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Chullin 24a

חולין כ״ד ע״א

Learn Chullin 24a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Limits on קל וחומר: the פרה אדומה and עגלה ערופה, and what disqualifies כהנים and לוים

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining why a פרה אדומה cannot be done with עריפה. At first it says the word 'חוקה' blocks any קל וחומר. It then challenges this from יום הכפורים, which is also called a חוקה, yet still needed a special פסוק to block a קל וחומר. So the גמרא gives a new answer: the word 'הערופה' limits עריפה to the עגלה alone. Another פסוק, 'וערפו', shows the עגלה cannot be done with שחיטה. A new משנה then says some things disqualify כהנים but not לוים, and the reverse. A ברייתא explains that מומין disqualify כהנים, while age disqualifies לוים, and it learns both rules from 'זאת אשר ללוים'. It adds that the age limit applied only while the משכן was carried, and that a לוי trained from 25 and served from 30. From those five years of training it learns a lesson for students, and רבי יוסי says the test period is three years. The amud ends with רבי יוסי asking for the פסוק showing that in שילה and the בית המקדש only a failing voice disqualifies a לוי; the answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

אָמַר קְרָא ״וְשָׁחַט״ וְחוּקָּה:

The verse says 'and he shall slaughter,' and it says 'statute':

בִּשְׁחִיטָה אִין, בַּעֲרִיפָה לָא.

with slaughter, yes; with breaking the neck, no.

וְכֹל הֵיכָא דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ חוּקָּה,

And anywhere that 'statute' is written about it,

לָא דָּרְשִׁינַן קַל וָחוֹמֶר?

do we not derive a קל וחומר?

The steps (26)

  1. ResolutionOnly slaughter works for the red heifer
  2. ChallengeChallenge from the יום הכפורים goat
  3. ProofThe ברייתא's קל וחומר about naming the goat
  4. ChallengeSo a קל וחומר works even with חוקה
  5. ResolutionA word in the verse limits neck-breaking to the heifer alone
  6. ChallengeShouldn't the heifer also be valid with slaughter by a קל וחומר?
  7. ResolutionThe verse says 'they shall break the neck', so only neck-breaking works
  8. Statementמשנה: something valid for priests but invalid for Levites, and the reverse
  9. StatementBlemishes disqualify priests, but age disqualifies Levites
  10. QuestionWhat is the source for these rules?
  11. ResponseAge disqualifies the לוים
  12. ChallengeA קל וחומר suggests blemishes should disqualify לוים
  13. Resolution'This' is for the לוים, and nothing else
  14. ChallengeA reverse קל וחומר suggests age should disqualify כהנים
  15. Resolution'For the לוים', not for the כהנים
  16. QuestionDoes the age limit apply in שילה and the בית המקדש?
  17. ResponseThe age limit was only for carrying on the shoulders
  18. ChallengeTwo פסוקים give different starting ages
  19. ResolutionTwenty-five for training, thirty for service
  20. StatementA lesson for students: five years without success
  21. Statementרבי יוסי says the test period is three years
  22. RejectionWhy the first view does not learn from דניאל
  23. RejectionWhy רבי יוסי does not learn from the לוים
  24. StatementWho is fit for the עבודה: כהן and לוי
  25. StatementAge only mattered in the מדבר; later only the voice matters
  26. Questionרבי יוסי asks for the source