Chullin 61a
חולין ס״א ע״א
Learn Chullin 61a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.
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Topic
The signs of a kosher bird: the ברייתא's models of the נשר and the doves, אביי's answer, and רבי חייא's rule that one sign is enough, defended against two challenges
Overview
The משנה said the signs of a kosher bird were not stated in the Torah. A ברייתא seems to learn all four signs from Torah examples: the non-kosher נשר, which has none of the signs, and the kosher doves, which have all four. אביי answers that the Torah only gives the examples. Spelling out the signs from them is the work of the חכמים. Then רבי חייא teaches that a bird not on the Torah's list is kosher with even one sign, because the Torah's model of a forbidden bird, the נשר, has none. The גמרא asks why we don't learn from the doves that all four signs are needed. It answers that then the Torah would not need to list the other non-kosher birds. The גמרא then asks why we don't learn from the listed birds with three signs that three are not enough. It answers that then the Torah would not need to name the עורב, which has only two signs. So only the listed birds are forbidden, and any other bird with even one sign is kosher.
Opening lines
מָה נֶשֶׁר מְיוּחָד
Just as the nesher is unique
שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֶצְבַּע יְתֵרָה וְזֶפֶק
in that it has no extra toe and no crop
וְאֵין קוּרְקְבָנוֹ נִקְלָף
and its gizzard cannot be peeled
וְדוֹרֵס וְאוֹכֵל – טָמֵא
and it claws and eats, and it is non-kosher
The steps (7)
- ChallengeThe ברייתא learns the bird signs from the נשר and the doves
- Resolutionאביי: only the explanation of the signs comes from the חכמים
- Statementרבי חייא: a bird with one kosher sign is kosher
- ChallengeWhy not learn from the doves that all four signs are needed?
- ResolutionThen why list the other non-kosher birds?
- ChallengeWhy not learn from the listed birds that have three signs?
- ResolutionThe crow shows that we do not learn from the three-sign birds