Chullin 87b

חולין פ״ז ע״ב

Learn Chullin 87b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 87b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Blood mixtures: when blood is cancelled for קרבנות and כיסוי, שמואל's 'reddish look' rule, blood plasma, and the liquids of a מת

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה about blood that needs כיסוי הדם getting mixed with other blood, where רבי יהודה says blood never cancels blood. The משנה then rules that spurted blood and blood on the knife must be covered, and רבי יהודה limits this to when no other blood is there. The גמרא quotes a matching משנה in זבחים about sacrificial blood mixed with water, wine, or other blood. רבי יוחנן says that משנה applies only when water fell into blood; if blood fell into water, each drop is cancelled as it lands. רב פפא adds that for כיסוי this cancelling is not permanent, since there is no דחוי for מצוות. שמואל teaches that any reddish mixture counts as blood for atonement, הכשר, and כיסוי, and the גמרא works out that his new point is about rainwater that fell into blood by itself. Later אמוראים and a ברייתא apply this to blood plasma: it can make food susceptible, eating it carries כרת, and from a מת it is מטמא באהל. Finally, the גמרא quotes a teaching that a מת's liquids are טהור except blood, and begins to challenge it from a משנה about a טבול יום, a challenge that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. StatementBlood mixed with other blood: treat it like water
2. StatementSpurted blood and blood on the knife must be covered
3. Statementרבי יהודה limits the rule about spurted blood
4. StatementThe matching משנה in זבחים about sacrificial blood
5. Statementרבי יוחנן: only when water fell into blood
6. StatementFor covering blood, being pushed aside is not permanent
7. StatementAny reddish mixture counts as blood in three ways
8. ChallengeWhy say this? Two of the rules are already in a משנה
9. ResolutionThe new point is 'makes food susceptible'
10. ChallengeEither way it makes food susceptible, so why say it?
11. ResolutionThe case is blood mixed with rainwater
12. ChallengePutting rainwater in on purpose makes it count
13. ResolutionThe rainwater got mixed in by itself
14. StatementThe rule refers to blood plasma
15. StatementEating plasma can carry the punishment of כרת
16. StatementPlasma from a dead body makes a tent טמא
17. StatementLiquids from a dead body are טהור except its blood
18. ChallengeCan a dead body's liquids really be טהור?