Chullin 125b

חולין קכ״ה ע״ב

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

Open Chullin 125b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whether מגע and אהל combine, and the argument between אביי and רבא over when רבי יוסי calls an overhang 'touching'.

Overview

The גמרא tests רבי יוחנן's idea that touching (מגע) and overhang (אהל) are one category, so that half a כזית of each adds up to make a person טמא. The סיפא of the משנה says they do not combine. רבי זירא answers that the רישא is a case of טומאה רצוצה, squeezed between two chests, where the overhang counts as touching. The גמרא then shows that רבי יוסי calls an overhang 'touching', from his ruling about a ladle of corpse dust. אביי and רבא disagree about what kind of overhang is called 'touching'. For אביי it means one less than a טפח above the טומאה. For רבא it means any overhang directly over the טומאה. רבא brings a proof from רבי יוסי's ruling about a net of bed bundles and window grilles spread over a corpse. אביי turns the proof aside by explaining that the net was never made part of the corpse like clothing, and that רבי יוסי holds hidden טומאה does not break through. The גמרא starts proving that last point from a משנה about a compartment in a chest, and the proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. ProofThe end of the משנה: touching and overhang do not combine
2. ChallengeIf they are one category, why is he pure?
3. Resolutionרבי זירא: the רישא is about טומאה pressed between two chests
4. QuestionWhich תנא calls overhang 'touching'?
5. ResponseIt is רבי יוסי: a ladle of רקב makes טמא by touching, carrying and overhang
6. ProofIn רבי יוסי's ברייתא, 'touching' must mean overhanging
7. ChallengeThe same ברייתא lists touching and overhanging separately
8. Resolutionאביי: a low overhang is 'touching', a high one is plain tent
9. Resolutionרבא: even a high overhang is 'touching'; plain tent means spreading
10. Proofרבא brings a source from רבי יוסי about bed bundles and window grilles
11. ProofThe bundles and grilles spread like a net over a corpse
12. ProofThe net cannot be less than a טפח above the corpse
13. ProofSo a covering above a טפח is still called 'touching'
14. Rejectionאביי: the net is not like clothing because it was never made part of the corpse
15. ChallengeShouldn't the net count as covered impurity that breaks upward?
16. Resolutionרבי יוסי holds hidden impurity does not break through
17. ProofSource: the compartment in a chest
18. ProofWhy impurity goes out but not in
19. Proofרבי יוסי rules the house pure
20. ProofThe compartment in the doorway with its opening facing outside