Bechoros 23b

בכורות כ״ג ע״ב

Bekhorot 23b

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

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Topic

How long a נבלה stays impure, why a חררת דם is pure, brine mixed with water, nursing animals, and רב's rule for deciding the הלכה in this פרק

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a challenge to רבי ירמיה, and the גמרא admits it is a real difficulty. It then studies the dispute itself. בר פדא says severe טומאה lasts only while the item is fit for a גר, and light טומאה lasts while it is fit for a dog. רבי יוחנן says both kinds last while it is fit for a dog, and the two argue over how to read the פסוק about נבלה. Next the גמרא explains why a חררת דם does not make things impure: it is because of ביטול ברוב, since it was once fit to eat as part of its mother. A side discussion explains why pure ציר becomes impure when any water falls in, with two answers about how much water an עם הארץ adds. A new משנה of רבן שמעון בן גמליאל teaches that we do not worry that a nursing animal is feeding another animal's young. Finally רב rules that the הלכה follows the whole פרק except where there is a dispute. רב ששת challenges what this ruling adds, and the גמרא answers that it means a disagreement found only in a ברייתא does not count. A new question about this rule then begins and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (27)

1. ChallengeChallenge from רבי יוחנן's view: the mass is still fit for a dog
2. ConclusionThe challenge stands
3. Statementבר פדא: severe impurity until fit for a גר, light impurity until fit for a dog
4. Statementרבי יוחנן: both kinds last until unfit for a dog
5. QuestionWhat is בר פדא's source?
6. ResponseThe פסוק: only what is fit for a גר is called נבלה
7. ResponseHow רבי יוחנן uses the פסוק: meat that spoiled from the start
8. Rejectionבר פדא: spoiled-from-the-start meat needs no פסוק
9. StatementThe משנה: a blood mass is buried and frees the animal from בכורה
10. Statementרבי חייא: the blood mass does not make things impure
11. Statementרבי יוחנן's reason: nullified in the majority
12. ChallengeWhy need majority? The mass was never fit to eat
13. ResolutionIt was once fit through its mother
14. StatementPure brine that water fell into
15. Statementעמי הארץ are suspected of adding half water
16. ChallengeWhy exactly half? Less than half should work too
17. ResolutionRead it as up to half
18. ResolutionTwo rabbinic rules: only a majority of water was made impure
19. StatementNew משנה: no worry that a nursing animal feeds another's young
20. Statementרב's ruling: the הלכה follows the whole פרק except where there is a dispute
21. Challengeרב ששת questions רב's ruling, starting with the first משנה
22. ChallengeNot רבי אליעזר בן יעקב, whose rulings are already accepted
23. ChallengeNot רבן שמעון בן גמליאל, since a ברייתא disagrees with him
24. ChallengeNot רבי יוסי בן המשולם, since רב already ruled like him
25. ChallengeNot the hair of a blemished בכור, which is disputed
26. ResolutionAnswer: רב meant רבן שמעון בן גמליאל, because a ברייתא's disagreement does not count
27. ChallengeSetting up a challenge from רב's general rule for the chapter