Gemara Clarity

Pesachim 36a

פסחים ל״ו ע״א

Learn Pesachim 36a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 36a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which foods are valid for the מצוה of מצה (טבל, מעשר שני, rich dough, ביכורים), and the rules on lukewarm water and soaking grain

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the discussion of why טבל cannot be used for מצה. The גמרא concludes, as רב ששת said, that this follows רבי שמעון's rule אין איסור חל על איסור, after rejecting רבינא's attempt to fit it to the רבנן. Next, a ברייתא brings a dispute about לחם עוני. רבי יוסי הגלילי reads it as 'bread of a mourner' and excludes מעשר שני. רבי עקיבא reads it as 'poor bread' and excludes dough kneaded with wine, oil, or honey. The גמרא explains that the dispute turns on the spelling (עני) versus the pronunciation (עוני). It then resolves a story in which רבי עקיבא himself kneaded rich dough: the ban applies only to the first day's מצוה. A side discussion follows about why ordinary dough may not be kneaded with lukewarm water while מנחות may. The answer turns on the careful כהנים and the supervised place in the עזרה, and it also explains why the wheat of מנחות may not be soaked except for the communal עומר. Finally, a new ברייתא excludes ביכורים from the מצוה of מצה. רבי יוסי הגלילי learns this from 'in all your dwellings,' and רבי עקיבא learns it by comparing מצה to מרור. A challenge to רבי עקיבא's comparison continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הָאוֹכֵל נְבֵלָה בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים —

One who eats an animal carcass on Yom Kippur —

פָּטוּר.

is exempt.

רָבִינָא אָמַר, אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא רַבָּנַן:

Ravina said: You can even say it follows the Rabbis:

מִי שֶׁאִיסּוּרוֹ מִשּׁוּם ״בַּל תֹּאכַל חָמֵץ״ בִּלְבַד.

Matza must be from something whose prohibition is due only to 'do not eat leavened bread.'

The steps (31)

  1. ProofEating נבלה on יום הכפורים brings no extra liability
  2. Resolutionרבינא explains the rule even according to the רבנן
  3. RejectionThe word 'only' is not written
  4. ConclusionConclusion: רב ששת's explanation stands
  5. Statementמעשר שני cannot be used for מצה: לחם עוני
  6. Statementרבי עקיבא: the extra word מצות widens, and לחם עוני excludes rich dough
  7. QuestionAsking for the reason behind רבי עקיבא's reading
  8. ResponseThe word is spelled עני, meaning poor
  9. Challengeרבי יוסי הגלילי: we pronounce it עוני
  10. Resolutionרבי עקיבא explains the pronunciation through שמואל
  11. ChallengeChallenge: רבי עקיבא himself kneaded dough with wine, oil, and honey
  12. ChallengeThe ברייתא continues: spreading on dough, the view of the חכמים, and warm water
  13. ResolutionFirst day versus second day
  14. Proofרבי יהושע's instruction to his sons
  15. ChallengeBut milk dough is forbidden all year
  16. ResolutionHe meant honey, not milk
  17. ResolutionOr it really was milk, shaped like an ox's eye
  18. StatementEveryone agrees: no kneading dough with lukewarm water
  19. ChallengeBut meal-offerings are kneaded with lukewarm water
  20. ResolutionThe כהנים are careful; ordinary people are not
  21. ChallengeThen why can't the כהנים soak the wheat?
  22. ResolutionKneading is done by careful people; soaking is not
  23. ChallengeBut kneading can be done by anyone, even a non-כהן
  24. ResolutionKneading happens in the place of the careful ones
  25. ProofProof: mixing outside the courtyard is invalid
  26. ConclusionSoaking has neither careful people nor a careful place
  27. ChallengeChallenge from the soaking of the עומר offering
  28. ResolutionA community offering is different
  29. Statementמצה from ביכורים does not count, according to רבי יוסי הגלילי
  30. Statementרבי עקיבא learns the rule by comparing מצה to מרור
  31. ChallengePerhaps the comparison excludes the whole species