Gemara Clarity

Chullin 89a

חולין פ״ט ע״א

Learn Chullin 89a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Chullin 89a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The reward for אברהם's refusal of the spoils, teachings on humility, and whether dust of an עיר הנדחת may be used for כיסוי הדם (מצוות לאו ליהנות ניתנו).

Overview

The amud opens with a reward for אברהם. He refused even 'a thread or a shoe strap' from the king of סדום, so his children received the thread of תכלת and the strap of תפילין. רבי מאיר explains that תכלת's color leads the mind to the כסא הכבוד. רבי אבא learns from the same story that stolen food that was eaten is very hard to return. The גמרא then gathers teachings on humility. ה׳ loves ישראל because its great leaders, אברהם, משה and אהרן, and דוד, made themselves small, while the nations' rulers grew proud. Several sages teach that the world stands in the merit of the humble, and רבי יצחק says a person should stay silent except for words of Torah, without becoming proud. The גמרא then returns to כיסוי הדם. רבי זעירא allows covering the blood with dust of an עיר הנדחת. זעירי explains that he means ground dust that was never forbidden, and רבא says doing a מצוה is not 'benefit'. Challenges from a שופר and a לולב of עבודה זרה lead to רב אשי's answer, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

״אִם מִחוּט וְעַד שְׂרוֹךְ נַעַל״,

"Not even a thread or a shoe strap"

זָכוּ בָּנָיו לִשְׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת:

his children merited two מצוות:

לְחוּט שֶׁל תְּכֵלֶת,

the thread of sky-blue wool,

וּרְצוּעָה שֶׁל תְּפִילִּין.

and the strap of tefillin.

The steps (23)

  1. StatementTwo מצוות as a reward for refusing a thread and a strap
  2. QuestionWhat is special about the thread of תכלת?
  3. Responseתכלת reminds us of the כסא הכבוד
  4. StatementStolen food that was eaten is hard to return
  5. StatementListen closely to the aggadic teachings of רבי אליעזר בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי
  6. Statementה׳ loves ישראל because they stay humble when given greatness
  7. ProofExamples of Jewish leaders who humbled themselves
  8. ProofIn contrast, the nations' rulers became arrogant when given greatness
  9. StatementThe humility of משה and אהרן was greater than that of אברהם
  10. StatementThe world stands because of משה and אהרן
  11. StatementThe world stands on one who holds himself back in a fight
  12. StatementThe world stands on one who sees himself as nothing
  13. StatementBe silent, but speak Torah and stay humble
  14. StatementCovering blood with dust of an עיר הנדחת
  15. ChallengeBut benefit from it is forbidden
  16. ResolutionHe means the city's own ground dust
  17. Resolutionרבא: Doing a מצוה is not called getting benefit
  18. ChallengeChallenge from a שופר of עבודה זרה
  19. ResolutionAnswer: only not at the start, but it counts after the fact
  20. ChallengeSecond challenge from a לולב of עבודה זרה
  21. ResolutionSame answer: the לולב counts after the fact
  22. ChallengeA ברייתא says clearly that it does not count
  23. Resolutionרב אשי: Those cases cannot be compared