Gemara Clarity

Chullin 68a

חולין ס״ח ע״א

Learn Chullin 68a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 68a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The fetus (עובר) and the mother's שחיטה: whether a foreleg that left the womb stays forbidden, as רב rules, and the גמרא's challenges to him from the משנה and a ברייתא.

Overview

The משנה teaches that the mother's שחיטה normally permits the fetus inside her. If the fetus only put out its foreleg and pulled it back, it is still permitted. If it put out its head, it counts as born and needs its own שחיטה. Pieces cut from the fetus inside the womb are permitted, but pieces cut from the mother's own organs stay forbidden. רב adds that the foreleg that came out is itself forbidden, learning from the פסוק of טרפה that meat which leaves its boundary becomes forbidden. The גמרא challenges רב from the משנה's words 'brought it back'. Along the way it shows that the head clause teaches nothing new: בכורות covers a person, and the placenta משנה covers an animal. The גמרא defends רב by saying 'brought it back' teaches a rule about the spot of the cut. It then brings a ברייתא with several cases about a foreleg that came out, and that challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳ בְּהֵמָה הַמְקַשָּׁה לֵילֵד,

MISHNA: An animal that is having difficulty giving birth,

וְהוֹצִיא הָעוּבָּר אֶת יָדוֹ וְהֶחְזִירוֹ –

and the fetus put out its foreleg and brought it back in,

מוּתָּר בַּאֲכִילָה.

it is permitted to be eaten.

הוֹצִיא אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ,

If it put out its head,

The steps (19)

  1. StatementA fetus that put out its foreleg versus its head
  2. StatementCutting from the fetus versus cutting from the mother
  3. StatementThe limb that came out is itself forbidden
  4. QuestionWhy is the limb forbidden?
  5. ResponseMeat that leaves its boundary becomes forbidden
  6. ChallengeThe משנה seems to permit the foreleg too
  7. ResolutionThe משנה permits only the rest of the fetus
  8. ChallengeThen why mention that it brought the foreleg back?
  9. ResolutionThe wording matches the later clause about the head
  10. ChallengeThe head clause seems already taught in בכורות
  11. ProofDrawing the head rule from the בכורות משנה
  12. ResolutionMaybe our משנה teaches the rule for animals
  13. ProofWhy a person and an animal each need their own source
  14. RejectionThe placenta משנה already teaches the rule for animals
  15. ChallengeSetting up the renewed challenge against רב
  16. ChallengeWhy mention 'brought it back' at all?
  17. ResolutionThe words teach about the spot of the cut
  18. ChallengeA ברייתא about an animal having trouble giving birth
  19. ChallengeThe case where the mother is slaughtered before the leg is cut