Chullin 18b

חולין י״ח ע״ב

Learn Chullin 18b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How high up the windpipe a שחיטה may be done: the rings of the קנה, the dispute about מוגרמת and רבי זירא's story, and the rulings about the tip of the cartilage and the חיטי.

Overview

The גמרא finishes a ברייתא in which רבי יוסי בר יהודה permits slaughtering inside the smaller rings of the windpipe, and which also records a dispute about מוגרמת, a cut where the knife slid up out of the proper place. רב יוסף explains that רב ושמואל agree with רבי יוסי בר יהודה about the large ring but not about the smaller rings, meaning the הלכה follows him only on the large ring. רבי זירא then goes up to ארץ ישראל and eats a מוגרמת. He says the report that רב ושמואל forbade it came through רב יוסף, who learns from everyone. רב יוסף angrily answers that he learns from רב יהודה, who is so careful that he even reports his doubts about who said a ruling. The גמרא asks why רבי זירא did not keep the stringencies of בבל. אביי and רב אשי each give an answer, and רב יוסף explains a report from מחוזא allowing מוגרמת as a local custom. Finally, רבי יוחנן rejects ריש לקיש's very lenient ruling. Then there are two opposite traditions about whether a cut that meets the חיטי, or leaves part of them, is kosher.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. ChallengeThe ברייתא permits slaughter inside the other rings
2. StatementThe dispute about a diverted cut
3. Resolutionרב יוסף: two separate rulings
4. ChallengeBut they said 'he did not say'
5. ResolutionThey meant the הלכה
6. Statementרבי זירא eats a מוגרמת in ארץ ישראל
7. ChallengeAren't you from רב ושמואל's place?
8. ResolutionThe report came from רב יוסף
9. Rejectionרב יוסף is upset and defends his source
10. ProofProof that רב יהודה is careful about who said what
11. ChallengeShouldn't רבי זירא keep the stringencies of the place he left?
12. Resolutionאביי: Babylonians follow ארץ ישראל
13. Resolutionרב אשי: רבי זירא did not plan to go back
14. Challengeאביי cites a report from מחוזא that מוגרמת is kosher
15. ResolutionEach place follows its own custom
16. Statementריש לקיש allows a cut at the tip of the top cartilage
17. Rejectionרבי יוחנן says ריש לקיש went too far
18. StatementA cut that meets the חיטי is a טרפה
19. QuestionWhat does 'met' mean?
20. ResponseLeaving part of the חיטי is kosher
21. ProofA second witness: רבי חייא בריה דרב אויא said the same
22. ProofA third witness: מר זוטרא taught it publicly
23. Statementמר בר רב אשי holds the exact opposite