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Chullin 140a

חולין ק״מ ע״א

Learn Chullin 140a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Whether צפור means only kosher birds, what 'טהורות' excludes in the מצורע's birds, and שילוח הקן when the eggs or chicks are not fit to eat

Overview

The גמרא defends רבי יצחק's rule that the תורה's word צפור means only a kosher bird. A פסוק in דניאל is turned aside, because non-kosher birds are only called 'birds of the heavens.' 'כל צפור טהורה' is explained as pointing to a kosher bird that is still forbidden: the slaughtered bird of a מצורע, whose eating breaks both an עשה and a לא תעשה. Next come two proofs from the מצורע's 'two living kosher birds.' 'Living' is read as having whole limbs. 'Kosher' cannot be about a טריפה, because the teaching of the school of רבי ישמעאל already excludes that. So four אמוראים give the word a new job: רב נחמן בר יצחק says birds of an עיר הנדחת, רבא says reusing a bird before it is sent away, רב פפא says birds traded for idol birds, and רבינא says a bird that killed a person. Then the גמרא returns to the משנה: a kosher bird sitting on non-kosher eggs is exempt from שילוח הקן because of רב כהנא's rule, 'take for yourself, and not for your dogs.' Finally, it asks why a טריפה mother is not compared to טריפה chicks; the discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

״וּבְעַנְפוֹהִי יְדוּרָן צִפְּרֵי שְׁמַיָּא״

'And in its branches will dwell the birds of the heavens'

– ״צִפְּרֵי שְׁמַיָּא״ אִיקְּרוֹ,

They are called 'birds of the heavens,'

״צִפְּרֵי״ סְתָמָא לָא אִיקְּרוֹ.

but they are not called plain 'birds.'

תָּא שְׁמַע: ״כׇּל צִפּוֹר טְהוֹרָה״,

Come and hear: 'Every kosher bird [you may eat]',

The steps (32)

  1. ChallengeA verse in דניאל that seems to call all birds 'צפרי'
  2. RejectionNon-kosher birds are called 'birds of the heavens,' not plain 'birds'
  3. Challenge'Every kosher bird' suggests some birds are not kosher
  4. RejectionIt implies a kosher bird that is forbidden
  5. ChallengeWhich forbidden kosher bird is meant?
  6. ResolutionIt is the מצורע's bird, adding a positive commandment
  7. ChallengeWhy not say it adds an עשה for a טריפה?
  8. ResolutionThe context is slaughtered birds
  9. ProofA proof from the word 'living' in the מצורע's birds
  10. Rejection'Living' means the limbs are whole
  11. ProofA proof from the word 'kosher' in the same פסוק
  12. Rejection'Kosher' excludes a טריפה
  13. ChallengeBut a טריפה is already excluded by 'living'
  14. ChallengeAccording to everyone, a טריפה is excluded by another source
  15. ProofThe teaching of the school of רבי ישמעאל begins
  16. ProofOfferings inside and outside the בית המקדש are compared
  17. Resolutionרב נחמן בר יצחק: excluding birds of a condemned city
  18. QuestionWhich bird of the city is excluded?
  19. Resolutionרבא: no pairing a bird before it is sent away
  20. Questionרבא's exclusion is about sending, not slaughter
  21. Resolutionרב פפא: birds traded for idol-worship birds
  22. Questionרב פפא's exclusion is about slaughter
  23. Resolutionרבינא: a bird that killed a person
  24. QuestionBefore or after the verdict?
  25. QuestionExcluded for slaughter, not for sending away
  26. StatementThe משנה: a non-kosher bird on kosher eggs
  27. ChallengeBut a kosher bird on non-kosher eggs is a צפור
  28. Resolution'Take for yourself' — not for your dogs
  29. QuestionWhere was רב כהנא's teaching first said?
  30. ResponseThe ברייתא: טרפה mother and טרפה chicks
  31. ResponseSource for the ברייתא: 'take for yourself'
  32. ChallengeWhy not compare a טרפה mother to טרפה chicks?