Chullin 136b

חולין קל״ו ע״ב

Learn Chullin 136b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How far ראשית הגז is compared to תרומה, the three lenient elders, and רבי שמעון's exemption of טריפות from ראשית הגז

Overview

This amud keeps asking how far the comparison between ראשית הגז and תרומה goes. אביי asks whether ראשית הגז, like תרומה, cannot be given from one kind on behalf of another. רבא tries to prove it from our משנה about gray and white wool, but the גמרא reads the משנה as only good advice and notes that it does not follow רבי אלעאי anyway. Next comes the תרומה rule that something must be left over. A משנה and a ברייתא disagree about declaring all of one's wool as ראשית הגז, and the גמרא explains that the ברייתא follows רבי אלעאי and the משנה follows the רבנן. רב נחמן בר יצחק then says that common practice follows three lenient elders: רבי אלעאי on ראשית הגז, רבי יהודה בן בתירה on Torah words and טומאה, and רבי יאשיה on כלאים. Finally, the גמרא asks why our משנה does not list that ראשית הגז applies to טריפות. רבינא answers that the משנה follows רבי שמעון, who exempts טריפות. The גמרא then searches for his source, weighing whether to learn "צאן" from מעשר בהמה or from בכור by counting the features each one shares with ראשית הגז.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. ConclusionThe earlier ruling is not like רבי אלעאי
2. QuestionDoes the 'one kind for another' rule also apply to wool?
3. QuestionWhere do we learn this rule for תרומה?
4. ResponseThe ברייתא about two kinds of figs or wheat
5. QuestionBack to the question: does this rule apply to wool too?
6. Responseרבא: yes, as our משנה about gray and white wool shows
7. ChallengeChallenge to רבא's proof from the male and female sheep case
8. ResolutionThe משנה is only giving good advice
9. ResolutionThe משנה does not follow רבי אלעאי anyway
10. QuestionMust ראשית הגז leave some wool behind, like תרומה?
11. ResponseYes, ראשית הגז must also leave a remainder
12. ProofA משנה and a ברייתא disagree about giving all your wool
13. ConclusionThe ברייתא follows רבי אלעאי and the משנה follows the רבנן
14. StatementPeople today follow three elders, starting with רבי אלעאי on wool
15. StatementSecond elder: words of Torah do not become טמא
16. StatementThe third elder: רבי יאשיה on mixed seeds
17. ChallengeWhy not list that wool-gift applies to wounded animals?
18. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי שמעון
19. QuestionWhat is רבי שמעון's reason?
20. ResponseLearning "giving" from the priestly gifts
21. ChallengeThen learn from תרומה too and limit it to Israel
22. ResolutionA new source: "flock" from animal tithe
23. QuestionWhere do we know a טריפה is exempt from tithe?
24. Response"Passes under the rod" excludes a טריפה
25. ChallengeWhy not learn "flock" from the firstborn instead?
26. Resolutionמעשר is the better match: it shares more features
27. ResolutionThree more features shared with מעשר
28. ChallengeOn the contrary, learn from בכור