Gemara Clarity

Chullin 65b

חולין ס״ה ע״ב

Learn Chullin 65b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The four signs of a kosher locust, and רב אחאי's source for including a locust with a long head.

Overview

This amud continues a ברייתא on ויקרא 11:22, which names kosher locusts and adds 'למינהו' (after its kinds) to each. The ברייתא follows a pattern: 'I only know a species with feature X. How do I know one with feature Y?' Using סלעם, it shows that a locust with a smooth forehead can be kosher. Using חרגול, it shows that one with a tail can be kosher too. For a locust with a long head, it builds a בנין אב from ארבה, חרגול and סלעם: any creature with four legs, four wings, jumping legs, and wings covering most of its body is kosher. It then adds that the creature must also be called חגב, which excludes the צרצור. It also must have all the signs. רב אחאי attacks the בנין אב, because all three source species have short heads, and he shows that this kind of difference does block the comparison. Instead, he proves that the word סלעם is extra and applies it, through אם אינו ענין, to teach that the long-headed locust is kosher.

Opening lines

צִיפּוֹרֶת כְּרָמִים.

the vineyard bird.

אֵין לִי אֶלָּא הַבָּא

I have only one that comes

וְאֵין לוֹ גַּבַּחַת.

and does not have a smooth forehead.

הַבָּא וְיֵשׁ לוֹ גַּבַּחַת מִנַּיִן?

From where do we know one that comes and has a smooth forehead?

The steps (18)

  1. StatementThe vineyard bird is included with the ארבה
  2. QuestionWhat about a locust with a smooth forehead?
  3. ResponseThe סלעם teaches about smooth foreheads
  4. QuestionWhat about a locust with a tail?
  5. ResponseThe חרגול teaches about tails
  6. QuestionWhat about a locust with a long head?
  7. ResponseA general rule built from three species
  8. ChallengeThe צרצור seems to have all four signs
  9. ResolutionThe word חגב requires the name חגב
  10. ChallengeMaybe the name alone is enough
  11. ResolutionBoth the name and all the signs are needed
  12. Challengeרב אחאי: the three species also have short heads
  13. ResolutionA possible defense: four shared signs are enough
  14. RejectionThen the Torah would not need to write חרגול
  15. RejectionThe defense fails, so the short-head objection stands
  16. Resolutionרב אחאי: the word סלעם is extra
  17. ProofNeither objection against learning סלעם works
  18. ConclusionThe extra סלעם teaches that the long-headed grasshopper is kosher