Chullin 13a

חולין י״ג ע״א

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Topic

A קטן's action and intention, intent in שחיטת קדשים, and slaughter by a נכרי or a מין

Overview

This עמוד opens in the middle of a question רבי יוחנן raised about a קטן. A משנה says a קטן has 'action' but no 'thought,' so why ask? רבי חייא בר אבא explains that the question is about thought that shows in a child's actions, like walking a עולה to the north and slaughtering it there. רבי אמי objects that רבי יוחנן already ruled that a child who turns his produce over in the dew does count. The answer is that the question was whether this counts מדאורייתא or only מדרבנן. In a second version, רבי יוחנן asks whether a קטן even has legal action. That version ends with a clear ruling: action counts by Torah law, plain thought never counts, and thought shown in action counts only מדרבנן. Next, שמואל and רב הונא find the פסוק showing that a מתעסק disqualifies קדשים even after the fact. Then a new משנה teaches that a נכרי's slaughter makes a נבלה. רבי יוחנן says this does not follow רבי אליעזר. רבי אמי reads it as a contrast with a מין, whose slaughter counts as עבודה זרה, and a ברייתא listing a מין's items continues onto the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. ChallengeThe משנה says a minor has no legal thought
2. ResolutionThe question is about thought that shows in actions
3. QuestionExample: a child moves a burnt offering north and slaughters it
4. Challengeרבי יוחנן already settled this: produce on the roof
5. ChallengeThe משנה's ruling: a child's intention does not count
6. Challengeרבי יוחנן already ruled that turning the produce over counts
7. ResolutionThe real question: Torah law or rabbinic law?
8. QuestionAnother version: does a child even have legal action?
9. ChallengeWhy ask about action but not thought?
10. ResolutionThe real question: Torah law or rabbinic law?
11. Responseרבי יוחנן's answer on action, thought, and visible thought
12. QuestionSource that acting without intent disqualifies a sacrifice
13. Responseרב הונא cites "he shall slaughter the young bull"
14. QuestionThat we know; where is it required even after the fact?
15. Response"To your will you shall slaughter it"
16. StatementNew משנה: slaughter by a gentile
17. QuestionThe animal is a נבלה but not forbidden for benefit: who taught this?
18. ResponseNot like רבי אליעזר, who says a נכרי's thoughts are aimed at idol worship
19. Responseרבי אמי: a נכרי's slaughter is a נבלה, but a מין's slaughter is idol worship
20. ProofA ברייתא spells out the status of a מין's slaughter and other items