Chullin 128b

חולין קכ״ח ע״ב

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Topic

Handle questions that end in תיקו, the טומאה of אבר מן החי and flesh from a living animal, and flesh cut from such a limb

Overview

This עמוד opens by finishing a series of 'handle' questions. Can a part that cannot itself become טמא pass טומאה to the part attached to it, the way a יד does? The question is asked about a half-worshipped gourd, a fig branch hanging by its bark (רב פפא), and a corner stone shared by two houses with a נגע (רבי זירא), and all three end in תיקו. The גמרא then returns to the משנה and explains how אבר מן החי differs from אבר מן הנבלה: flesh that comes off the first is טהור, but flesh that comes off the second is טמא. רב learns the טומאה of אבר מן החי from 'וכי ימות מן הבהמה', and the extra wording of the פסוק also teaches that a slaughtered טרפה is not טמא as a נבלה. A ברייתא explains why flesh from a living animal is not טמא, with three tests: it grows back (רבי יוסי הגלילי), it lacks sinews and bones (רבי עקיבא), or it lacks flesh, sinews and bones together (רבי). The same three views appear for שרצים, and the גמרא explains why both teachings are needed. Finally, a ברייתא rules that flesh cut from an אבר מן החי is טמא only if it was set aside as food before it was cut. רבי אסי begins to question that ruling, and his question continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (34)

1. QuestionCan the forbidden half of the gourd be a handle for the other half?
2. ConclusionThe gourd question stays unresolved
3. Statementרב פפא quotes the case of a fig branch mostly torn off
4. QuestionCan the living branch be a handle for the branch attached to it?
5. ConclusionThe fig branch question stays unresolved
6. Statementרבי זירא quotes the case of a corner stone shared by two houses
7. QuestionCan one half of the shared stone be a handle for the other half?
8. ConclusionThe question stays unresolved
9. QuestionWhat is the difference between a limb from a living animal and a limb from a נבלה?
10. ResponseThe difference is flesh that separates from the limb
11. QuestionWhat is the source that a limb from a living animal is טמא?
12. ResponseThe source is 'And if some of the animal dies'
13. ChallengeThe verse is already needed for a slaughtered טרפה
14. ResolutionThe extra words teach two laws
15. ChallengeThen flesh should also be טמא
16. Resolutionרבי יוסי: only what does not grow back
17. Statementרבי עקיבא: like a whole animal, with sinews and bones
18. Statementרבי: like a whole animal, with flesh, sinews and bones
19. QuestionWhat is the difference between רבי and רבי עקיבא?
20. ResponseThe difference is the knee joint
21. QuestionWhat is the difference between רבי עקיבא and רבי יוסי הגלילי?
22. Responseרב פפא: the kidney and the upper lip
23. StatementA parallel ברייתא about שרצים: רבי יוסי הגלילי's view
24. Statementרבי עקיבא on שרצים: sinews and bones
25. Statementרבי on שרצים: flesh, sinews and bones
26. StatementWhere רבי and רבי עקיבא differ: the knee joint
27. QuestionAsking where רבי עקיבא and רבי יוסי הגלילי differ
28. Responseרב פפא: the kidney and the upper lip
29. StatementWhy the בהמה case alone would not be enough
30. ConclusionWhy the שרץ case alone would not be enough
31. StatementNew ברייתא: flesh cut from an אבר מן החי
32. StatementDeciding first, then cutting: the flesh is impure
33. Questionרבי אסי asks what was said in the study hall
34. Challengeרבי אסי points to the ruling that troubles him