Gemara Clarity

Chullin 19b

חולין י״ט ע״ב

Learn Chullin 19b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Partial הגרמה and holes in the windpipe during שחיטה; where on the neck שחיטה and מליקה are done

Overview

The amud opens in the middle of an argument. It explains why 'proper cut, הגרמה, proper cut' would be פסולה: the animal's life leaves during the bad middle third. The people of סורא ask רב נחמן about this case. He answers from רבי אלעזר בר מניומי's rule that a comb-shaped שחיטה is כשרה, but the גמרא pushes that proof off. רב כהנא then asks רב יהודה four questions. 'Proper, הגרמה, proper' is כשרה, and 'הגרמה, proper, הגרמה' is פסולה. Cutting right at a hole in the windpipe is כשרה, and running into a hole partway through is פסולה. רבי אלעזר compares the hole cases to a שחיטה shared by a גוי and a Jew, but רבי יוחנן dismisses this, and רבא explains why. A new משנה teaches that שחיטה is done from the front and sides of the neck while מליקה is done from the עורף, and the גמרא defines עורף from פסוקים. Finally, the sons of רבי חייא describe how מליקה is done, and the גמרא begins a proof about this that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

דְּאִם כֵּן, מַפְסְדַתְּ לַהּ לְקַמַּיְיתָא.

For if so, you ruin the first one.

הָתָם מַאי טַעְמָא קָא מַכְשְׁרַתְּ?

There, what is the reason you declare it valid?

דְּכִי נָפְקָא חִיּוּתָא –

Because when the life goes out,

בְּהֶכְשֵׁירַהּ קָא נָפְקָא.

it goes out during its valid cutting.

The steps (27)

  1. ProofWhy the middle-הגרמה case is invalid: life leaves during the bad cut
  2. QuestionThe people of סורא ask רב נחמן about proper, הגרמה, proper
  3. Responseרב נחמן answers from the comb-shaped שחיטה rule
  4. RejectionMaybe the comb case stays inside the proper area
  5. ChallengeWhy would that even need saying?
  6. ResolutionIt teaches that a cut need not be straight
  7. StatementA memory-aid for the next discussion
  8. QuestionCut a third, divert a third, then cut a third
  9. QuestionDivert a third, cut a third, then divert a third
  10. QuestionCutting right where there is a hole
  11. QuestionThe knife runs into a hole partway through
  12. QuestionThe rulings reach רבי יוחנן, who asks what the difference is
  13. Responseרבי אלעזר compares the cases to a שחיטה done partly by a גוי
  14. Rejectionרבי יוחנן dismisses the comparison
  15. Rejectionרבא explains why the גוי comparison fails
  16. Statementמשנה: the sides, nape, and throat for שחיטה and מליקה
  17. ConclusionThe משנה's rule: what works for one fails for the other
  18. QuestionWhat does 'עורף' mean?
  19. ChallengeIt cannot mean the bone itself
  20. ResponseIt means the area next to the bone
  21. QuestionWhat is the source?
  22. ProofA ברייתא proves the meaning of 'ממול'
  23. QuestionWhy the second verse?
  24. ResponseThe second פסוק locates the עורף
  25. StatementHow מליקה is done
  26. StatementTwo readings: allowed or required
  27. ProofThe משנה seems to support 'even turns'