Kiddushin 40a

קידושין מ׳ ע״א

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Topic

Resisting sin, reward and punishment for deeds and thoughts, and the severity of חילול השם

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a story about a sage who came through a dangerous night safely. The רבנן explain that whoever escapes a sin of ערוה gets a miracle, and they tell how רבי צדוק sat in a burning oven and רב כהנא jumped from a roof rather than sin. Then רבא challenges רב נחמן: the משנה in פאה lists only a few מצוות that pay 'fruits' in this world, so why is שילוח הקן missing? The answer is that the list holds only מצוות that are good to people as well as to Heaven. The גמרא teaches that a זכות earns principal and fruits, while an עבירה earns fruits only if it causes further results. A good thought is credited as a deed. A bad thought is not, unless it leads to action or involves עבודה זרה. The amud ends with teachings on how severe public חילול השם is: sinning privately is less bad, אין מקיפין בחילול השם, and a new ברייתא begins with 'Always', continuing on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (41)

1. StatementThe sage says royal guards protected him all night
2. ProofEscaping a sin of ערוה brings a miracle
3. StatementThe פסוק about the 'mighty in strength' points to רבי צדוק
4. Statementרבי צדוק stalls by asking for food
5. Statementרבי צדוק sits in the burning oven
6. Statementרב כהנא jumps off the roof and אליהו catches him
7. StatementPoverty caused the danger, so אליהו gives him money
8. Challengeרבא begins a contradiction with the משנה in פאה
9. ProofPesukim for honoring parents and doing kindness
10. ProofMaking peace is linked to kindness through the word 'pursue'
11. Proofפסוק for Torah study
12. ChallengeWhy isn't sending away the mother bird on the list?
13. ResolutionThe תנא listed some and left some out
14. RejectionBut the משנה says 'these are the things'
15. Resolutionרבא brings רב אידי's question on a פסוק
16. ResponseGood to Heaven and to people
17. QuestionA matching question about the bad רשע
18. ResponseBad to Heaven and bad to people
19. StatementMerit earns principal and fruits; sin earns only principal
20. ChallengeA פסוק says sinners eat fruits too
21. ResolutionA sin that produces fruits has fruits
22. StatementA good thought is joined to action
23. QuestionWhat does 'those who think of His name' mean?
24. ResponsePlanned a מצוה but was prevented: credited as done
25. Statementה׳ does not join a bad thought to the deed
26. ChallengeChallenge from the verse about 'the fruit of their thoughts'
27. ResolutionA thought that bears fruit is joined to the deed
28. ChallengeChallenge from 'to catch Israel in their heart'
29. Resolutionרב אחא בר יעקב: that verse is about עבודה זרה
30. Resolutionעולא explains the verse through רב הונא's teaching
31. ChallengeCan a sin really become permitted?
32. ResolutionIt becomes like something permitted
33. StatementBetter to sin privately than desecrate ה׳'s name publicly
34. Statementרבי אלעאי's advice to someone overwhelmed by his desire
35. ChallengeA ברייתא says sinning in secret shows no care for ה׳'s honor
36. ResolutionTwo different people: one who can control himself and one who cannot
37. StatementThe משנה: no credit for חילול השם
38. QuestionWhat does אין מקיפין mean?
39. Responseמר זוטרא‎: ה׳ is not like a storekeeper who gives credit
40. Responseמר בריה דרבנא: חילול השם tips a balanced scale
41. StatementA new ברייתא begins with the word 'Always'