Gemara Clarity

Chullin 88b

חולין פ״ח ע״ב

Learn Chullin 88b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 88b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

כיסוי הדם: which materials may cover the blood, and רבא's teachings on אברהם's "dust and ashes"

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא about כיסוי הדם. The word "וכסהו" includes fine materials like sawdust, lime and crushed brick, and the word "בעפר" leaves out coarse materials, metal filings and flour. Anything that is a type of earth is valid. רב מרי explains why we do not read the פסוק as a כלל ופרט, which would allow only real earth. רב נחמן בר רב חסדא teaches that the material must be something seeds can grow in. רבא calls that rule nonsense, but רב נחמן בר יצחק defends it from a ברייתא: a traveler in the desert grinds a gold coin instead of using sand, and a traveler on a ship burns his garment for ash. Gold counts because a פסוק calls it עפר, and ash counts because of בית הלל's proof in their argument with בית שמאי. A ברייתא then adds more valid materials. Finally, רבא teaches that אברהם's words "I am dust and ashes" earned his children אפר פרה and עפר סוטה. His second teaching about אברהם begins at the end of the amud and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וּנְסוֹרֶת שֶׁל חָרָשִׁין דַּקָּה,

and fine sawdust of carpenters,

וְסִיד, וְחַרְסִית

and lime, and crushed potsherd,

לְבָנָה וּמְגוּפָה שֶׁכְּתָשָׁן?

a brick and a barrel lid that one crushed?

תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְכִסָּהוּ״.

The verse says: "and cover it."

The steps (19)

  1. Statement"And cover it" includes fine materials
  2. Statement"With earth" excludes coarse and unsuitable materials
  3. QuestionWhy include these and exclude those?
  4. ResponseWhatever is a type of earth is included
  5. ChallengeWhy not read the verse as כלל ופרט?
  6. ResolutionA general term that needs its detail
  7. StatementOnly covering material that can grow seeds
  8. Challengeרבא rejects the teaching as nonsense
  9. ProofDefending the rule with a ברייתא about travelers
  10. QuestionHow does a gold coin count as earth?
  11. ResponseA פסוק calls gold dust
  12. Statementבית שמאי: only real earth
  13. Proofבית הלל: ash is called earth
  14. Rejectionבית שמאי: only "earth of burning," not plain earth
  15. StatementMore materials that may be used to cover the blood
  16. Statementאברהם's humility earned two מצוות of dust and ash
  17. ChallengeWhy not count the earth used to cover blood?
  18. ResolutionCovering the blood gives no real benefit
  19. Statementרבא begins another teaching about אברהם's words