Chullin 63a

חולין ס״ג ע״א

Learn Chullin 63a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Identifying the non-kosher birds of the תורה, with short אגדות along the way, and רב's count of twenty-four non-kosher birds.

Overview

This amud keeps going through the list of kosher and non-kosher birds. It gives everyday names and memory hooks for birds like the בת מזגא חמרא and the שקיטנא, and explains the תורה's names שלך and דוכיפת. Along the way there are short אגדות: רבי יוחנן praises ה׳ when he sees a שלך or an ant, and the רחם bird is said to bring rain or even signal משיח. אמימר rules that some birds depend on local custom, and the גמרא explains that the custom guards against mixing them up with the look-alike פרס and עזניה. ברייתות show that the word תנשמת means a bird in one list and a creeping creature in the other, judged by context. They also explain which birds the words עורב, נץ, חסידה and אנפה include. Finally, רב teaches that there are twenty-four non-kosher birds, and the גמרא works to make the תורה's lists add up to that number. אביי's proof that the דאה and the ראה are one bird continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (32)

1. StatementThe little wine-pourer bird is permitted
2. StatementThree kinds of שקיטנא birds
3. StatementWhat the שלך and the דוכיפת are
4. ProofA ברייתא supports the meaning of דוכיפת
5. Statementרבי יוחנן's reactions to the שלך and the ant
6. Statementאמימר: two birds are permitted, two depend on custom
7. ChallengeCan kashrus depend on custom?
8. ResolutionIt depends on whether look-alike non-kosher birds live there
9. Statementאביי on the קואי, קקואי and קקואתא birds
10. StatementThe תנשמת among the birds is the באות, learned from context
11. StatementThe תנשמת among creeping creatures is learned the same way
12. StatementEveryday names for the two kinds of באות
13. StatementIdentifying the קאת and the רחם
14. StatementWhy the bird is called רחם
15. StatementWhen the רחם is a sign of rain, and when it signals משיח
16. ChallengeA רחם that hissed on a field and was killed
17. ResolutionThat bird was a liar
18. StatementWhich birds count as עורב
19. ChallengeHow does 'the crow is the crow' help us?
20. ResolutionThe plain crow is the black crow
21. StatementThe valley crow is the white crow
22. StatementThe crow whose head looks like a pigeon's
23. StatementThe נץ and the extra bird in its family
24. QuestionWhat is the בר חיריא?
25. Responseאביי: it is the שורינקא
26. StatementThe חסידה and why it has that name
27. StatementThe אנפה and why it has that name
28. Statementרב: there are twenty-four non-kosher birds
29. ChallengeThe number does not match either list in the Torah
30. ResolutionThe four times 'after its kind' add four birds
31. ChallengeNow there are too many: twenty-six
32. Resolutionאביי: the דאה and the ראה are one bird