Gemara Clarity

Chullin 141a

חולין קמ״א ע״א

Learn Chullin 141a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

שילוח הקן: the hovering mother, which young count, sending her away again and again or for a מצוה, and lashes for taking the mother

Overview

This amud covers three topics in שילוח הקן. First, the גמרא explains why a ברייתא used a hovering mother bird as its example: it teaches that even if her wings touch the nest, one is exempt. To fit this with our משנה, רב יהודה says the ברייתא means wings touching from the side. Next, רבא defends how the משנה reads the פסוק: 'on the fledglings or on the eggs' compares chicks to eggs, and 'nest' teaches that even one counts. A new משנה then teaches that the mother must be sent away even if she returns many times. רבא explains that שַׁלֵּחַ covers repeated sending, and תְּשַׁלַּח teaches that she must be sent away even when wanted for a מצוה, such as a מצורע's purification. After a back-and-forth about why that word is needed, מר בר רב אשי sets the case where the bird was taken intending to send her. Finally, a משנה records רבי יהודה and חכמים arguing over lashes for taking the mother. The גמרא asks for רבי יהודה's reason and brings a proof from the thief and the robber, and רבי זירא begins to question that source on the next amud.

Opening lines

לִיתְנֵי רוֹבְדֵי אִילָן,

Let it teach: tree branches,

וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן מְעוֹפֶפֶת?

and all the more so a hovering bird?

מְעוֹפֶפֶת אִיצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ,

The hovering case was necessary for him,

דַּאֲפִילּוּ כְּנָפֶיהָ נוֹגְעוֹת בַּקֵּן –

that even if her wings are touching the nest,

The steps (24)

  1. ChallengeWhy not teach the case of tree branches instead?
  2. ResolutionThe hovering case teaches that touching wings still exempt
  3. ChallengeOur משנה says touching wings do obligate
  4. Resolutionרב יהודה: the ברייתא means touching from the side
  5. StatementQuoting the משנה about one chick or egg
  6. ChallengeA scholar asks רבא: why not read the verses the opposite way?
  7. Resolutionרבא: the long phrase is there to compare chicks to eggs
  8. StatementNew משנה: Sending the mother away repeatedly, and related cases
  9. ChallengeMaybe the doubled verb means only twice
  10. Resolutionרבא: One word teaches 'a hundred times', the other teaches 'even for a מצוה'
  11. ChallengeWhy would a verse be needed for a מצוה case?
  12. ResolutionThe extra word is needed for when the mother was already taken
  13. ChallengeThe answer only works for one view of when the prohibition is broken
  14. ChallengeAccording to רבי יהודה, not even the positive command is left
  15. Resolutionמר בר רב אשי: He took the bird intending to send her
  16. QuestionWhy would the other מצוה be stronger?
  17. ResponsePeace between husband and wife is very great
  18. ResponseThe מצורע cannot be with his wife until purified
  19. Statementמשנה: Flogged or sends? רבי יהודה and חכמים argue
  20. StatementThe rule: a לאו with an עשה to fix it gets no lashes
  21. Questionרבי אבא בר ממל asks for רבי יהודה's reason
  22. QuestionThe second option: שלח applies only at the start
  23. ProofProof from the thief and the robber
  24. Rejectionרבי זירא begins to question the ברייתא