Chullin 77b

חולין ע״ז ע״ב

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Topic

Cooked donkey hide and טומאה; the placenta and the worry about another fetus; firstborn and קדשים placentas; דרכי האמורי

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a challenge to רבי יצחק נפחא's question about cooked donkey hide. Both טומאת אוכלין and טומאת נבלות seem to be already settled by ברייתות, so the question looks unnecessary. The גמרא answers that the question was about טומאת אוכלין, and donkey hide is different because it is disgusting. Next, on a שליא that partly came out, רבי אלעזר and רבי יוחנן disagree about when we worry that it belonged to another fetus. After a challenge from רבי ירמיה, the מחלוקת is reworded: רבי אלעזר is the strict one and requires the placenta to be attached to the fetus found inside. A ברייתא about a woman who miscarries supports him. The גמרא then explains why a first-born placenta may be thrown to the dogs: females plus the נדמה make possible בכור males a minority. With קדשים, however, most young are holy, so the placenta must be buried. Finally, אביי and רבא teach that a practice with a real healing purpose is not דרכי האמורי. The גמרא begins to challenge this with a ברייתא about painting a tree red, and the challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. ChallengeIf the teaching is about carcass impurity, we already learned it
2. ProofThe source showing that hide and placenta are not food unless prepared
3. ProofThe source showing that hide, bones and similar parts do not carry carcass impurity
4. StatementThe carcass-impurity teaching is needed for parts cooked into a pot-pudding
5. ResolutionDonkey hide is different because it is disgusting
6. Statementרבי אלעזר limits the rule of a placenta that came out
7. Statementרבי יוחנן says we always worry about another fetus
8. ChallengeBut רבי ירמיה said רבי אלעזר was being strict
9. Resolutionרבי אלעזר restated: it depends on whether the placenta is attached
10. ResolutionThe reworded opinion of רבי יוחנן
11. ConclusionThe new version fits רבי ירמיה's report
12. ProofA ברייתא supports רבי אלעזר
13. ProofThe ברייתא's reason: something may have dissolved
14. QuestionWhy may the placenta of a first-time mother be thrown away?
15. Responseרב איקא: most births are holy firstborns, a minority are נדמה
16. ResponseFemales plus the minority make the males a minority
17. QuestionWhy must a placenta from sacrificial animals be buried?
18. ResponseMost young of sacrificial animals are holy
19. StatementHealing purpose decides the rule of דרכי האמורי
20. ChallengeA tree dropping its fruit seems to break the rule