Chullin 21a

חולין כ״א ע״א

Learn Chullin 21a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How מליקה is done, and when a creature counts as dead for טומאה even while it still moves

Overview

The גמרא first solves a difficulty in זעירי's statement about מליקה. רבא, and רבי אמי in a story with רבי זירא, explain that the כהן cuts the spine and neck bone without most of the flesh, so the bird is still alive. A ברייתא supports this. The גמרא then asks whether its rule of 'two or most of two' סימנים for an עולה follows the רבנן or רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון, and gives two answers. Next come rulings on when an injured creature already counts as dead even though it still moves. For a person, this is a broken מפרקת with most of the flesh, or being torn open like a fish from the back; עלי's death is explained by his old age. For an animal, it is being cut in half across its width, or losing a thigh so that the gap shows even while it lies down. The גמרא then discusses the משנה about creatures whose heads were הותזו: ריש לקיש says fully cut off, and רבי אסי says cut like a bird עולה according to רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון. Finally it begins quoting the ברייתא behind that argument, which compares the bird עולה to an animal חטאת, and this continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. ChallengeThe difficulty with זעירי's statement remains
2. Resolutionרבא rereads the statement: without most of the flesh
3. Challengeרבי זירא challenges רבי אמי
4. Resolutionרבי אמי gives the same answer as רבא
5. ProofA ברייתא supports this method of מליקה
6. ChallengeWhich תנא does the ברייתא follow?
7. ResolutionSplit the ברייתא Between Two Opinions
8. ResolutionSecond Answer: All of It Follows רבי אלעזר
9. StatementBroken Neck Bone With Most of the Flesh
10. ChallengeWhat About עלי's Death?
11. ResolutionOld Age Is Different
12. StatementTorn Open Like a Fish
13. StatementOnly If Torn From the Back
14. StatementAn animal cut in half across its width is a נבלה
15. StatementAn animal with its thigh removed is a נבלה
16. QuestionWhen is the thigh's hollow considered visible?
17. Responseרבא: The animal is lying down and still looks like it is missing a part
18. Statementמשנה: Creatures whose heads were removed are impure even while they twitch
19. QuestionWhat does הותזו mean?
20. Responseריש לקיש: The head is actually cut off
21. Responseרבי אסי quoting רבי מני: Like separating the head of a bird עולה
22. Questionרבי ירמיה asks: Which way of separating the bird's head do you mean?
23. Responseרבי אסי says he follows רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון and disagrees
24. ResponseA second version of the argument
25. QuestionWhat do the רבנן and רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון each hold?
26. ResponseThe ברייתא begins with the words "כַּמִּשְׁפָּט"
27. QuestionMaybe it means like a bird חטאת instead?
28. Response"וְהִקְרִיבוֹ" shows the bird עולה is different from the bird חטאת