Chullin 10b

חולין י׳ ע״ב

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Topic

A knife found notched after שחיטה (רב הונא vs. רב חסדא and the rulings that follow), and the Torah source for חזקה from a house with צרעת

Overview

The background: a knife was found notched only after the שחיטה. רב הונא forbids the animal, because the notch may have come from the hide during the cut. רב חסדא permits it, because we can blame the notch on a bone hit after the cut. The גמרא explains why רב חסדא is lenient here but strict about a doubt of שהייה or דרסה: here the flaw is in the knife, not in the animal. It gives the final הלכה, which depends on whether a bone was broken, and explains רב חסדא through the neck bone (עצם דמפרקת). It then tests two real rulings against these views: רב יוסף forbidding thirteen animals, and רב כהנא requiring a knife check between every animal. It also explains why those in-between checks do not need a חכם. Next the גמרא asks for the Torah source of חזקה, keeping something in its known status. רבי יונתן brings the כהן who closes up a house with צרעת from its doorway. רב אחא בר יעקב challenges the proof, אביי defends it, and רבא knocks down אביי's answers. A ברייתא is then brought against רב אחא בר יעקב, and the amud ends just as the גמרא begins his reply, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. QuestionWhat is the difference between the two doubts?
2. ResponseThe flaw was in the animal versus a flaw in the knife
3. ConclusionThe final הלכה depends on whether a bone was broken
4. ChallengeIf no bone was broken, what did the knife hit?
5. ResolutionBlame the neck bone
6. Statementרב יוסף forbids thirteen animals
7. QuestionDid רב יוסף follow רב הונא, forbidding even the first animal?
8. ResponsePerhaps רב חסדא, with the first animal permitted
9. ResolutionSecond answer: it must be רב הונא
10. Statementרב כהנא requires checking the knife between every animal
11. QuestionDoes רב כהנא follow רב הונא, to forbid the earlier animal?
12. ResponseIt can follow רב חסדא, to make the later animals kosher
13. ChallengeThen each check should need a חכם
14. ResolutionOne witness is believed in איסורין
15. ChallengeThen even the first check should not need a חכם
16. ResolutionShowing the knife to a חכם is only for his honor
17. QuestionWhere do we learn to keep something in its known status?
18. ResponseThe פסוק about closing up a house with צרעת
19. ProofThe mark might have shrunk, so we must rely on חזקה
20. RejectionMaybe the כהן walked out backward
21. Resolutionאביי gives two answers to save the proof
22. RejectionThe כהן cannot open a window to see the mark
23. RejectionThe כהן גדול shows that walking backward counts as going out
24. RejectionWindows may be opened once the mark is established
25. ProofA ברייתא goes against רב אחא בר יעקב
26. ProofThe ideal spot: right beside the doorway
27. ProofQuarantining from anywhere still works
28. ResolutionTurning to רב אחא בר יעקב's reading