Gemara Clarity

Kiddushin 53a

קידושין נ״ג ע״א

Learn Kiddushin 53a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Kiddushin 53a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Using a כהן's share of קרבנות, or מעשר שני, for קידושין, and the פסוקים that show why these cannot be used.

Overview

רבי יוחנן reports that the Sages voted and ruled that a כהן cannot make קידושין with his share of any קרבן. רב says the matter is still in dispute. אביי supports רבי יוחנן with a long ברייתא from the ספרא. Step by step, it teaches that כהנים may never trade their shares: not between different kinds of קרבנות, not between מנחות of the same kind, and not even in קדשים קלים. Since an unnamed ספרא follows רבי יהודה, even he agrees, which shows the dispute was settled. רבא tries to support רב from a ברייתא about greedy כהנים who 'take shares'. The גמרא answers that this means snatching, and explains the nickname 'בן חמצן' from two פסוקים. The גמרא then turns to the משנה about מעשר שני. It finds a source in the words 'קודש לה׳' and defends it against challenges from תרומת מעשר, חלה, שביעית and תרומה.

Opening lines

נִמְנוּ וְגָמְרוּ:

They counted and concluded:

הַמְקַדֵּשׁ בְּחֶלְקוֹ,

One who betroths a woman with his portion,

בֵּין קׇדְשֵׁי קֳדָשִׁים

whether from the most holy offerings

וּבֵין קֳדָשִׁים קַלִּים –

or from the offerings of lesser holiness –

The steps (31)

  1. StatementThe Sages voted: a כהן's portion cannot be used for קידושין
  2. Statementרב says the question was never settled
  3. Proofאביי sides with רבי יוחנן and starts quoting a ברייתא
  4. ChallengeMaybe מנחות can be traded for birds
  5. ResolutionA פסוק forbids trading מנחות for birds too
  6. ChallengeMaybe birds can be traded for animals
  7. Resolution"And on a griddle" forbids trading birds for animals
  8. ChallengeMaybe meal-offerings can be traded for other meal-offerings
  9. ResolutionThe פסוק says every meal-offering belongs to all the כהנים
  10. ChallengeMaybe griddle can be traded for griddle, and pan for pan
  11. ResolutionThe word "dry" shows that even identical types can't be traded
  12. ChallengeMaybe offerings of lesser holiness can be traded
  13. ResolutionThe נסמך פסוק of תודה shows lesser offerings are the same
  14. StatementAn adult כהן gets a share even with a blemish, a minor does not
  15. QuestionWhose view is an unnamed ספרא?
  16. ConclusionIt is רבי יהודה, so רבי יוחנן's report is proven
  17. Proofרבא brings a ברייתא that seems to support רב
  18. Rejection'Taking shares' really means snatching
  19. StatementA פסוק showing that 'חומץ' means a grabber
  20. StatementA second פסוק for the meaning of 'חמוץ'
  21. StatementThe משנה about betrothing with מעשר שני
  22. QuestionWhat is the source for רבי מאיר's rule?
  23. Response'It is the Lord's' and not for betrothing a woman
  24. ChallengeChallenge from תרומת מעשר
  25. Resolutionתרומת מעשר does not say 'לַה׳'
  26. ChallengeChallenge from חלה, which is also 'given to ה׳'
  27. Resolutionחלה is not called 'holy'
  28. ChallengeChallenge from שביעית produce, which is called 'holy'
  29. Resolutionשביעית produce is not called 'to ה׳'
  30. ChallengeChallenge from a פסוק that says 'holy to ה׳' near תרומה
  31. ResolutionThat פסוק is about the Jewish people, not תרומה