Bechoros 33b

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Bekhorot 33b

Learn Bechoros 33b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Skinning פסולי המוקדשין, letting blood from a sick בכור, and the ban on adding a מום to an already blemished animal

Overview

The גמרא first asks why רב חסדא did not explain the whole ברייתא by ר' אלעזר בר' שמעון. It answers that his strict view may apply only to פסולי המוקדשין, not to a בכור. The גמרא then asks why skinning פסולי המוקדשין from the feet should be forbidden when selling them in the market is allowed for the gain of הקדש. Three answers follow: the hide's gain is the meat's loss, the act looks like working with קדשים, and there is a גזירה lest one raise herds from them. A new משנה and ברייתא then bring an argument about letting blood from a sick בכור when the cut may cause a מום. רבי יהודה forbids it, רבי מאיר allows it only in a safe spot, חכמים allow any spot but the מום does not count, and רבי שמעון lets the מום count. One teacher pairs these views with the argument about a doubtful barrel of תרומה, but the גמרא knocks down every pairing. It adds that each dispute rests on its own פסוקים. רבי יוחנן shows that the bloodletting dispute is only about adding a מום to an animal that is already blemished, read from ויקרא 22:21. The גמרא then explains how each side uses the other's words in that פסוק, and begins a ברייתא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. ChallengeWhy not explain the whole ברייתא by one תנא?
2. ResolutionHis view may apply only to פסולי המוקדשין, not to a בכור
3. ChallengeDoesn't ר' אלעזר בר' שמעון allow profit for the sake of הקדש?
4. ResolutionThe gain to the hide is a loss to the meat
5. ResolutionIn ארץ ישראל: it looks like working with קדשים
6. ResolutionA גזירה: he may end up raising herds
7. StatementThe משנה: letting blood from a sick בכור
8. StatementThe ברייתא: רבי מאיר allows bloodletting only where no blemish results
9. StatementThe ברייתא continues: חכמים, רבי שמעון, and רבי יהודה
10. StatementThe same argument appears with a barrel of תרומה
11. ProofThe משנה about the barrel of תרומה
12. ProofThe other two views on the doubtful barrel
13. StatementMatching each bloodletting view to a barrel view
14. RejectionMaybe רבי מאיר would agree with רבי יהושע about the barrel
15. RejectionMaybe רבי אליעזר would agree with the רבנן about the בכור
16. RejectionThe רבנן may only be lenient because the animal will die
17. Rejectionרבי יהודה may only be strict because of a direct act
18. Rejectionרבן גמליאל may only be strict because the barrel might be pure
19. RejectionEach dispute is based on its own verses
20. ProofLeavening a מנחה that is already leavened
21. ProofCastrating an animal that is already castrated
22. StatementThe real dispute: adding a blemish to a blemished animal
23. QuestionHow does רבי מאיר read 'perfect to be accepted'?
24. ResponseFirst answer: to exclude an animal born with a blemish
25. ChallengeThat is obvious: a born-blemished animal is like a palm tree
26. ResolutionFinal answer: to exclude disqualified קדשים after redemption
27. ChallengeWhat do the רבנן do with רבי מאיר's verse?
28. ResolutionThe verse teaches that indirect blemishing is forbidden
29. ProofA ברייתא that learns the indirect blemish from the verse