Kiddushin 54b

קידושין נ״ד ע״ב

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Topic

רבי מאיר's rule on misused הקדש, and how unnamed משניות decide the הלכה on מעשר שני and הקדש

Overview

The amud opens by settling an earlier contradiction: two תנאים report רבי יהודה's view differently. עולא, quoting בר פדא, then gives רבי מאיר's rule: הקדש misused on purpose loses its holiness, but misused by accident it does not, except with regard to a קרבן. The גמרא asks why a קרבן would be owed if nothing changed, so רבין gives a better version: accidental misuse removes holiness only when the item was eaten. Next, רב נחמן rules that the הלכה follows רבי מאיר on מעשר שני and רבי יהודה on הקדש, because an unnamed משנה matches each view. The גמרא finds both sources: בית הלל's view on a כרם רבעי shows they hold like רבי מאיר, and the storekeeper case in מעילה matches רבי יהודה. It then tests the ruling with unnamed משניות that seem to follow רבי יהודה on מעשר. Two are deflected, one with the case of טבל and one with the case of a סמדר, but the third, about a buyer who pulled מעשר שני, really does follow רבי יהודה. In the end רב נחמן בר יצחק explains that the הלכה follows רבי מאיר because a משנה in מסכת עדויות, 'the chosen tractate,' agrees with him.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. ResolutionTwo תנאים disagree about רבי יהודה's view
2. Statementעולא's version of רבי מאיר's rule on misused הקדש
3. ChallengeWhy owe an offering if nothing changed?
4. Resolutionרבין's better version: only when eaten
5. Statementרב נחמן's ruling: רבי מאיר on מעשר, רבי יהודה on הקדש
6. QuestionWhich unnamed משנה follows רבי מאיר on מעשר?
7. ResponseThe משנה about a fourth-year vineyard
8. Responseבית הלל learn כרם רבעי from מעשר through 'holy'
9. Proofבית הלל must follow רבי מאיר's view of מעשר
10. QuestionWhich unnamed משנה follows רבי יהודה on הקדש?
11. ResponseThe storekeeper who unknowingly spends הקדש money
12. ChallengeBut a משנה seems to follow רבי יהודה on מעשר too
13. ProofWhy the gift case cannot be רבי מאיר
14. RejectionThe gift was given while the produce was still טבל
15. ChallengeA new challenge from redeeming נטע רבעי received as a gift
16. ProofWhy the נטע רבעי gift case seems to be רבי יהודה
17. RejectionThe gift was given while the fruit was only a bud
18. ChallengeAnother משנה: the buyer who pulled מעשר שני
19. ProofHoly property needs payment, so this must be רבי יהודה
20. ResolutionOne unattributed משנה against two
21. ChallengeWhy should counting matter?
22. ConclusionThe הלכה follows רבי מאיר because of the chosen tractate