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Bechoros 32a

בכורות ל״ב ע״א

Bekhorot 32a

Learn Bechoros 32a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bechoros 32a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Selling blemished מעשר בהמה: the rabbinic ban and its exceptions, folding the price into the bones, and the גזירה שוה from חרמים that forbids selling מעשר but not בכור

Overview

This amud is about selling the meat of a blemished מעשר בהמה. רבא finishes explaining that by Torah law the meat may be sold. The חכמים banned normal sale, but the ban does not reach parts that are not priced while the animal is alive, and orphans may sell normally. רב שמואל בר רב יצחק agrees, learning it from the פסוק "תזבח ואכלת בשר". רבי חייא and רבי שמעון ברבי disagree about folding the meat's price into the bones, and the גמרא shows they do not really argue. The גמרא then asks why a בכור may be sold but מעשר may never be sold. The answer is a גזירה שוה of ״לא יגאל״ from חרמים, and the גמרא works hard to show that the phrase is "free", why it does not also cover בכור, and why ״הוא״ excludes בכור. Finally, רבא offers a shorter way to show the phrase by חרמים is free, and his explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִישּׁוֹם מֵחַיִּים —

An item that is not appraised while the animal is alive —

לָא גְּזוּר רַבָּנַן,

the Sages did not decree about it,

וּבְיַתְמֵי אוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנַן אַדְּאוֹרָיְיתָא.

and in the case of orphans, the Sages left it standing on Torah law.

וְאַף רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק

And even Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak

The steps (29)

  1. Statementרבא finishes his explanation: parts not priced while alive, and orphans
  2. Proofרב שמואל בר רב יצחק agrees with רבא
  3. ResponseThe verse: a blessing only after slaughter
  4. QuestionCan the meat's price be folded into the bones?
  5. Responseרבי חייא and רבי שמעון ברבי disagree
  6. ResolutionNo real argument: small animal versus large animal
  7. ResolutionAnother way to reconcile them: local custom
  8. QuestionBack to the ברייתא: what is the source that מעשר may not be sold?
  9. ResponseThe source: a גזירה שוה from חרמים
  10. StatementThe phrase must be free, or the comparison can be knocked down
  11. ResolutionThe phrase in חרמים is extra because we could learn it from מעשר
  12. Rejectionמעשר is stricter, so חרמים cannot be learned from it
  13. ResolutionThe phrase in חרמים is extra because we could learn it from בכור
  14. RejectionFirstborn is different because it is holy from birth
  15. ResolutionFreeing the phrase by tithe instead, using the word for passing
  16. ChallengeThe same refutation works against learning tithe from firstborn
  17. ResolutionThe word for passing by firstborn is extra
  18. ChallengeWhy not learn בכור from חרמים too?
  19. ResolutionOnly the phrase by מעשר is free
  20. ChallengeWhy not say the opposite?
  21. ResolutionA גזירה שוה needs the same word
  22. ChallengeDifferent words were used in דבי רבי ישמעאל's גזירה שוה
  23. ResolutionA matching word beats a different word
  24. ChallengeLet בכור learn from מעשר through 'passing'
  25. ResolutionThe word 'it' leaves out בכור
  26. ChallengeMaybe 'it' leaves out מעשר instead
  27. Resolutionמעשר says 'redemption' just like חרמים
  28. Statementרבא: 'it may not be redeemed' by חרמים is free to teach
  29. ProofA ברייתא shows the two stages of חרמים