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Kiddushin 51a

קידושין נ״א ע״א

Learn Kiddushin 51a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Testing רבה's rule (what cannot happen one after another cannot happen at once), and the argument between אביי and רבא about קידושין שאין מסורין לביאה

Overview

The גמרא keeps testing רבה's rule that anything which cannot take effect one after another cannot take effect all at once either. It brings three cases that seem to break the rule. The first is someone who separates too much מעשר; regular מעשר can apply to half of each grain. The second is two animals called 'tenth' in מעשר בהמה; that can take effect on several animals through a mistake. The third is a תודה brought with eighty loaves. רבי יהושע בן לוי explains that the argument there is about what the owner meant, not about רבה's rule. The גמרא then asks why רבא used רבה's rule at all, and answers that he was speaking on רמי בר חמא's terms. Next it lays out the argument between אביי and רבא about a קידושין that can never lead to permitted living together. It tests רבא's view against our משנה, and רבא answers back from the end of the same משנה about five women. The discussion of that case continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הַמַּרְבֶּה בַּמַּעֲשֵׂר –

One who separates too much tithe —

פֵּירוֹתָיו מְתוּקָּנִים

his produce is fixed

וּמַעְשְׂרוֹתָיו מְקוּלְקָלִין.

and his tithes are ruined.

וְאַמַּאי? נֵימָא:

But why? Let us say:

The steps (15)

  1. ChallengeChallenge from someone who separates too much tithe
  2. ResolutionTithe can take effect on half a grain
  3. ChallengeChallenge from two animals called 'tenth'
  4. ResolutionAnimal tithe can take effect through a mistake
  5. ProofProof: three mistakenly named animals are all holy
  6. ChallengeThe thanks-offering with eighty loaves
  7. RejectionEveryone agrees when the owner spells it out
  8. ResolutionThe real argument: backup or one big offering
  9. ChallengeWhy did רבא need רבה's rule?
  10. Resolutionרבא was speaking on רמי בר חמא's terms
  11. Statementאביי and רבא argue about betrothal that can never lead to permitted living together
  12. ChallengeChallenge to רבא: betrothing one unnamed woman of a related pair works
  13. Rejectionרבא answers back from the end of the same משנה
  14. QuestionWhat exactly did he say to the five women?
  15. RejectionIf he said 'all of you,' it is like 'you and the donkey'