Chullin 118a

חולין קי״ח ע״א

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Topic

How a handle (יד) and a protective covering (שומר) count for טומאה, starting from the hide of a נבלה, and the sources for each rule.

Overview

This amud is about how parts attached to food or to a נבלה count for טומאה. It opens by finishing a ברייתא about the hide of a נבלה. רבא explains that the hide does not join with the meat to make a כזית, but when a full כזית of meat is on it, the hide acts as a handle (יד), so touching it makes a person טמא. The גמרא then quotes a משנה with three levels. A יד passes on טומאה but does not count toward the measure. A שומר (protective covering) passes on טומאה and also counts toward the measure. Something that is neither has no part in טומאה. The word ״לכם״ in the פסוקים teaches that handles count, and a קל וחומר teaches that a שומר does too, which leaves the שומר פסוק free to teach joining. Through a long back-and-forth about which handle פסוק is extra, including the rule of דיו, the גמרא settles on three sources. A יד brings טומאה in, a יד carries טומאה out, and a שומר joins with the food.

Opening lines

The steps (34)

1. StatementThe ending of the ברייתא: touching the hide behind the meat makes you impure
2. QuestionThe גמרא asks what the ברייתא really means
3. ResolutionWords are missing: the hide does not join with the meat to make a כזית
4. ResolutionWith a full כזית of meat, the hide works as a handle
5. StatementA handle that does not protect: it passes on טומאה but does not count toward the measure
6. StatementA protective covering counts toward the measure; something that is neither has no part in טומאה
7. QuestionWhere does the תורה teach that handles count?
8. ResponseFirst source: ״לָכֶם״ in the פסוק about food becoming טמא
9. ResponseSecond source: ״לָכֶם״ about the נבלה, so a handle works both ways
10. StatementA covering's טומאה comes from a קל וחומר
11. QuestionWhy did the תורה write about the covering?
12. ResponseThe פסוק teaches that a covering joins the food
13. ChallengeMaybe the פסוקים should be split differently
14. ResolutionA handle that brings in surely passes out
15. ChallengeMaybe a handle only passes out, and a covering never joins
16. ResolutionAn extra verse about handles comes from vessels
17. ChallengeWhich handle verse is really extra?
18. ChallengeTrying to learn everything from the seeds verse
19. ChallengeTrying to learn everything from the oven verse
20. ChallengeTrying to learn everything from the carcass verse
21. ResolutionOne cannot come from one, but one can come from two
22. QuestionWhich one can be learned from the other two? Trying food first
23. RejectionRejected: food needs הכשר before it can become טמא
24. Rejectionרב הונא: unready produce is like an unfinished oven
25. RejectionA better rejection: food becomes טמא only by touching
26. QuestionTrying the oven: learn vessels from food and נבלה
27. RejectionRejected: food and נבלה are both edible
28. QuestionMaybe the handle rule for נבלה is not needed either
29. ResponseYes, so the נבלה handle verse teaches about handles in general
30. ConclusionSummary: what handle and protection each teach
31. ChallengeThe נבלה handle verse is still needed because of דיו
32. ResolutionIt is the שומר of נבלה that is extra
33. ResolutionMoving the extra verses down a chain
34. ConclusionSummary: handle out, handle in, covering joins