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Kereisos 22a

כריתות כ״ב ע״א

Keritot 22a

Learn Kereisos 22a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Kereisos 22a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which blood is forbidden: human blood, heart blood, bloodletting life-blood and דם התמצית; then a doubt of מעילה and the אשם תלוי

Overview

This amud first finishes the discussion of human blood. Blood that has left the body (פירש) is forbidden, but blood still in the body, like blood between the teeth, is permitted. A second version places רב ששת's statement, that there is not even a מצוה to stay away from human blood, on a ברייתא that uses the פסוק "וזה לכם הטמא" to permit human milk and blood. Next, רב says that the blood inside an animal's heart brings כרת. The גמרא defends this by separating the heart's own soaked-in blood from blood the dying heart pulls in from the body. רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש then argue about which bloodletting blood counts as life-blood: only spurting blood, or all red blood from the black drop onward. Their argument turns out to match a disagreement between תנאים, and it decides the case of blood caught in two cups. רבי יהודה makes a person liable for דם התמצית, but he agrees it cannot bring כפרה, as a ברייתא in the ספרא shows. Finally, a new משנה brings the argument of רבי עקיבא, the חכמים and רבי טרפון about an אשם תלוי for a doubt of מעילה.

Opening lines

דְּפֵירַשׁ.

where it separated.

כִּי קָאָמַר רַב –

When Rav said

בִּדְלָא פֵּירַשׁ,

it was where it did not separate,

כִּדְתַנְיָא: דָּם שֶׁעַל גַּבֵּי כִּכָּר –

As it is taught: blood that is on a loaf,

The steps (32)

  1. ResolutionSeparated blood versus blood that never left the body
  2. ProofSupport from blood on bread and between the teeth
  3. StatementSecond version: a logical case to forbid human milk
  4. RejectionThe פסוק permits human milk
  5. ChallengeMaybe human blood is still forbidden
  6. ResolutionThe same פסוק permits human blood
  7. Statementרב ששת: not even a מצוה to stay away
  8. StatementThe משנה about tearing the heart
  9. Statementרב limits the משנה to a bird's heart
  10. ChallengeA ברייתא says heart blood is only a לא תעשה
  11. ResolutionThe heart's own blood versus blood from outside
  12. ChallengeThe heart's own blood is already blood of limbs
  13. RejectionThe same overlap exists with the kidneys
  14. ResolutionA specific case first, then the general rule
  15. QuestionHow does outside blood get into the heart?
  16. ResponseThe dying heart pulls blood in
  17. StatementThe משנה's rule on blood with which the soul departs
  18. Statementרבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש define bloodletting life-blood
  19. ChallengeA ברייתא seems to refute ריש לקיש
  20. ResolutionThe ברייתא only excludes the black blood
  21. ChallengeA second ברייתא seems to refute ריש לקיש
  22. Resolutionריש לקיש answers that this is an argument among תנאים
  23. StatementSpurting blood does not make seeds able to become impure
  24. Questionרבי ירמיה asks about blood caught in two cups
  25. Responseרבי זירא: this is the argument of רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש
  26. Statementרבי יהודה makes one liable for oozing blood
  27. StatementEven רבי יהודה agrees oozing blood does not atone
  28. ProofA ברייתא in the ספרא proves רבי אלעזר right
  29. StatementNew משנה: a doubtful case of misusing holy property
  30. Statementרבי טרפון's one-offering plan
  31. Rejectionרבי עקיבא: the plan only fits small amounts
  32. Conclusionרבי עקיבא agrees for a small misuse