Chullin 125a

חולין קכ״ה ע״א

Learn Chullin 125a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 125a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Thigh bones of קדשים, נבלה, שרץ and מת: when they make things טמא by touch or by אהל, and whether marrow heals the bone

Overview

The משנה finishes its list of hollow thigh bones (קוּלִית). The bone of a disqualified קרבן makes a person טמא whether it is sealed or has a hole. The bones of a נבלה and a שרץ make a person טמא only if they have a hole, and a פסוק teaches that carrying follows the same rule as touching. The גמרא then reads the משנה's word 'touches' about a מת's thigh bone to mean that it does not make things טמא through אהל. It asks what case this could be, ruling out a כזית of flesh, a כזית of marrow, and a bone that counts as a full limb. רב יהודה בריה דרבי חייא concludes that, according to the משנה, marrow does not heal the flesh outside. The גמרא splits the משנה's clauses by the amount of marrow and explains what each clause teaches, including רבי יצחק's rule that a bone holding נותר is a בסיס. אביי instead says the bone was scraped, in line with רבי אלעזר. רבי יוחנן says 'touching' includes overhanging, and a משנה in אהלות about joining half-measures is brought as proof. The גמרא then begins to challenge that proof from the end of the same משנה, and the challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. StatementThigh bone of a disqualified offering is impure either way
2. StatementThigh bones of a carcass and a creeping animal
3. ProofCarrying follows the same rule as touching
4. StatementInference: touching makes impure, overlying does not
5. ChallengeWhat case is this? Flesh would make impure in a tent
6. ResolutionThe case is less than an olive-bulk of flesh
7. ChallengeWhat if there is a full כזית of marrow inside the bone?
8. ResolutionThe bone has less than a כזית of marrow
9. ChallengeIf marrow regrows flesh, the bone is a full limb
10. ResolutionThe משנה holds that marrow does not regrow flesh
11. ChallengeThen why does a thigh bone of מוקדשים make things טמא?
12. ChallengeThen why does a perforated bone of a נבלה or a שרץ make things טמא?
13. ResolutionThe first clause has less than a כזית, the later clause has a full כזית
14. QuestionWhat new lesson is the משנה teaching?
15. ResponseSeveral separate lessons, starting with the first clause
16. ResponseThe lesson of the מוקדשים clause: a bone that holds נותר
17. ResponseThe lesson of the נבלה clause: only a perforated bone
18. Resolutionאביי: marrow does heal, but the bone was scraped
19. Proofאביי's reading fits רבי אלעזר's rule about a scraped thigh bone
20. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: marrow heals, and 'touching' includes overhanging
21. ChallengeThen why is a closed נבלה or שרץ bone pure?
22. ResolutionThe case is loose, rattling marrow
23. ProofA משנה where touching and overhanging join together
24. ProofHalves only join if they are one type of impurity
25. ChallengePushing back with the next clause of the משנה