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Chullin 138a

חולין קל״ח ע״א

Learn Chullin 138a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

ראשית הגז: proving that a מנה of forty סלעים exists, how the five-סלע measure is weighed, and the פסוק source for the 'small garment' measure (the אבנט).

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a line from the previous page about a weight of sixty סלעים. It then proves that a תנא really speaks of a מנה worth forty סלעים, using רבי אליעזר בן יעקב's words about a torn leather flask. Next the גמרא explains the משנה's measure for ראשית הגז. The five סלעים are weighed after washing, but the כהן does the washing, not the owner. The 'small garment' measure comes from 'לעמד לשרת': the gift must be enough for an אבנט. The אבנט is chosen over the bigger מעיל because we take the smaller amount. The wool כיפה does not count because 'הוא ובניו' requires a garment shared by all כהנים, and every כהן wears something called a 'belt.' Then רב חסדא and רבי נתן בר הושעיא disagree about someone who shears each sheep and then sells it. Last, the גמרא asks which תנא says the obligation follows a seller who kept some wool. רב חסדא's answer, רבי יהודה's ruling on פאה, is rejected by רבא. רבא brings instead the משנה about buying a cow's innards that contain the priestly gifts.

Opening lines

בְּשִׁשִּׁים,

in sixty [sela],

וְתָנֵי תַּנָּא:

But does a tanna teach:

מָנֶה בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים סְלָעִים.

a maneh of forty sela?

אִין! וְהָתְנַן:

Yes! And we learned:

The steps (25)

  1. StatementEnd of the previous line: a weight of sixty
  2. QuestionDoes any teacher speak of a forty-sela maneh?
  3. ResponseYes: the torn leather flask teaching
  4. StatementFive sela measured after washing, but the priest does the washing
  5. QuestionWhere does the 'small garment' measure come from?
  6. ResponseFrom 'to stand to serve': fit for the Temple service
  7. QuestionWhich garment? The belt
  8. ChallengeWhy not say the garment is the robe?
  9. ResolutionGo with the smaller amount
  10. ChallengeWhy not the even smaller wool cap?
  11. ResolutionIt must be a garment shared by all כהנים
  12. ChallengeThe belt is not the same for all כהנים either
  13. ChallengeNo problem according to one opinion
  14. ResolutionEvery כהן has something called a belt
  15. StatementSheared each sheep and then sold it: a disagreement
  16. StatementThe reasons behind each opinion
  17. ChallengeChallenge from buying a גוי's sheep to shear them
  18. ResolutionThe sheep were his for the whole thirty days
  19. QuestionWho says we follow the seller if he kept some?
  20. ResponseIt is רבי יהודה: the case of selling tree stalks
  21. ProofIf the owner kept some trees, he gives פאה for all
  22. Challengeרבא reminds רב חסדא of his own limit on רבי יהודה's ruling
  23. RejectionWhy starting to shear is not like starting to harvest
  24. Responseרבא points to the משנה about buying a cow's innards
  25. ProofIf he bought by weight, he may deduct the gifts