Chullin 78a

חולין ע״ח ע״א

Learn Chullin 78a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 78a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why painting a fruit-dropping tree red is allowed despite looking like a superstitious 'Amorite practice': it lets people see the tree's trouble and pray for it. Closing of the פרק בהמה המקשה.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a discussion about a tree that drops its fruit too early. Weighing it down with stones is allowed because it weakens the tree. Painting it red is allowed because it gets people to notice and pray for it, so it is not דרכי האמורי. A ברייתא learns from the מצורע's call of 'טמא טמא' that anyone in trouble should tell the public so they will pray, and רבינא explains a custom of hanging dates on a palm the same way. Then the פרק בהמה המקשה ends, and a new פרק begins. Its משנה teaches that the איסור of אותו ואת בנו, slaughtering a mother and its child on the same day, applies everywhere, at all times, to both חולין and קדשים. The משנה then goes through many combinations of ordinary and holy animals, slaughtered inside or outside the עזרה. For each one it says who gets כרת, who gets lashes, and which animal is fit. The גמרא brings a ברייתא that learns from two neighboring פסוקים that the rule covers קדשים. It uses the words 'שור' and 'ושור' to show that the rule covers both kinds of animals. Finally, the גמרא asks why the rule includes mixed breeds (כלאים), and begins a second challenge from a teaching of רבא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. QuestionStones make sense, but why the red paint?
2. ResponseSo people will see it and pray
3. ProofThe מצורע announces his trouble so people pray
4. Statementרבינא: hanging date bunches on the palm follows this תנא
5. ConclusionHadran — Closing בהמה המקשה
6. StatementThe new פרק opens: the איסור of אותו ואת בנו applies everywhere
7. StatementCase one: ordinary animals slaughtered outside the עזרה
8. StatementCase two: holy animals slaughtered outside the עזרה
9. StatementCase three: ordinary animals slaughtered inside the עזרה
10. StatementCase four: holy animals slaughtered inside the עזרה
11. StatementFirst ordinary, second holy, both slaughtered outside
12. StatementFirst holy, second ordinary, both slaughtered outside
13. StatementFirst ordinary, second holy, both slaughtered inside
14. StatementFirst holy, second ordinary, both slaughtered inside
15. StatementTwo ordinary animals, the first outside and the second inside
16. StatementBoth sacred, first outside and second inside
17. StatementBoth non-sacred, first inside and second outside
18. StatementBoth sacred, first inside and second outside
19. QuestionWhere do we learn that the rule applies to sacred animals?
20. ResponseThe two פסוקים side by side
21. ChallengeMaybe the rule applies only to sacred animals
22. ResolutionThe word "שור" breaks off the topic
23. ChallengeMaybe the rule applies only to non-sacred animals
24. ResolutionThe letter ו in "ושור" keeps sacred animals included
25. ChallengeIf linked to sacrifices, why does the rule cover mixed breeds?
26. ChallengeA second problem from the word "sheep"