Gemara Clarity

Kiddushin 15b

קידושין ט״ו ע״ב

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

Open Kiddushin 15b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Redeeming an עבד עברי sold to a גוי: רבי's reading of ״בְּאֵלֶּה״ and the ״שָׂכִיר״ ״שָׂכִיר״ link, and the argument over whether redemption by relatives or by others leads to freedom.

Overview

The amud opens with a ברייתא in which רבי rules that an עבד עברי sold to a גוי goes free through his relatives' redemption or at the יובל, not after six years. The גמרא first uses רבי's קל וחומר to suggest that he rejects the גזירה שוה of ״שָׂכִיר״ ״שָׂכִיר״. רב נחמן בר יצחק answers that רבי can accept it, because ״יִגְאָלֶנּוּ״ limits redemption by relatives to the slave sold to a גוי. Next, the גמרא brings רבי יוסי הגלילי and רבי עקיבא, who argue about the slave once he is redeemed. רבי יוסי הגלילי says redemption by relatives sets him free, while redemption by others makes him work for the redeemer. רבי עקיבא says the opposite. The גמרא tries to ground their argument in the wording of the פסוק, then in the order of the cases in the פסוק, and finally settles on logic. Strangers would not redeem him if he went free, and a slave would keep selling himself if his relatives always freed him. רבי יוחנן adds that the חכמים, identified as רבי, hold that every redemption sets the slave free. The amud ends as the גמרא begins quoting a ברייתא that explains how רבי uses ״וְיָצָא בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל״.

Opening lines

״וְאִם לֹא יִגָּאֵל בְּאֵלֶּה״

"And if he is not redeemed by these"

רַבִּי אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi says:

בְּאֵלֶּה הוּא נִגְאָל,

Through these he is redeemed,

וְאֵין נִגְאָל בְּשֵׁשׁ.

and he is not redeemed after six.

The steps (21)

  1. Statementרבי: The slave sold to a gentile goes free only through his relatives
  2. Statementרבי's reasoning: a logical argument the verse blocks
  3. ProofProof that רבי rejects the ״שָׂכִיר״ ״שָׂכִיר״ link
  4. Rejectionרב נחמן בר יצחק: רבי can accept the link, but ״יִגְאָלֶנּוּ״ limits redemption
  5. QuestionWhich תנא disagrees with רבי?
  6. Responseרבי יוסי הגלילי and רבי עקיבא argue about freedom or work
  7. QuestionWhat is רבי יוסי הגלילי's source?
  8. ResponseTwo ways to read ״אִם לֹא יִגָּאֵל בְּאֵלֶּה״
  9. ChallengeThe פסוק does not say 'only by these'
  10. ResolutionA new basis: three kinds of redemption in one פסוק
  11. ResolutionRead the middle case with what comes before or after
  12. QuestionWhy does the פסוק need the word ״באלה״?
  13. ResponseWithout ״באלה״ every redemption would bring freedom
  14. ChallengeThe old difficulty against רבי עקיבא comes back
  15. ResolutionThey argue based on logic: רבי יוסי הגלילי's reason
  16. Resolutionרבי עקיבא's logic: the slave would keep selling himself
  17. StatementThe חכמים say every redemption leads to freedom
  18. QuestionWho are the חכמים?
  19. ResponseThe חכמים are רבי, who reads the פסוק in both directions
  20. QuestionWhat does רבי learn from ״וְיָצָא בִּשְׁנַת הַיֹּבֵל״?
  21. Responseרבי needs it for a teaching in a ברייתא