Gemara Clarity

Bechoros 23a

בכורות כ״ג ע״א

Bekhorot 23a

Learn Bechoros 23a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bechoros 23a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Is cancelled impurity still present? The back-and-forth between רב דימי and אביי about touch versus carrying, ending with רב דימי's silence and the 'rotted impurity' suggestion.

Overview

This amud asks whether impurity that was cancelled out (בטל) in a majority is still there in some way and can come back. רב דימי first brings a proof from רבי אליעזר's ruling and עולא's reason for it: a tiny cancelled bit of impurity can meet its own kind and 'wake up.' אביי answers that this case is different, because there impurity woke up impurity, while here the question is whether purity can wake up impurity. אביי then challenges the idea from a משנה about פרה אדומה ashes mixed with ordinary ashes, and רב דימי answers with רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא: the mixture does not make impure by touch, but it does by carrying. אביי pushes back with רב חסדא's rule about נבילה mixed into שחוטה. רב דימי replies that his school follows רבי חייא's version instead. Finally אביי brings רבי חייא's own teaching that a clump of blood makes impure neither by touch nor by carrying, and רב דימי is silent. The גמרא suggests he could have said the clump is rotted impurity. That answer works for בר פדא, and the גמרא begins to ask about רבי יוחנן's view, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מָה תְּהֵא עֲלֵיהֶן?

According to Rabbi Eliezer, what will be with them?

יֹאכְלוּ נִקּוּדִין, אוֹ קְלָיוֹת,

Let them be eaten dry, or roasted,

אוֹ יִלּוֹשׁוּ בְּמֵי פֵירוֹת,

or kneaded with fruit juice,

אוֹ תִּתְחַלֵּק לְעִיסּוֹת,

or it should be divided into small doughs,

The steps (10)

  1. Proofרבי אליעזר's careful way of eating the mixture
  2. Proofעולא explains: the impure part can wake up again
  3. Rejectionאביי: impurity reviving impurity is not the same as purity reviving impurity
  4. ChallengeChallenge from red heifer ashes mixed with ordinary ashes
  5. Resolutionרבי יוסי: pure for touch, but impure for carrying
  6. Challengeאביי Quotes רב חסדא Against רב דימי
  7. Resolutionרב דימי: We Learn It Like רבי חייא
  8. ChallengeThe Clump of Blood: רב דימי Is Silent
  9. ResolutionA Possible Answer: It Is Rotted Impurity
  10. ChallengeWorks for בר פדא, but What About רבי יוחנן?