must be something else. רבה says אפר כירה is מוכן for a definite (ודאי) case but not for a doubtful (ספק) one. The גמרא tests two reasons for this. Making a hole (גומא) fails because of רבי אבא. Crushing (כתישה) also fails, because יום טוב is both an עשה and a לא תעשה, and an עשה alone cannot override both. רבא then explains that when the owner prepared the ashes, he only had definite needs in mind, which matches his ruling about earth brought in for צואה and דם צפור. רמי בריה דרב ייבא gives a different reason: a גזירה, so that people will not think the כוי is a חיה and eat its חלב. The amud ends with mixed blood, which may be covered only with one shovel thrust, and רבה's ruling that blood of a bird slaughtered on ערב יום טוב is not covered on יום טוב.

Opening lines

וְהָא מִדְּקָתָנֵי סֵיפָא:

But from the fact that the latter clause teaches:

וְאִם שְׁחָטוֹ — אֵין מְכַסִּין אֶת דָּמוֹ,

'And if he slaughtered it, we do not cover its blood,'

מִכְּלָל (דְּרֵישָׁא) בִּדְאִית לֵיהּ עָסְקִינַן!

it follows that (in the first clause) we are dealing with one who has [covering material]!

אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבָּה:

Rather, Rabba said:

The steps (26)

  1. ChallengeThe second half of the ruling shows he does have covering material
  2. Resolutionרבה: stove ashes are prepared only for a definite case
  3. QuestionWhy not for a doubtful case? Maybe because of making a hole
  4. ChallengeBut a definite case also makes a hole
  5. Rejectionרבי אבא's principle cancels the hole concern in both cases
  6. ResolutionNew reason: he might crush the ashes
  7. ChallengeThen decree against a definite case too
  8. ResolutionIn a definite case the positive מצוה overrides the prohibition
  9. ChallengeThe מצוה must happen at the same moment the prohibition is broken
  10. ResolutionHe covers while he crushes
  11. Challengeיום טוב is both a positive and a negative command
  12. Resolutionרבא: The ashes were set aside only for definite cases
  13. Statementרבא is consistent with his ruling about earth for excrement
  14. StatementThe נהרבלאי allow both directions
  15. StatementA dispute in ארץ ישראל about whether a כוי is like excrement
  16. ProofProof that רבא said a כוי is like excrement
  17. StatementA new reason: covering the blood could lead people to permit the forbidden fat
  18. ChallengeThen the same worry should apply on a weekday too
  19. ResolutionOn a weekday people assume he is just cleaning his yard
  20. ChallengeTwo cases where the cleaning explanation does not work
  21. ResolutionOn weekdays the רבנן ask him to cover even a doubtful case, but not on יום טוב
  22. StatementMixed blood may not be covered on יום טוב
  23. StatementLimitation: one shovel thrust is allowed
  24. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
  25. ResolutionWe might have banned one thrust because of two
  26. StatementA bird slaughtered before יום טוב