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Kiddushin 38b

קידושין ל״ח ע״ב

Learn Kiddushin 38b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Which מצוות apply outside ארץ ישראל: the exceptions of השמטת כספים and שילוח עבדים, and the argument over the 'הלכה' that forbids ערלה outside the Land.

Overview

The amud opens with a rule: מצוות commanded before entering ארץ ישראל apply everywhere, and those commanded after entering apply only in the Land. The exceptions are השמטת כספים and שילוח עבדים. The גמרא asks why these two needed to be listed, since each is a חובת הגוף. For money-release, it answers that רבי links it to land-release, but only in time and not in place, because 'כי קרא שמטה לה׳' teaches that it applies everywhere. For freeing slaves, 'יובל היא' teaches that it applies everywhere. The word 'בארץ' teaches that it applies only when יובל is in force in the Land. Next comes a משנה: חדש is forbidden everywhere by the תורה, ערלה outside the Land by a 'הלכה', and כלאים by the סופרים. שמואל says that 'הלכה' means local practice, and רבי יוחנן says it means a הלכה למשה מסיני. עולא argues that his view explains why ספק ערלה is treated more strictly than ספק כלאים outside the Land, and he begins to challenge רב יהודה. That challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

כׇּל מִצְוָה שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל

Any מצוה that Israel was commanded

קוֹדֶם כְּנִיסָתָן לָאָרֶץ –

before their entry into the Land

נוֹהֶגֶת בֵּין בָּאָרֶץ

applies both in the Land

בֵּין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ.

and outside the Land.

The steps (17)

  1. StatementThe general rule: מצוות before and after entering the Land
  2. ChallengeWhy list debt cancellation at all?
  3. Resolutionרבי's teaching links debt release to land release
  4. ChallengeWhy not link it by place instead of time?
  5. ResolutionThe פסוק says debt release applies everywhere
  6. ChallengeWhy say that freeing slaves applies everywhere?
  7. ResolutionThe words 'בארץ' could mislead, so 'יובל היא' teaches everywhere
  8. QuestionThen why does the verse say 'in the land'?
  9. ResponseFreedom outside the Land follows freedom in the Land
  10. StatementA משנה: new grain, ערלה, and כלאים outside the Land
  11. QuestionWhat does 'הלכה' mean?
  12. Responseשמואל: it is the local practice
  13. Responseרבי יוחנן: it is a הלכה למשה מסיני
  14. Challengeעולא: my view explains why doubtful ערלה and doubtful כלאים differ
  15. ProofThe משנה on uncertain ערלה
  16. ProofThe contrasting משנה on uncertain כלאים
  17. ChallengeTurning the question on רב יהודה