Kiddushin 71a

קידושין ע״א ע״א

Learn Kiddushin 71a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Hidden flawed lineage, ה׳'s secret names, and presumed lineage status in בבל, ארץ ישראל and other lands

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a teaching: when ה׳ clears up the lineage of the tribes, He starts with שבט לוי. רבי יהושע בן לוי adds that money helps ממזרים blend into regular families. רבי יצחק calls it a kindness that a family which has already blended in stays blended in. The גמרא then backs שמואל's ranking that lineage is most reliable in בבל, then ארץ ישראל, then other lands, with stories about רבי and רבי פנחס. רבי יוחנן, אביי and a ברייתא show that the חכמים chose not to expose families with hidden flaws, sharing such names only privately and rarely. This leads to a side discussion of ה׳'s secret names, the four-letter, twelve-letter and forty-two-letter names, and how carefully they were guarded. Finally, שמואל gives the presumed lineage status of families in בבל, other lands and ארץ ישראל. The גמרא challenges the ארץ ישראל rule as contradicting itself, and רב הונא בר תחליפא begins an answer that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. StatementThe tribe of Levi is purified first
2. StatementMoney helps ממזרים blend in
3. QuestionWhat does 'offerings in righteousness' mean?
4. ResponseA blended family stays blended
5. StatementRanking lineage: בבל, then ארץ ישראל, then other lands
6. StatementAn attempt to rank ארץ ישראל above בבל
7. Proofרבי חנינא בר חמא confirms the ranking from tradition
8. Statementרבי פנחס plans a quick escape
9. Statementרבי פנחס defends בבל and escapes
10. Statementרבי יוחנן chooses not to expose a family
11. Statementרבי יוחנן follows רבי יצחק
12. Proofאביי brings a משנה about בן ציון and אליהו
13. ConclusionOnly known cases will be fixed
14. StatementAnother flawed family the Sages kept secret
15. ProofOnce every seven years makes more sense, proven from a נזיר
16. StatementThe four-letter name is also taught rarely
17. ProofOnce makes more sense, because the name must be hidden
18. StatementAn elder stops רבא from teaching the name in public
19. Challengeרבי אבינא: Is it 'My name' or 'My remembrance'?
20. ResolutionWritten one way, said another way
21. StatementThe twelve-letter name became restricted to modest כהנים
22. Proofרבי טרפון heard the כהן גדול hide the name
23. StatementWho may be taught the forty-two-letter name
24. StatementPresumed lineage in בבל, other lands, and ארץ ישראל
25. ChallengeThe ארץ ישראל rule seems to contradict itself
26. Resolutionרב הונא בר תחליפא begins his answer