Chullin 28a

חולין כ״ח ע״א

Learn Chullin 28a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 28a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whether a bird's שחיטה is from the Torah, and whether cutting only the windpipe is enough for a bird.

Overview

The גמרא finishes testing the claim of רבי יצחק בן פנחס that a bird has no Torah requirement of שחיטה. A proof from a ברייתא about covering blood is pushed off by saying the case is a חיה. A משנה about מליקה done with a knife does seem to require Torah שחיטה for birds. The גמרא answers that רבי יצחק בן פנחס follows רבי אלעזר הקפר, who learns from a פסוק that a צבי and an איל need שחיטה but a bird needs it only מדברי סופרים. רבי disagrees and learns the rules of שחיטה, including cutting most of one סימן in a bird, from 'כאשר צויתך'. Then רב נחמן and רב אדא בר אהבה argue whether that one סימן can be either pipe or must be the ושט. Several sources are brought on each side and pushed off, until a ברייתא on מליקה of a חטאת העוף refutes רב אדא בר אהבה. The גמרא then wonders whether מליקה is different from regular שחיטה. It begins a story about a duck in רבא's house to settle the question, and the story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. ProofTrying to read the ברייתא as talking about a bird
2. RejectionNo, the ברייתא is talking about a wild animal
3. ProofProof from מליקה done with a knife
4. Rejectionרבי יצחק בן פנחס follows a different תנא
5. Responseצבי and איל need שחיטה, but a bird needs it only מדברי סופרים
6. QuestionWho disagrees with רבי אלעזר הקפר?
7. Responseרבי learns the laws of שחיטה from 'as I have commanded you'
8. StatementWhich one סימן works for a bird?
9. StatementHow each reads the word 'one'
10. StatementA memory aid for the coming challenges
11. ChallengeA ברייתא that mentions only cutting the gullet
12. RejectionThe windpipe was mentioned only because it tends to slip
13. Challengeרבי יהודה mentions only the gullet for a bird
14. RejectionThe gullet is mentioned because it sits next to the veins
15. ProofFinishing half a windpipe after a pause seems to support רב נחמן
16. RejectionIt could be an animal where he finished the whole שחיטה
17. ProofFinishing a half-damaged windpipe seems to support רב נחמן
18. RejectionIt could be an animal where he finished by cutting the gullet
19. ProofProof from how a bird sin offering is pinched
20. Conclusionרב אדא בר אהבה is refuted
21. QuestionWhat is the final ruling?
22. ResponseIt is just as you said
23. RejectionMaybe pinching is different
24. QuestionSo what is the הלכה for regular slaughter?
25. ProofThe duck in רבא's house