Chullin 123a

חולין קכ״ג ע״א

Learn Chullin 123a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 123a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The four-מיל rules, a לגיון's scalps, when a flayed hide still counts as connected to the meat for טומאה, and a garment torn through most of it

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a list of rules that use the measure of four מיל. איבו said it, there were four rules, and one of them is tanning hides. רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא teaches that you travel four מיל for a מנין or water only going forward. Going backward, you return only if it is less than a מיל. A ברייתא says a house becomes טמא when a soldier from a traveling לגיון enters it, because armies carry human scalps. Then a new משנה teaches how long a hide being flayed still counts as connected to the meat for טומאה. That depends on whether it is being made into a carpet or a jug, or is flayed from the legs, and there is a מחלוקת about the neck skin. The גמרא asks about hide flayed past the grasping measure. רב says it is טהור, and רבי אסי says the טפח next to the flesh stays טמא. רבי אסי's view survives three challenges. The גמרא then defines the grasping measure as a doubled טפח. Finally, a משנה about a torn garment is limited by רב נחמן to a garment immersed that day, and רבה begins two refutations that continue on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. StatementA different version: איבו said it, and there were four rules
2. StatementFour מיל only going forward, not going back
3. StatementLearning from the wording: go back less than a מיל
4. StatementA soldier from a traveling לגיון makes a house טמא
5. ProofDon't be surprised: the scalp of רבי ישמעאל
6. StatementNew משנה: someone who flays an animal
7. StatementCarpet and jug: how far the hide stays attached
8. StatementFlaying from the legs keeps the whole hide attached
9. StatementDispute over the skin left on the neck
10. QuestionWhat about the hide past the grasping measure?
11. Responseרב: All flayed hide is pure
12. Responseרבי אסי: The handbreadth next to the flesh stays impure
13. ChallengeFirst challenge: Touching the flayed hide leaves one pure
14. ResolutionAnswer: Except for the handbreadth
15. ChallengeSecond challenge: Only the hide opposite the flesh is impure
16. ResolutionAnswer: The handbreadth is called hide opposite the flesh
17. ChallengeThird challenge: The handbreadth next to the flesh is pure
18. ResolutionThe carpet ברייתא is about the first handbreadth
19. StatementHow big is the measure of grasping? One handbreadth
20. ChallengeAnother ברייתא says two handbreadths
21. Resolutionאביי: a doubled handbreadth
22. ProofA ברייתא supports אביי
23. StatementA garment torn through most of it becomes טהור
24. Statementרב נחמן limits the rule to a garment immersed that day
25. StatementThe reason: whoever dunked it will also tear most of it
26. Challengeרבה's first refutation: people will think same-day immersion is enough