Gemara Clarity

Chagigah 7a

חגיגה ז׳ ע״א

Learn Chagigah 7a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chagigah 7a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The מצוה of ראיון (appearing in the בית המקדש on the רגלים): does it have a שיעור, and what exactly is the ראיון?

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the משנה in פאה that lists things with no fixed measure, including the ראיון, the מצוה of appearing in the מקדש on the רגלים. רבי יוחנן explains that from the Torah the ראיון has no minimum and no maximum, and the minimum amounts come from the חכמים. Next, the גמרא asks what the ראיון is. רבי יוחנן says it is showing up in the עזרה, and ריש לקיש says it is showing up with a קרבן. At first the גמרא explains that their dispute is about someone who comes on the later days of the רגל without a קרבן. ריש לקיש attacks רבי יוחנן three times from sources that forbid coming 'empty-handed', and each time רבי יוחנן answers that they speak only of the main day. Then רבי יוחנן challenges ריש לקיש from 'just as I come for free, so may you'. The גמרא accepts this challenge and reframes the dispute: everyone allows coming without a קרבן, and they argue only about how many offerings one may bring. A challenge from 'הֹקַר רַגְלְךָ' is answered by saying that the פסוק is about חטאות and אשמות, with support from רבי לוי and a ברייתא. Finally, רב יוסף begins to explain the ברייתא's rule against appearing 'in halves'.

Opening lines

הַפֵּאָה, וְהַבִּכּוּרִים, וְהָרֵאָיוֹן,

The corner of the field, and the first fruits, and the appearance [in the Temple],

וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה.

and acts of kindness, and Torah study.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן:

Rabbi Yochanan said:

כִּסְבוּרִין אָנוּ לוֹמַר,

We thought to say,

The steps (24)

  1. StatementThe list of things with no fixed measure
  2. Statementרבי יוחנן: the ראיון has no minimum and no maximum
  3. StatementThe חכמים set minimum amounts
  4. QuestionWhat is the ראיון?
  5. ResponseAppearing in the עזרה or appearing with a קרבן
  6. StatementOn the first day everyone needs a קרבן
  7. StatementThe dispute is about coming without a קרבן
  8. StatementThe reasoning behind each side of the dispute
  9. Challengeריש לקיש challenges from the verse about not coming empty-handed
  10. Resolutionרבי יוחנן limits the verse to the main day
  11. Challengeריש לקיש challenges again from a ברייתא: the appearance offering must be an animal
  12. StatementThe ברייתא continues: the appearance offering is a burnt-offering
  13. ChallengeYour table full while your Master's table is empty
  14. ResolutionOnly on the main day of the Festival
  15. ChallengeChallenge from רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה: not empty-handed
  16. ResolutionAgain: only on the main day
  17. ChallengeJust as God comes for free, so may you
  18. StatementRedefining the dispute: only when he brings a קרבן
  19. StatementHow each side reads 'ראיה has no fixed measure'
  20. ChallengeChallenge from 'Let your foot be seldom'
  21. ResolutionThe verse is about sin- and guilt-offerings
  22. ProofSupport from רבי לוי's contradiction between two verses
  23. ProofA ברייתא teaches the same thing
  24. Statementרב יוסף's first reading of 'no appearing in halves'