Kesubos 76b

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Ketubot 76b

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Topic

Who carries the burden of proof in a doubtful case: two reports of שמואל's rule, tested against the כלה משנה and the needle ברייתא

Overview

The amud opens in the middle of a discussion about שמואל's ruling that, in a doubtful trade, the donkey owner must bring proof even though he holds the cow. The גמרא tests whether the משנה of a כלה found with blemishes really supports this. First the proof from כלה בבית אביה is challenged. Then רבי אבא's version from כלה בבית חמיה is challenged too. רב נחמן בר יצחק finally bases the proof on the father keeping the קידושין money, a proof that works according to all views. A ברייתא about a needle found in an animal's stomach then challenges שמואל, and the defense does not fit the ברייתא's general wording. So רמי בר יחזקאל rejects his brother יהודה's report and says שמואל's real rule is: whoever had possession when the doubt arose must bring proof. The needle ברייתא is challenged against this rule as well, and it is explained as a butcher who already paid, since normally no one hands over an animal before payment. The amud ends by turning to the חכמים's view that the משנה's rule applies only to hidden blemishes, introducing a statement of רב נחמן.

Opening lines

The steps (16)

1. ChallengeThe case of a bride in her father's house is not comparable
2. Resolutionרבי אבא: the proof is from a bride in her father-in-law's house
3. ChallengeStill not comparable: the husband breaks a חזקה
4. Resolutionרב נחמן בר יצחק: the proof is from the קידושין money
5. ResolutionThe proof works even for the view that קידושין money is given to be lost
6. ChallengeA teaching about a needle found in an animal's stomach
7. ChallengeWhy doesn't the animal's owner have to bring proof?
8. ResolutionThe butcher had not paid yet
9. ChallengeBut the teaching gives no such limit
10. Statementרמי בר יחזקאל gives the true version of שמואל's rule
11. ProofThe משנה about a bride supports this rule
12. ChallengeThe needle case seems to contradict the new rule
13. ResolutionThe ברייתא means the butcher already paid
14. ChallengeWhy does the ברייתא state it without limits?
15. ResolutionNormally no one hands over an animal before payment
16. StatementThe חכמים limit the rule to hidden blemishes