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Kereisos 26a

כריתות כ״ו ע״א

Keritot 26a

Learn Kereisos 26a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The limits of יום הכפורים's atonement: known sins, מלקות, doubtful cases of טומאה, and sins discovered after יום הכפורים

Overview

The גמרא gives a simple source for why a known sinner still brings his חטאת after יום הכפורים: יום הכפורים atones only for a sin that only the מקום knows about. רבא then rules that someone who owes מלקות is still lashed after יום הכפורים. A משנה seems to say otherwise, and the גמרא answers that the משנה speaks of someone who was not warned. Next the גמרא tests the principle on a series of doubtful cases: the יולדת, the מצורע, the נזיר, the סוטה and the עגלה ערופה. Each time it explains why יום הכפורים does not exempt them. Some קרבנות come for טומאה or to permit eating קדשים, not for atonement. In other cases someone does know about the sin, or a פסוק demands a special atonement. Finally, the גמרא asks why a person who finds out about his sin after יום הכפורים must still bring a חטאת. After a long back-and-forth about the word 'knowing' written for the יחיד, the נשיא and the צבור, it learns this from the extra word by the נשיא. אביי then begins to challenge that proof, and his argument continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לְמִפְשְׁטַהּ לָא מִדְּרַב דִּימִי

To resolve it, not from the teaching of רב דימי

וְלָא מִדְּאַבַּיֵּי,

and not from that of אביי,

אֶלָּא מֵהָא:

rather, from this:

חֵטְא שֶׁאֵין מַכִּיר בּוֹ אֶלָּא הַמָּקוֹם –

a sin that no one is aware of except the Omnipresent —

The steps (45)

  1. ProofA simpler source: יום הכפורים atones only for sins only ה׳ knows about
  2. StatementSomeone who owes מלקות still gets them after יום הכפורים
  3. ChallengeWhy say this? It is the same as sin and guilt offerings
  4. ResolutionWe might have thought bodily punishment is different from a money obligation
  5. ChallengeA משנה seems to say יום הכפורים atones even for prohibitions
  6. ResolutionWarned versus not warned
  7. ChallengeChallenge from a woman unsure if she owes a birth offering
  8. Resolutionיום הכפורים atones for sins, not for impurity
  9. ChallengeWhat about the view that a יולדת is a sinner?
  10. ResolutionHer קרבן lets her eat קדשים; it is not for atonement
  11. Proofרב אשי brings support from the משנה
  12. ChallengeThen a ספק מצורע should not bring his קרבן
  13. ResolutionSins, not טומאה
  14. ChallengeBut צרעת comes because of sins
  15. ResolutionThe מצורע's קרבן lets him eat קדשים
  16. ChallengeWhat about a ספק נזיר after יום הכפורים?
  17. Resolutionיום הכפורים atones for sins, not טומאה
  18. ChallengeBut one view calls the נזיר a sinner
  19. ResolutionThe נזיר's offering permits him to eat קדשים
  20. ChallengeWhat about a ספק סוטה after יום הכפורים?
  21. ResolutionFirst answer: sins, not impurities
  22. ResolutionSecond answer: the other man knows
  23. ResolutionThird answer: the סוטה's offering clarifies the sin
  24. ChallengeWhat about an עגלה ערופה after יום הכפורים?
  25. ResolutionThe murderer himself knows
  26. ResolutionThe land gets atonement only one way
  27. ResolutionThe atonement reaches back to יציאת מצרים
  28. ChallengeWhy bring a חטאת if the sin is discovered after יום הכפורים?
  29. ResolutionThe תורה writes 'knowing' three times
  30. RejectionEach mention of 'knowing' is needed on its own
  31. ChallengeSuggestion: write 'knowing' only by the נשיא
  32. RejectionThe individual cannot be learned from the נשיא
  33. RejectionThe community cannot be learned from the נשיא
  34. ChallengeSuggestion: write 'knowing' only by the community
  35. RejectionThe individual and the נשיא cannot be learned from the community
  36. ChallengeLearn the individual's 'knowing' from the other two
  37. RejectionThe individual is different: he brings a קרבן for שמיעת קול
  38. ChallengeLearn the community's 'knowing' from the individual and the נשיא
  39. RejectionThe community never brings a female animal
  40. ChallengeLearn the נשיא's 'knowing' from the individual and the community
  41. RejectionThe שמיעת קול objection fails: the individual proves it
  42. RejectionThe female-offering difference does not block the learning either
  43. ChallengeSo why does the Torah write 'knowing' by the נשיא?
  44. ResolutionThe extra word teaches the case of finding out after יום הכפורים
  45. Rejectionאביי: the נשיא could not have been learned from the others