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Kereisos 18a

כריתות י״ח ע״א

Keritot 18a

Learn Kereisos 18a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Kereisos 18a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

When an uncertain sin requires an אשם תלוי: רב's rule of two pieces versus one piece, רב נחמן's 'established prohibition', and the opposing views of רבי אליעזר and רבי מאיר.

Overview

The amud asks when a doubt about a sin requires an אשם תלוי (a provisional guilt offering). First, two sources that seem to go against רבי זירא are answered: each one follows רבי אליעזר. Next, רב teaches that if a person ate one of two pieces, one חלב and one שומן, he brings an אשם תלוי, but a single doubtful piece does not require one. רב נחמן explains that with two pieces the prohibition was 'established.' The גמרא shows how this reason differs from רבא's and רבי זירא's. רבא then challenges רב נחמן three times, and each source is assigned to רבי אליעזר or to רבי מאיר, who do not require an established prohibition. רב then places the case of eating a single doubtful piece inside the dispute between רבי אליעזר and the חכמים. רב אשי explains that even רבי אליעזר needs some real doubt. Finally, a ברייתא lists cases of two pieces eaten in different orders, by mistake or on purpose, and by one person or two. The גמרא asks whose view its last ruling follows, and רב אשי's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֵיתִיבֵיהּ: סָפֵק בֶּן תִּשְׁעָה לָרִאשׁוֹן

They challenged him: If it is uncertain whether the child is a nine-month child of the first husband

אוֹ בֶּן שִׁבְעָה לָאַחֲרוֹן –

or a seven-month child of the latter one

יוֹצִיא, וְהַוָּלָד כָּשֵׁר,

he must divorce her, and the child is of good lineage,

וְחַיָּיב בְּאָשָׁם תָּלוּי.

and he is obligated to bring a provisional guilt offering.

The steps (26)

  1. ChallengeObjection from the case of the child who may be from either husband
  2. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבי אליעזר
  3. ChallengeObjection from blood found after relations
  4. ResolutionThis source also follows רבי אליעזר
  5. Statementרב's rule: two pieces versus one piece
  6. Questionרב נחמן asks for רב's reason
  7. ResponseWith two pieces the prohibition was established
  8. QuestionIs there any difference between the two reasons?
  9. ResponseThe case of the non-Jew eating the first piece
  10. ChallengeChallenge from a כוי
  11. Resolutionרבי אליעזר does not need an established prohibition
  12. ChallengeChallenge from the doubtful birth after יבום
  13. ResolutionThis source also follows רבי אליעזר
  14. Challengeרבא's final challenge: blood found after time passed
  15. Resolutionרב נחמן's answer after רבא left: it follows רבי מאיר
  16. ProofProof of רבי מאיר's view: slaughtering an אשם תלוי outside
  17. QuestionWhy not just say רבי אליעזר?
  18. Responseרבי מאיר follows רבי אליעזר's approach
  19. StatementOne uncertain piece brings us to a known dispute
  20. ChallengeWhy did רב need the person to eat it?
  21. Resolutionרבי אליעזר follows בבא בן בוטא: wait for a real doubt
  22. StatementTwo pieces: the Jew eats first, someone else eats second
  23. StatementReverse order: the גוי eats first, and רבי disagrees
  24. StatementMixing mistake and on-purpose eating of the two pieces
  25. StatementTwo people each eat one piece by mistake
  26. ChallengeWhose view is this ruling?