Pesachim 17a

פסחים י״ז ע״א

Learn Pesachim 17a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

חגי's question to the כהנים, and which liquids of the מקדש are 'pure' (רב vs. לוי)

Overview

This עמוד finishes an attempted proof from the question חגי הנביא asked the כהנים. The proof claims that wine and oil in the מקדש can become טמא. The גמרא rejects it, because it only works for רב, who already holds that altar liquids can become טמא. Next comes the full מחלוקת. רב says the כהנים erred, because the oil was a רביעי בקודש. שמואל says they were right, because the garment counts as an extra level, which makes the oil a חמישי. Each side is then challenged from the next פסוקים in חגי and defended. The גמרא then returns to יוסי בן יועזר's testimony. רב's version covers only the slaughterhouse liquids, while לוי's version covers all the altar liquids. The גמרא shows that לוי must agree with שמואל that the liquids can still become impure themselves, and that שמואל must accept רב's 'slaughterhouse' version. Finally, a ברייתא is quoted in support of each version, and the one for לוי is defended against a statement of רבי יהושע בן לוי.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. Proofרב says the priests made a mistake
2. RejectionThe proof only works for רב, who already agrees
3. StatementThe disagreement itself: did the priests err?
4. Statementרב's reason: the oil was fourth-level impurity in sacred food
5. Statementשמואל's reason: the oil was fifth-level, so pure is correct
6. ChallengeWhere does שמואל get five levels from?
7. ResolutionThe garment itself is the first level
8. ChallengeChallenge to רב from the case of a person who is טמא מת
9. ResolutionThe כהנים knew טומאת מת well but not טומאת שרץ
10. Resolutionרבינא's different answer: the dead-body case was only a third level
11. ChallengeThe verse calls their offerings impure, which is a problem for שמואל
12. ResolutionThe verse is a surprised question, not a statement
13. ChallengeBut 'all the work of their hands' sounds like a statement
14. ResolutionTheir other sins are counted as if they offered in impurity
15. StatementBack to יוסי בן יועזר: slaughterhouse liquids or altar liquids
16. Statementלוי's view works if he agrees with שמואל
17. ChallengeIf לוי agrees with רב, the case cannot be found
18. Conclusionלוי must agree with שמואל
19. Statementשמואל's view works if he agrees with רב's version
20. ChallengeIf שמואל agrees with לוי's version, the fourth-degree detail makes no sense
21. Conclusionשמואל must agree with רב's version
22. StatementEach version has a supporting ברייתא
23. ProofThe ברייתא that supports לוי
24. Challengeרבי יהושע בן לוי says 'only in their place'
25. Resolution'In their place' excludes a different case
26. ChallengeBut he said 'in their place'
27. Resolution'In their place' means where they became impure
28. ProofThe ברייתא that supports רב