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Bechoros 42a

בכורות מ״ב ע״א

Bekhorot 42a

Learn Bechoros 42a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Is a טומטום just a doubt or its own category? The גמרא answers many ברייתות by removing 'טומטום', then suggests the question is argued by תנאים.

Overview

The גמרא is working with the view that a טומטום is really either male or female; we just cannot tell which. Only an אנדרוגינוס is treated as its own category that needs a פסוק to exclude it. The גמרא brings ברייתות on ערכין, שלמים and עולה that use a פסוק to exclude both a טומטום and an אנדרוגינוס. Each time it answers סמי מיכן טומטום: take the word טומטום out of the ברייתא. It does the same with a ברייתא about bird offerings, where רבי אליעזר says male and female do not matter for birds. It does the same again with רבי אלעזר's list of animals that cannot take part in תמורה, as explained by שמואל. When one version of that list counts 'five', the גמרא swaps טומטום for a יתום to keep the number right. Finally, the גמרא asks whether the question is argued by תנאים. In the ברייתא of רבי אילעאי, the חכמים and רבי שמעון בן יהודה, removing טומטום would make two opinions the same. So they must argue about a טומטום: the חכמים treat it as a ספק that is holy out of doubt, and רבי שמעון disagrees. The explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אַלְּמָה תַּנְיָא:

Why, then, is it taught in a baraita:

״הַזָּכָר״ — וְלֹא טוּמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס!

"The male": but not a tumtum or a hermaphrodite!

סְמִי מִיכָּן טוּמְטוּם.

Remove "tumtum" from here.

תָּא שְׁמַע:

Come and hear:

The steps (18)

  1. ChallengeA ברייתא on ערכין excludes a טומטום from the word 'the male'
  2. ResolutionTake 'טומטום' out of the ברייתא
  3. ChallengeThe rest of the ערכין ברייתא: not even a woman's valuation
  4. ResolutionSame answer: remove 'טומטום'
  5. ChallengeA ברייתא on the שלמים: only a definite male or female
  6. ResolutionAgain: remove 'טומטום'
  7. ChallengeAn extra 'זכר' by the עולה excludes a טומטום
  8. ResolutionFourth answer: remove 'טומטום' here too
  9. ChallengeA bird ברייתא treats a טומטום bird as unfit
  10. ResolutionRemove טומטום from the bird ברייתא
  11. Challengeרבי אלעזר lists טומטום among animals that cannot become holy
  12. Challengeשמואל explains the ברייתא, which sharpens the challenge
  13. ResolutionRemove טומטום from this ברייתא too
  14. ChallengeA version of the ברייתא that counts five animals
  15. ResolutionTake out טומטום and put in a יתום
  16. QuestionIs this a disagreement among תנאים?
  17. RejectionRemoving טומטום here would make two opinions the same
  18. ProofSo they must argue about a טומטום