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Chullin 4b

חולין ד׳ ע״ב

Learn Chullin 4b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Trusting a sinner's food and שחיטה: the חמץ proof, the ברייתא of הכל שוחטין, and רב ענן's proof from יהושפט at אחאב's feast.

Overview

The גמרא asks how far we can trust a sinner about food. It first uses a ברייתא about חמץ held by sinners after פסח, which is permitted 'because they exchange' it. From this it proves that even a sinner will not leave permitted food to eat forbidden food. It then tries to support רבא from a ברייתא that says everyone may slaughter, even a ערל and a ישראל משומד. The proof is pushed off: the משומד there is someone who worships idols, following רב ענן in the name of שמואל, who allows eating from such a person's שחיטה. רב ענן's source is that the righteous king יהושפט ate at the feast of the idol-worshipping king אחאב. The גמרא tests this proof step by step. It asks whether יהושפט really ate, and whether he only drank. It then asks who did the slaughtering: עובדיה, the seven thousand, or אחאב's servants. The amud ends with one more possibility, that each king's men slaughtered for their own side, and the answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

מוּתָּר מִיָּד,

is permitted immediately,

מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן מַחְלִיפִין.

because they exchange it.

סַבְרוּהָ, הָא מַנִּי?

They assumed: whose view is this?

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הִיא, דְּאָמַר:

It is רבי יהודה's, who says:

The steps (34)

  1. ProofEnd of the ברייתא: the חמץ is permitted right away because they exchange it
  2. ProofReading the ברייתא as רבי יהודה's view proves a sinner won't choose the forbidden
  3. RejectionPerhaps the ברייתא follows רבי שמעון, where the ban is only rabbinic
  4. ResolutionEven under רבי שמעון the proof stands, by a קל וחומר
  5. ProofA ברייתא That Might Support רבא
  6. QuestionWho Is the Uncircumcised Man?
  7. ResponseHe Refuses Circumcision
  8. ProofThe Last Clause Must Mean a Sinner With נבלות
  9. RejectionA Sinner in That Very Matter Cannot Slaughter
  10. ResolutionThe ברייתא Means an Idol Worshipper
  11. Statementרב ענן's Ruling Itself
  12. ProofProof From יהושפט at אחאב's Feast
  13. ChallengeMaybe אחאב slaughtered but יהושפט did not eat
  14. ResolutionThe word 'he enticed him' shows that יהושפט ate
  15. ChallengeMaybe the enticing was only with words
  16. ResolutionEnticing is not done with words
  17. ChallengeThe מסית seems to entice with words
  18. ResolutionThe מסית also entices with food and drink
  19. Challengeשטן 'enticed' ה׳ without food
  20. ResolutionEnticing toward ה׳ is different
  21. ChallengeMaybe יהושפט only drank
  22. ResolutionEating and drinking should follow the same rule
  23. RejectionThe drinking was allowed for a different reason
  24. ResolutionA king does not drink without eating
  25. ResolutionThe פסוק shows he was won over through slaughtered meat
  26. ChallengeMaybe the righteous עובדיה did the slaughtering
  27. ResolutionOne man could not slaughter so many animals
  28. ChallengeMaybe the seven thousand righteous people slaughtered
  29. ResolutionThe seven thousand were in hiding
  30. ChallengeMaybe אחאב's own servants were good people
  31. ResolutionA wicked ruler has wicked servants
  32. ChallengeMaybe יהושפט's men were not careful either
  33. ResolutionA righteous king has righteous servants
  34. ChallengeMaybe each king's men slaughtered for their own side