Chullin 139b

חולין קל״ט ע״ב

Learn Chullin 139b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 139b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

ערכין responsibility and the details of שילוח הקן: where it applies, hints to Purim figures, and why non-kosher birds are exempt

Overview

This amud covers several topics. First, the גמרא finishes a ברייתא showing that ערכין money stays the owner's responsibility until it reaches the Temple גזבר, so it restates רב המנונא's words to match. Then it returns to the משנה and brings a ברייתא on the פסוק of שילוח הקן. 'כי יקרא' teaches that you need not search for a nest, and the other words of the פסוק cover kosher birds, private and public places, trees and the ground. The גמרא gives 'לפניך' and 'בדרך' new lessons: birds that ran away from their owner, and a nest found in the sea, but not one in the sky. רב מתנה rules that a nest on a person's head counts, and he finds hints to משה, המן, אסתר and מרדכי in the תורה. The גמרא explains the name of הורדוס's pigeons and tells רב כהנא's story about them. Finally, רבי יצחק learns from the word צפור that a non-kosher bird is exempt, and he defends this against four challenges. Another challenge begins at the end and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (36)

1. ChallengeThe ברייתא shows ערכין money stays the owner's responsibility
2. Resolutionרב המנונא's statement is restated correctly
3. QuestionBack to the משנה: what does 'כי יקרא' teach?
4. ResponseYou do not have to search for a nest
5. StatementThe ברייתא learns details of the מצוה from each word
6. QuestionWhy do we need 'before you on the way'?
7. ResponseOnly a nest that is not in your possession
8. StatementPractical cases: which birds are included and which are exempt
9. ChallengeWe already know this from 'כי יקרא', and 'לפניך' is extra
10. Resolution'לפניך' includes birds that ran away from their owner
11. Resolution'בדרך' includes a nest found in the sea
12. ChallengeShould a nest in the sky also count?
13. ResolutionThe sky is only 'the way of an eagle', not a plain 'way'
14. QuestionA nest on a person's head: what is the law?
15. ResponseA head is called 'ground', so the מצוה applies
16. ResponseThe hint to משה in the תורה
17. ResponseThe hint to המן in the תורה
18. ResponseThe hint to אסתר in the תורה
19. ResponseThe hint to מרדכי in the תורה
20. StatementTwo ways to say the pigeons' name
21. StatementWhere each name comes from
22. Statementרב כהנא's story of הורדוס's pigeons
23. Statementרבי חנינא's comment: 'words'
24. ChallengeCould he really call it empty talk?
25. ResolutionRead it 'through words'
26. QuestionSource that a non-kosher bird is exempt
27. ResponseThe word צפור means only a kosher bird
28. ChallengeFirst challenge: the likeness of any winged bird
29. ResolutionAnswer: bird means kosher, winged means non-kosher and grasshoppers
30. ChallengeSecond challenge: animals, creeping things, and winged birds
31. ResolutionSame answer for the פסוק in תהלים
32. ChallengeThird challenge: every bird of every wing
33. ResolutionAnswer: as we answered before
34. ChallengeFourth challenge: speak to the bird of every wing
35. ResolutionAnswer: as we answered before, and רבי יצחק's rule stands
36. ChallengeOpening another source to test the reading