Kiddushin 15a

קידושין ט״ו ע״א

Learn Kiddushin 15a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How the תנא קמא and רבי אלעזר read the פסוקים about a self-seller versus a slave sold by בית דין, and which תנא rejects the 'שכיר' 'שכיר' גזירה שוה

Overview

The גמרא looks at a מחלוקת between the תנא קמא and רבי אלעזר about a man who sold himself as a slave (מוכר עצמו) and a man sold by בית דין. First, using the pattern 'ואידך?', it shows how each side uses the words of the פסוק about רציעה: 'אזנו', 'העבד', and the right-ear גזירה שוה. Next it does the same for the הענקה (severance gift). For the תנא קמא, the word 'לו' leaves out the self-seller. For רבי אלעזר, it keeps the slave's creditor from taking the gift, a point that matters only if one follows רבי נתן. Then it turns to the שפחה כנענית: 'לו' either leaves out the self-seller or teaches that the master can give her even against the slave's will. Here the גמרא explains that the slave's 'night work' is living with the שפחה. The גמרא then searches for a תנא who rejects the 'שכיר' 'שכיר' גזירה שוה. It tries רבי אליעזר בן יעקב, but רב נחמן בר יצחק shows that this proof does not hold. Along the way it explains why the תורה had to teach both that יובל frees the court-sold slave and that it frees the נרצע, and why 'לעולם' means until יובל. Finally it names רבי as the תנא and begins quoting his ברייתא, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (38)

1. ResponseThe other תנא uses 'ear' for a comparison
2. ProofThe ברייתא: piercing is on the right ear
3. ResponseThe תנא קמא: why 'his ear' and not just 'ear'?
4. ResponseThe other תנא: 'his ear' excludes a maidservant
5. ResponseThe תנא קמא learns 'not a maidservant' from 'the slave'
6. ResponseThe other תנא: he must ask while still a slave
7. ResponseWhere the first תנא learns 'while still a slave'
8. ConclusionThe other תנא does not learn from 'the slave'
9. QuestionWhy a self-seller gets no severance gift
10. Response'To him' leaves out the self-seller
11. ResponseThe other תנא: 'to him, not his heirs'
12. ChallengeA slave is like a hired worker, so his heirs should get it
13. Resolution'To him, not to his creditor'
14. ResponseWhy the creditor needs to be excluded: רבי נתן's rule
15. ResponseSo 'לו' comes to exclude the creditor
16. ResponseWhy the first תנא doesn't need this
17. QuestionWhy no שפחה כנענית for a self-seller?
18. Response'לו' in the פסוק of the wife
19. ResponseThe other opinion: 'לו' means against his will
20. ResponseThe first תנא learns 'against his will' from another פסוק
21. ProofThe ברייתא: a slave works day and night
22. ChallengeCan a slave really work day and night?
23. ResolutionThe night work is the שפחה כנענית
24. ResponseWhy רבי אלעזר still needs the word ׳לו׳
25. QuestionWho does not learn the ״שָׂכִיר״ ״שָׂכִיר״ link?
26. Responseרבי אליעזר בן יעקב: יובל frees the slave sold by בית דין
27. ProofHis need for a פסוק shows he rejects the link
28. Rejectionרב נחמן בר יצחק: the פסוק was needed anyway
29. QuestionWhere is the pierced slave's release already stated?
30. ResponseA ברייתא shows the פסוק is about a pierced slave
31. QuestionHow do we know the פסוק means the pierced slave?
32. ResponseThe word 'man' points to piercing
33. StatementWhy the court-sold case alone was not enough
34. ConclusionWhy the pierced case alone was not enough, so both are needed
35. StatementBoth 'And you shall return' and 'forever' are needed, part one
36. ConclusionBoth are needed, part two: 'forever' means until יובל
37. QuestionThen who does not learn 'hired worker' from 'hired worker'?
38. ResponseIt is רבי, as a ברייתא teaches