Chullin 52b

חולין נ״ב ע״ב

Learn Chullin 52b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

טרפות: a missing vertebra or rib, a crushed skull, the flesh covering the כרס, and clawing (דרוסה) by predators large and small

Overview

This amud discusses several injuries that make an animal a טרפה. It begins by settling a clash between two rulings of שמואל. A rib torn out without its vertebra and a vertebra missing without a rib are two separate causes of טרפה, and the second case is found at the end of the flanks. רב then explains why the vertebra dispute between בית שמאי and בית הלל is not listed among בית שמאי's leniencies: it was taught about טומאה, where בית שמאי are the strict side. Next, the גמרא asks how to measure a skull crushed 'in its majority', and that question ends in תיקו. It also asks whether a tear in the flesh covering the כרס is enough; a proof from the משנה is tried and rejected. The rest of the amud is about דרוסה, an animal clawed by a predator. רב sets the minimum at a wolf for animals and a hawk for birds. רב חסדא says a cat or mongoose counts against kids and lambs, and a weasel against birds. A ברייתא challenges him, and the גמרא answers in two versions using בריבי's rule about whether rescuers are present, together with the story of the cat at רב כהנא's house. The amud ends as רב כהנא begins to ask רב a question that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (33)

1. ChallengeA second statement of שמואל about a missing vertebra
2. ResolutionTwo different injuries: rib alone or vertebra alone
3. QuestionWhere is there a vertebra with no rib?
4. ResponseAt the end of the flanks
5. ChallengeWhy isn't this among the leniencies of בית שמאי?
6. ResolutionThe dispute was first stated about טומאה
7. StatementReturning to שמואל: a skull crushed in its majority
8. QuestionMajority of height or of circumference? Left unresolved
9. Statementשמואל: the flesh covering the כרס damaged in its majority
10. QuestionIs a long tear enough, or must most of the flesh be removed?
11. ProofA proof from the משנה about the outer כרס
12. RejectionRejected: שמואל explains the inner כרס differently
13. Statementרב's size rule for predators that claw
14. ChallengeWhat does רב's rule leave out?
15. ResolutionMaybe רב teaches that a wolf counts even for large animals
16. Rejectionרבי יהודה says a wolf counts only for small animals
17. ResolutionMaybe רבי יהודה disagrees with the חכמים
18. Rejectionרבי אלעא: רבי יהודה only explains the חכמים
19. ResolutionOne אמורא cannot disprove another
20. ResolutionSecond answer: רב really is excluding a cat
21. Statementרב חסדא: cat and mongoose for kids and lambs, weasel for birds
22. ChallengeA teaching says a cat's claw attack does not count
23. ChallengeBut a hawk's claw attack does count in the משנה
24. ResolutionHawk: counts for birds, not for kids and lambs
25. Challengeרב חסדא is still challenged
26. Resolutionרב חסדא follows בריבי: it counts when people try to rescue
27. ChallengeThe story of the cat at רב כהנא's house
28. ResolutionA cat defending itself counts like rescuers being present
29. ResolutionHow the רבנן explain the blood on the door
30. ResolutionA second version: the ברייתא itself follows בריבי
31. ChallengeThe cat at רב כהנא's house challenges בריבי again
32. ResolutionSame answer again: self-defense counts like rescuers
33. Questionרב כהנא asks רב a question