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Chullin 37b

חולין ל״ז ע״ב

Learn Chullin 37b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Proving that a מסוכנת is not a טרפה and is permitted after שחיטה, and defining what counts as a מסוכנת

Overview

The גמרא proves that a מסוכנת, an animal close to death, is not the same as a טרפה, so it is permitted once properly slaughtered. The first proof: if טרפה meant מסוכנת, the word נבלה in ויקרא 7:24 would be extra, since a קל וחומר could teach it. מר בר רב אשי suggests נבלה is needed for an animal killed instantly by being cut in half. The גמרא rejects this, because even that animal was מסוכנת for a moment. A second proof comes from the repeated word חלב, which hints at an animal whose fat is forbidden but whose meat is permitted: the מסוכנת. A third proof comes from יחזקאל, who boasted that he never ate 'כוס כוס' meat, an animal slaughtered in a rush before dying. That boast only makes sense if such meat is permitted. The גמרא then defines a מסוכנת as an animal that cannot stand even when helped up, even if it still eats wood chips or beams, and it gives the סורא and פומבדיתא versions of who said what. Finally, שמואל asks רב's students what רב said about a מסוכנת, and their answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ

And if it enters your mind

טְרֵפָה הַיְינוּ מְסוּכֶּנֶת,

that a tereifa is the same as an animal in danger of dying,

לִכְתּוֹב רַחֲמָנָא

then let the Merciful One write:

״חֵלֶב נְבֵלָה יֵעָשֶׂה לְכׇל מְלָאכָה

'The fat of a carcass may be used for any work,

The steps (16)

  1. ProofIf טרפה meant מסוכנת, the word נבלה would be extra
  2. ConclusionSo טרפה is not the same as מסוכנת
  3. Challengeמר בר רב אשי: maybe נבלה is needed for an animal cut in half
  4. RejectionEven an animal cut in half was מסוכנת for a moment
  5. QuestionA second proof: why does the פסוק say חלב twice?
  6. ResponseThe extra חלב hints at the מסוכנת, whose fat and meat differ
  7. ProofAnother proof from a פסוק in יחזקאל
  8. StatementExplaining each phrase of יחזקאל's statement
  9. Proofיחזקאל's boast proves a מסוכנת is permitted
  10. QuestionWhat counts as a מסוכנת?
  11. Responseרב: an animal that cannot stand even when helped up
  12. StatementEven if it still eats wood or beams
  13. QuestionThe פומבדיתא version opens with the same question
  14. Responseרב's definition, including the wood chips
  15. StatementEven eating beams does not help
  16. Questionשמואל asks רב's students what רב said