Kiddushin 55b

קידושין נ״ה ע״ב

Learn Kiddushin 55b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How to handle an animal found near ירושלים that may be a קרבן: רבי יוחנן's method of waiting for a מום, and why a found male is treated as an עולה and not as a תודה, אשם or פסח.

Overview

This amud deals with animals found near ירושלים that may have been set aside as קרבנות. רבי יוחנן objects to רבי אושעיא's explanation, because we never tell a person to sin so that he can gain. Instead, he says to wait until the animal gets a מום, then bring two animals with a condition that covers both עולה and שלמים. The גמרא then asks why a found male is assumed to be an עולה. It answers the possibilities one by one: a תודה is covered by also bringing a תודה with its bread, an אשם is ruled out by age or because the special cases are rare, a פסח is guarded in its season and counts as a שלמים out of season, and a בכור or מעשר makes no practical difference. Next it asks the same about found females, which are assumed to be שלמים. A תודה is covered the same way, and a חטאת is ruled out because the found animal is in its second year and an over-age חטאת is rare. For a goat found in its first year, אביי explains חנניא בן חכינאי's ברייתא: the goat is treated like a חטאת and locked away until it dies. Finally, the גמרא begins a new ברייתא forbidding the purchase of an animal with מעשר שני money, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. Challengeרבי יוחנן objects: we don't tell someone to sin for his own gain
2. Statementרבי יוחנן's method: wait for a blemish, then bring two animals with a condition
3. StatementQuoting the משנה: found males are burnt-offerings
4. ChallengeMaybe the male is a thanks-offering
5. ResolutionHe also brings a thanks-offering
6. ChallengeBut a thanks-offering needs bread
7. ResolutionHe brings the bread too
8. ChallengeMaybe the male is a guilt-offering
9. ResolutionA guilt-offering is two years old, but this one is a yearling
10. ChallengeBut a leper's or nazirite's guilt-offering is a yearling
11. ResolutionLepers and nazirites are uncommon
12. ChallengeMaybe the male is a Paschal offering
13. ResolutionA Paschal offering is guarded, and out of season it counts as a peace-offering
14. ChallengeMaybe the found male is a firstborn or a tithe animal
15. ResolutionNo practical difference, since found animals are eaten only with a blemish anyway
16. ChallengeMaybe the found female is a thanksgiving offering
17. ResolutionHe also brings a thanksgiving offering
18. ChallengeBut a thanksgiving offering needs bread
19. ResolutionHe brings the bread too
20. ChallengeMaybe the found female is a sin offering
21. ResolutionA sin offering is one year old, but this animal is two
22. ChallengeMaybe it is a sin offering whose year has passed
23. ResolutionThat is not common
24. QuestionWhat if the found female is in its first year?
25. Responseחנניא בן חכינאי: a first-year goat goes to a sin offering
26. ChallengeCan it really be offered as a sin offering?
27. Resolutionאביי: treat it like a sin offering and let it die
28. StatementNo buying an animal with second-tithe money