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Pesachim 14a

פסחים י״ד ע״א

Learn Pesachim 14a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 14a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Signals for burning חמץ, and the משנה and גמרא on burning items of different levels of טומאה together

Overview

This amud opens by finishing a ברייתא about two cows plowing on הר המשחה. The cows signaled when people could still eat חמץ, when they had to hold it, and when they had to burn it. Then a new משנה begins. רבי חנינא סגן הכהנים reports that the כהנים burned less-impure meat together with more-impure meat. רבי עקיבא adds a similar case of disqualified oil lit in an impure lamp. רבי מאיר learns from these cases that pure and impure תרומה may be burned together on ערב פסח. רבי יוסי rejects this, noting that even רבי אליעזר and רבי יהושע agree they are burned separately and argue only about doubtful תרומה. The גמרא then explains רבי חנינא's case: the meat goes from שלישי to שני, and food passes impurity to food at least מדרבנן. Finally the גמרא asks what רבי עקיבא adds. רב יהודה begins to answer that the lamp is made of metal, and his answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שְׁתֵּי פָרוֹת הָיוּ חוֹרְשׁוֹת בְּהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה.

Two cows would plow on the Mount of Olives.

כׇּל זְמַן שֶׁשְּׁתֵּיהֶן חוֹרְשׁוֹת —

As long as both of them are plowing —

כׇּל הָעָם אוֹכְלִין.

all the people eat (חמץ).

נִיטֶּלֶת אַחַת מֵהֶן — תּוֹלִין;

When one of them is taken away — they hold it in suspense;

The steps (20)

  1. StatementThe two plowing cows as a public signal for eating, holding, and burning חמץ
  2. StatementThe כהנים burned less-impure meat together with more-impure meat
  3. Statementרבי עקיבא adds the case of disqualified oil lit in an impure lamp
  4. Statementרבי מאיר learns that pure and impure תרומה may be burned together on פסח
  5. Rejectionרבי יוסי rejects רבי מאיר's comparison
  6. StatementBoth sides agree: pure and impure תרומה are burned separately
  7. StatementThe argument about doubtful תרומה and impure תרומה
  8. ChallengeWhere is the added impurity in the meat case?
  9. Resolutionרב יהודה: the meat was only a third-level impurity
  10. ChallengeBut food does not make other food impure
  11. ProofThe ברייתא source: food does not make similar food impure
  12. ResolutionAccording to אביי there is no problem
  13. ResolutionAccording to רב אדא בר אהבה there is also no problem
  14. ChallengeAccording to רבינא the question remains
  15. ResolutionThe meat had liquids on it
  16. ChallengeThe משנה should have mentioned liquids
  17. ResolutionFood makes food impure by rabbinic law
  18. StatementQuoting רבי עקיבא's addition in the משנה
  19. Challengeרבי עקיבא seems to repeat רבי חנינא
  20. ResolutionThe case is about a metal lamp