Gemara Clarity

Chullin 117a

חולין קי״ז ע״א

Learn Chullin 117a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 117a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

מעילה on חלב of קדשים but not on blood, and the rule that nothing has מעילה after its מצוה is done

Overview

The amud opens at the end of a משנה comparing חלב (forbidden fat) and דם (blood). חלב of a קרבן carries מעילה, פיגול, נותר and טמא, but blood applies to more kinds of creatures. The גמרא asks how we know the חלב of a שלמים carries מעילה. רבי ינאי learns it from a reverse היקש to the פר כהן משיח. When רבי חנינא asks why רבי's source "כל חלב לה׳" is not enough, אביי shows that each פסוק adds something: one brings in the kidneys and יותרת, the other brings in the sheep's אליה. This raises the question of why the אליה is not forbidden to eat, and the גמרא settles on רב זביד's answer: forbidden חלב is only fat found in ox, sheep and goat alike. Next the גמרא gives three sources that blood has no מעילה. רבי יוחנן's source rests on the rule that nothing has מעילה once its מצוה is done. The גמרא defends that rule against the case of תרומת הדשן by calling it one of "two verses that come as one". When that answer is questioned according to the view that such pairs do teach, the reply begins at the end of the amud and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מוֹעֲלִין בּוֹ,

One is liable for misuse of consecrated property with it,

וְחַיָּיבִין עָלָיו מִשּׁוּם פִּיגּוּל

and one is liable for it because of piggul

וְנוֹתָר וְטָמֵא,

and notar and eating while impure,

מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בַּדָּם.

which is not so with blood.

The steps (26)

  1. StatementStringencies of forbidden fat over blood
  2. StatementThe stringency of blood over forbidden fat
  3. QuestionWhere do we learn that forbidden fat carries misuse liability?
  4. Responseרבי ינאי brings a verse
  5. QuestionWhat would the comparison add?
  6. ConclusionThe comparison actually teaches about the peace offering
  7. Challengeרבי חנינא asks why a new source is needed
  8. Resolutionאביי: "All the fat" alone would leave out the kidneys
  9. Resolutionאביי: "As it is removed" alone would leave out the tail
  10. ChallengeIf the tail is called fat, it should be forbidden to eat
  11. ResolutionForbidden fat is only fat found in ox, sheep and goat alike
  12. Resolutionרב אשי: the tail is only called 'fat' with an extra word
  13. ChallengeThen the tail should not have מעילה either
  14. ConclusionThe correct answer is Rav Zevid's
  15. QuestionWhere do we learn that blood has no מעילה?
  16. Responseעולא: 'to you' means the blood is yours
  17. ResponseSchool of רבי ישמעאל: given for atonement, not for מעילה
  18. Responseרבי יוחנן: 'it is' makes before atonement like after atonement
  19. ChallengeWhy not compare the other way around?
  20. ResolutionOnce an item's מצוה is done, there is no מעילה
  21. ChallengeThe ashes have מעילה even after their מצוה is done
  22. ResolutionThe ashes and the כהן גדול's clothes are a special pair that teaches nothing
  23. ChallengeAccording to רבי דוסא, the clothes are not part of the pair
  24. ResolutionThe ashes pair with עגלה ערופה instead
  25. ChallengeThe answer only works for one opinion about paired verses
  26. ResolutionThe answer begins: 'Two…'