Pesachim 21a

פסחים כ״א ע״א

Learn Pesachim 21a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 21a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

End of the broken-barrel-of-תרומה dispute, the הדרן of the first chapter, and the opening משנה of כל שעה on benefit from חמץ

Overview

This amud finishes the first chapter of פסחים and begins the second. First, the גמרא rules that the compromise of רבי ישמעאל ברבי יוסי cannot decide the dispute between בית שמאי and בית הלל about impure תרומה wine: pour it out, or use it for sprinkling. Then it returns to the dispute between רבי אליעזר and רבי יהושע about a broken barrel of תרומה wine above impure חולין. רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא limits their dispute to a case where there is less than one hundred times as much חולין below. With one hundred, everyone agrees not to make the תרומה impure by hand. A ברייתא supports this. רבא and רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע give two ways to explain its puzzling wording. After the הדרן, a new משנה teaches that as long as one may eat חמץ, one may also feed it to animals, sell it to a גוי, and benefit from it. After that time, all benefit is forbidden. It also records the dispute between רבי יהודה and חכמים on how to destroy חמץ. The גמרא shows that the משנה's wording fits neither רבי יהודה nor רבי מאיר, and רבה בר עולא explains it according to רבן גמליאל. The amud ends by explaining why the משנה lists both בהמה and חיה, why it adds עופות, and why it needs to say one may sell to a גוי: to reject בית שמאי in favor of בית הלל.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. RejectionA third opinion does not settle the dispute
2. StatementThe dispute applies only when there is less than one hundred below
3. StatementWith one hundred below, everyone agrees not to defile it by hand
4. ProofA ברייתא supports the one-hundred limit
5. ChallengeThe names in the ברייתא seem to be backwards
6. Resolutionרבא says to switch the names
7. ResolutionKeep the names: the case is a vessel that is pure inside and impure outside
8. ConclusionHadran — Closing the chapter אור לארבעה עשר
9. StatementWhile חמץ may be eaten, all benefit is allowed; after its time, all benefit is forbidden
10. StatementHow to destroy חמץ: only burning, or other ways too
11. StatementInference from the opening words of the משנה
12. ChallengeThe משנה seems to contradict רבי יהודה
13. ProofThe source for רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה's hours
14. ChallengeThe wording does not fit רבי מאיר either
15. Resolutionרבה בר עולא: the משנה follows רבן גמליאל
16. ResolutionHow the משנה reads according to רבן גמליאל
17. QuestionWhy mention both domesticated and wild animals?
18. ResponseBoth are needed: the first half of the explanation
19. ResponseWhy a wild animal alone would not teach us about a domestic animal
20. QuestionWhy does the משנה mention birds?
21. ResponseBirds are mentioned only because they are usually listed together
22. ChallengeIsn't selling to a non-Jew obvious?
23. ResolutionThe phrase rejects the view of בית שמאי
24. Statementבית הלל: whenever eating is allowed, selling is allowed