Gemara Clarity

Chullin 41b

חולין מ״א ע״ב

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Topic

Where the blood of a slaughtered animal may flow, and slaughtering 'for the sake of' an offering (נידר ונידב)

Overview

The amud begins with the end of a משנה about where the blood of a slaughtered animal may flow. The worry is that people will think the slaughterer is serving idols or copying the מינים. רבא explains that a pool of water is allowed only when the water is murky, so no reflection shows. אביי and רבא then argue about how to read the משנה's rule on a hole in the ground. A ברייתא supports רבא: never slaughter straight into a hole, beside it is fine at home, and in the marketplace it is forbidden because of 'ובחקתיהם לא תלכו'. A new משנה then rules that slaughtering 'for the sake of' an offering that can be vowed or donated ruins the שחיטה, while naming an offering that comes only from obligation does not. The גמרא explains how אשם תלוי and פסח fit this rule. Several אמוראים then limit the rulings: the case of blemished animals, a man who owes a חטאת, a man who has an offering at home, and a man with a wife. The amud ends with the גמרא asking 'פשיטא?' on רבי אבהו's answer, and the reply comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

יְחַקֶּה אֶת הַמִּינִין.

he will (appear to) imitate the heretics.

גְּמָ׳

GEMARA:

אֵין שׁוֹחֲטִין לֹא לְתוֹךְ וְכוּ׳.

'One may not slaughter, neither into…' etc.

מַאי שְׁנָא לְתוֹךְ יַמִּים דְּלָא?

What is different about (slaughtering) into seas, that one may not?

The steps (33)

  1. StatementEnd of the משנה: not imitating the מינים
  2. QuestionWhy may one not slaughter into seas?
  3. ChallengeA pool of water should also be forbidden because of the reflection
  4. Resolutionרבא: the משנה speaks of murky water
  5. ChallengeThe משנה seems to contradict itself about a hole
  6. Resolutionאביי: the first clause is about a hole in the marketplace
  7. Challengeרבא: the סיפא shows the רישא is not about the marketplace
  8. Resolutionרבא rereads the משנה as one flowing rule
  9. ProofA ברייתא that matches רבא's reading
  10. StatementNew משנה: slaughtering for the sake of an offering
  11. StatementTwo people slaughtering with one knife
  12. StatementOfferings whose name does not ruin the slaughter
  13. ConclusionThe general rule: vow and gift offerings
  14. ChallengeCan an אשם תלוי be donated?
  15. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי אלעזר
  16. ChallengeCan a פסח be donated?
  17. ResolutionThe פסח can be set aside all year
  18. Statementרבי ינאי: The rule is only about unblemished animals
  19. Statementרבי יוחנן: Even blemished animals are included
  20. Statementרבי יוחנן: Slaughtering 'for a חטאת' is valid only if he does not owe one
  21. ChallengeBut he did not say 'my חטאת'
  22. Resolutionרבי אבהו: He did say 'my חטאת'
  23. Statementרבי אלעזר: Slaughtering 'for a תמורה' is valid only if he has no offering at home
  24. ChallengeBut he did not say 'substitute for my offering'
  25. Resolutionרבי אבהו: He did say 'substitute for my offering'
  26. QuestionWhat does 'זה הכלל' add?
  27. ResponseIt includes the עולה of a נזיר
  28. QuestionWhat does the second half of the rule include?
  29. ResponseIt includes a woman's birth offering
  30. StatementValid only if he has no wife
  31. ChallengeBut he didn't say 'my wife'
  32. ResolutionHe did say 'my wife's offering'
  33. ChallengeThen it is obvious