Gemara Clarity

Chagigah 8a

חגיגה ח׳ ע״א

Learn Chagigah 8a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chagigah 8a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Using מעשר money for the חגיגה (טופל, and the dispute between חזקיה and רבי יוחנן), why מעשר בהמה is not used on יום טוב, the meaning of מסת, and which offerings fulfill the מצוה of שמחה.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier point: whoever lets the חגיגה of the fourteenth of ניסן come from מעשר must hold that it is not a Torah obligation. Next the גמרא asks how בית הלל can allow a חגיגה from מעשר, since anything a person owes must come from חולין. עולא answers that they mean combining (טופל) מעשר with חולין. חזקיה says you combine animal with animal, and רבי יוחנן says you combine money with money. Each view is backed by a ברייתא built on the word "מסת". One ברייתא adds that on the other days of פסח even מעשר בהמה may be used. רב אשי explains that it is not allowed on יום טוב itself, because a person might come to tithe and mark animals with red dye that day. The גמרא proves from אחשורוש's tax (מס) that מסת means ordinary money. Finally it turns to the משנה's rule that ישראלים fulfill שמחה with נדרים and נדבות. A ברייתא learns this from "ושמחת בחגך", lists what כהנים may eat, and starts to exclude birds and meal offerings, with the explanation continuing on the next amud.

Opening lines

אַלְמָא קָסָבַר —

Apparently, he holds

חֲגִיגַת אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לָאו דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא.

that the Festival offering of the fourteenth is not from the Torah.

אָמַר מָר, בֵּית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים:

The Master said: Beit Hillel say:

מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר.

[Festival offerings may come] from the tithe.

The steps (16)

  1. ConclusionSo the fourteenth's חגיגה is not a Torah obligation
  2. ChallengeHow can בית הלל allow a required offering from מעשר?
  3. Resolutionעולא: בית הלל mean combining
  4. Statementחזקיה and רבי יוחנן disagree about how to combine
  5. ProofEach side has a supporting ברייתא
  6. ProofThe ברייתא supporting רבי יוחנן
  7. ProofA teaching that supports חזקיה
  8. StatementOn the rest of פסח, even מעשר בהמה works
  9. QuestionWhy not on the first day of יום טוב?
  10. ResponseYou might come to tithe on יום טוב
  11. QuestionHow do we know מסת means חולין?
  12. ResponseProof from King אחשורוש's tax
  13. StatementReturning to the משנה: ישראלים fulfill their obligation with vow and gift offerings
  14. StatementA ברייתא: the פסוק includes all kinds of rejoicing for ישראלים
  15. StatementWhat the כהנים can use for rejoicing
  16. RejectionCould birds and meal offerings also count? The פסוק says no