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Kiddushin 42a

קידושין מ״ב ע״א

Learn Kiddushin 42a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Sources for שליחות, the princes' פסוק and the court-appointed guardian for orphans

Overview

The amud opens in the middle of a ברייתא. There, רבי יונתן learns from 'ושחטו אותו כל קהל עדת ישראל' that all of ישראל can be יוצא with one קרבן פסח. So the גמרא asks where he learns שליח בקדשים. It settles on 'ויקחו להם איש שה לבית אבת שה לבית', whose double wording teaches שליחות even for someone with no share in the offering. It then defends that source: רבי יצחק's rule comes from 'איש לפי אכלו', and רבי יונתן holds a פסח is not slaughtered for one person alone. Next the גמרא asks why רב doesn't learn שליחות from the princes who divided ארץ ישראל. It answers that minors cannot take part in שליחות. A land portion may also be unwanted, so it is not a simple case of זכין לאדם שלא בפניו. Instead the princes teach that בית דין appoints an אפוטרופוס for orphans, who may cause a loss for the sake of a gain. Finally, שמואל rules that grown orphans can protest the court's division, while רב נחמן says they cannot, because of 'מה כח בית דין יפה'. The גמרא challenges רב נחמן from a משנה about judges' appraisals and begins its answer, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

בְּפֶסַח אֶחָד?

[From where do we know all of Israel fulfill their obligation] with one Paschal offering?

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁחֲטוּ אֹתוֹ

As it is said: 'And they shall slaughter it,

כֹּל קְהַל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם״,

the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel, in the afternoon.'

וְכִי כׇּל הַקָּהָל כּוּלָּם שׁוֹחֲטִים?

Does the whole assembly, all of them, slaughter?

The steps (22)

  1. StatementAll of Israel can fulfill their obligation with one Paschal offering
  2. QuestionThen where does רבי יונתן learn agency for offerings?
  3. ResponseFrom the same verse
  4. RejectionRejected: the slaughterer is a partner
  5. ResponseA new source: 'a lamb for a household'
  6. ChallengeSame problem: maybe he is a partner here too
  7. ResolutionTwo verses teach agency even without partnership
  8. ChallengeIsn't the verse needed for רבי יצחק's rule?
  9. Resolutionרבי יצחק's rule comes from 'every man according to his eating'
  10. ChallengeThe phrase is still needed for a Pesach for one person
  11. ResolutionHe holds a Pesach is not slaughtered for one person
  12. ChallengeWhy not learn agency from the tribal princes?
  13. ResolutionThe princes cannot be agents because minors cannot appoint agents
  14. ResolutionThe princes teach acting for someone's benefit when he is not there
  15. ChallengeA land portion may not be a benefit for everyone
  16. ResolutionThe princes teach the court-appointed guardian for orphans
  17. QuestionWhy would a guardian act to their loss?
  18. ResponseA loss that leads to a gain, learned from the princes
  19. Statementשמואל: Orphans who grow up can protest the division
  20. Statementרב נחמן: Orphans who grow up cannot protest
  21. ChallengeDoes רב נחמן really hold this reasoning? A challenge from judges' appraisals
  22. ResolutionNo difficulty: the answer begins