Me’ilah 9b
מעילה ט׳ ע״ב
Meilah 9b
Learn Me’ilah 9b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.
Open Me’ilah 9b in Gemara Clarity
Topic
רב and רבי יוחנן on מעילה in ashes on the מזבח, and רב and לוי on where מעילה repayment money goes
Overview
The amud opens by testing the argument between רב and רבי יוחנן about ashes left on top of the מזבח. רב says there is no מעילה in them, and רבי יוחנן says there still is. The test is a משנה that says a coal (גחלת) which fell off the מזבח is not put back. In one version, the משנה implies that a coal still on the מזבח must be put back, which challenges רב. רב answers that a coal is different because it has substance (מששא). In a second version, the same משנה seems to say that ash has no מעילה, which challenges רבי יוחנן. רבי יוחנן answers that the משנה mentions a coal to teach a bigger חידוש. The גמרא then brings a new argument between רב and לוי about where the money paid for מעילה goes. רב says it goes to gift offerings, and לוי says it buys something burned entirely on the מזבח, which is קטורת. Each side has a ברייתא supporting it. The ברייתא that supports רב seems to contradict itself. The גמרא explains that its first part follows רבי שמעון, who holds that a חטאת whose owner already got atonement is left to die.
Opening lines
מֵיתִיבִי: וְכוּלָּן, שֶׁפָּקְעוּ מֵעַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ – לֹא יַחֲזִיר,
They challenged: And all of them that were dislodged from upon the altar, he should not put back,
וְכֵן גַּחֶלֶת שֶׁפָּקְעָה מֵעַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ – לֹא יַחֲזִיר.
And likewise, a coal that was dislodged from upon the altar, he should not put back.
הָא עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ – יַחֲזִיר.
This implies: if it is on the altar, he should put it back.
בִּשְׁלָמָא לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, נִיחָא,
Granted, according to Rabbi Yoḥanan, it works out well,
The steps (12)
- ChallengeA משנה about things that fell off the altar
- ChallengeThe inference fits רבי יוחנן but not רב
- Resolutionרב answers that a coal is different
- ChallengeSecond version: the same משנה challenges רבי יוחנן
- Resolutionרבי יוחנן answers that the משנה teaches even a coal
- Statementרב and לוי argue about where the repayment money goes
- ProofA ברייתא supports לוי: the money buys קטורת
- ProofA ברייתא for רב begins: money of a חטאת and an אשם
- ProofThe ברייתא rules on the very same case: the money goes to gift offerings
- StatementThe ברייתא's general rule: the money goes back to the same kind of holiness
- ChallengeThe ברייתא seems to contradict itself
- ResolutionThe first part follows רבי שמעון