Chullin 104b

חולין ק״ד ע״ב

Learn Chullin 104b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 104b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Bird and cheese: whether the table rule is a גזירה לגזירה, the משנה of בית שמאי and בית הלל, and washing hands and cleaning the mouth between cheese and meat.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing רב יוסף's proof from חלת חוצה לארץ, which he used to show that חכמים do not make a גזירה לגזירה. אביי rejects the proof: outside ארץ ישראל there was nothing to decree about, but bird and cheese could lead to real meat and milk, which is Torah law. רב ששת objects that a table holds cold food with cold food, so the rule still looks like a decree on a decree. The answer is first that the worry is a boiling pot. Since a pot on the table is only a כלי שני, the answer is corrected to a כלי ראשון, which really cooks. Then a new משנה brings the מחלוקת of בית שמאי and בית הלל about bird and cheese on one table, which applies only to an eating table. The גמרא asks what רבי יוסי adds, and concludes that he is the תנא קמא, since quoting someone by name brings redemption. Next, אגרא teaches that bird and cheese may be eaten without washing hands or wiping the mouth. A story with רב יצחק shows that hand washing between cheese and meat is needed only at night. The amud ends with a ברייתא where בית שמאי say to wipe the mouth and בית הלל say to rinse it, and the גמרא asks what these words mean. The answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. ProofFinishing the proof from the חלה of outside ארץ ישראל
2. Rejectionאביי: the proof would only work in a different case
3. RejectionWhy bird and cheese is different from foreign חלה
4. Challengeרב ששת: it is still cold food with cold food
5. Resolutionאביי: the worry is a boiling pot
6. ChallengeBut a pot on the table is only a secondary vessel
7. ResolutionThe decree is about a primary pot
8. Statementמשנה: bird meat and cheese on one table
9. StatementWhich table the rule applies to
10. ChallengeIsn't רבי יוסי saying the same as the תנא קמא?
11. ResolutionSuggestion: they differ about eating itself
12. RejectionA ברייתא shows that even בית שמאי forbid eating bird with cheese
13. ResolutionThe new point is that the first opinion is really רבי יוסי's
14. StatementQuoting someone by name brings redemption
15. Statementאגרא teaches that bird and cheese may be eaten freely
16. Statementאגרא explains what 'freely' means
17. Statementרב יצחק eats cheese and then meat without washing his hands
18. ChallengeThe household challenges him from אגרא's teaching
19. ResolutionWashing is only needed at night, when you cannot see
20. Statementבית שמאי say wipe, בית הלל say rinse
21. QuestionWhat do 'wipe' and 'rinse' mean?