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Chullin 127a

חולין קכ״ז ע״א

Learn Chullin 127a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The שרצים that make things טמא: the sea mouse, the half-earth mouse and the ערוד, with stories about creatures and their places, and a new משנה on limbs hanging from an animal

Overview

The amud begins by finishing a ברייתא about the עכבר (mouse). It shows how the words השורץ, בשרץ and על הארץ in ויקרא 11:29 are each given a job. The half-earth mouse is טמא, a creeper is טמא wherever it creeps, and the sea mouse is left out. One of the Sages offers רבא another way to read the words, and רבא shows it does not hold together. The גמרא then explains that על הארץ is written twice, so it can teach two things. Next, a ברייתא learns from הצב למינהו that the ערוד, נפילים and סלמנדרא are also שרצים, and רבי עקיבא praises ה׳ for making each creature live only in its own world. The גמרא adds that every land creature has a sea version except the חולדה, and it calls the beavers of נרש water creatures. This leads to sharp words about the people of נרש and two other towns. A story tells how a ערוד was born from a snake and a צב as a miraculous punishment. Finally, a new משנה begins about a limb or flesh hanging from a living animal, which can carry טומאת אוכלין once it has had הכשר.

Opening lines

תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״הַשּׁוֹרֵץ״ –

The verse states: "that creep"

כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁשּׁוֹרֵץ.

meaning anywhere that it creeps.

אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא ״הַשּׁוֹרֵץ״ –

Or perhaps "that creep" means only this:

יָכוֹל כׇּל הַמַּשְׁרִיץ יְטַמֵּא,

one might think that any creature that breeds imparts impurity,

The steps (24)

  1. StatementThe word 'that creep' means anywhere it creeps
  2. ChallengeMaybe 'that creep' means 'that breeds'
  3. RejectionLogic already includes the half-earth mouse
  4. ChallengeThe comparison can be turned the other way
  5. ResolutionThe word 'among the creeping animals' settles it
  6. ChallengeA Sage suggests a different way to read the words
  7. Rejectionרבא shows the suggestion does not make sense
  8. ChallengeThe words על הארץ are already needed for something else
  9. ResolutionThe words על הארץ are written twice
  10. StatementThe great lizard 'after its kinds' includes more creatures
  11. Statementרבי עקיבא's amazement at creatures bound to their own world
  12. StatementEvery land creature has a sea version, except the weasel
  13. Proofרבי זירא finds a verse hinting at the weasel
  14. StatementThe beavers of נרש are not land creatures
  15. Statementרב פפא places נרש under a ban
  16. Statementרב פפא applies a verse to נרש
  17. StatementWarnings about the people of three towns
  18. StatementA snake and a צב produce a ערוד
  19. Statementרבי שמעון החסיד explains the strange creature as a measure-for-measure punishment
  20. ChallengeHow could a snake and a צב have offspring together?
  21. Resolutionרב: it was a miracle within a miracle
  22. ChallengeBut this was a punishment, so why call it a miracle?
  23. ResolutionIt was a miracle meant for punishment
  24. StatementNew משנה: a limb or flesh hanging off an animal