Horayos 6a

הוריות ו׳ ע״א

Horayot 6a

Learn Horayos 6a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The returnees' sin-offerings in עזרא, whether a communal חטאת can be brought after some of its owners have died, and whose view the ברייתא about a dead community member or judge follows.

Overview

The גמרא finishes its point that a certain חטאת is not eaten. רבי יוסי then brings a similar case from ספר עזרא: the returnees from בבל brought twelve goats as a חטאת, yet the פסוק calls everything an עולה. The answer is that the goats were 'like an עולה' and were not eaten, because they were brought for the עבודה זרה of צדקיהו's time. The גמרא shows how each opinion in the משנה can explain twelve goats. It then asks how a חטאת could be brought when the sinners had died. רב פפא answers that a community never dies, and the גמרא searches for his source, finally showing that many elders of that generation were still alive. It also explains that a חטאת for deliberate sins was allowed only as a one-time ruling, a הוראת שעה. Finally, a ברייתא about a death in the community or in the בית דין leads to a debate between רב, רב יוסף and אביי over whether it follows רבי מאיר or רבי שמעון.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. ConclusionThis sin-offering is also not eaten
2. Statementרבי יוסי quotes the returnees' offerings in עזרא
3. ChallengeHow can a sin-offering be a burnt-offering?
4. ResolutionAll was like a burnt-offering
5. ProofThey were brought for idol worship in צדקיהו's time
6. QuestionHow does each opinion get twelve sin-offerings?
7. ResponseThey sinned twelve separate times
8. ChallengeBut the sinners had already died
9. ResolutionA community never dies, so its חטאת can still be offered
10. QuestionWhere does רב פפא learn this?
11. RejectionThe פסוק about sons taking their fathers' place proves too much
12. ProofProof from the ראש חודש goat paid for by the community
13. RejectionMaybe no one died there; here some surely died
14. ProofProof from the עגלה ערופה prayer, which atones even for those who left מצרים
15. ChallengeThere the living are present; here was anyone alive?
16. ResponseYes, some from the first בית המקדש's time were still alive
17. ChallengeMaybe only a few old people were still alive
18. ResolutionThe weeping was as loud as the shouts of joy
19. ChallengeBut they sinned on purpose
20. ResolutionIt was a special one-time ruling
21. ProofThe unusual numbers of rams and lambs prove it
22. StatementA ברייתא: when someone dies before the offering is brought
23. QuestionWhich תנא taught this?
24. Responseרב: it follows רבי מאיר
25. Challengeרב יוסף: it could also fit רבי שמעון
26. Challengeאביי: רבי שמעון holds a partners' sin-offering is not left to die
27. ProofProof from the lost bull and goat of יום הכפורים
28. Resolutionרב יוסף: priests are different because they are called a congregation