Gemara Clarity

Pesachim 38a

פסחים ל״ח ע״א

Learn Pesachim 38a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

מעשר שני as מצה: רב אסי's ownership rule, ריש לקיש's question about חלה of מעשר שני, and the start of the תודה and נזיר loaves

Overview

The amud continues רב אסי's statement. רבי מאיר holds that מעשר שני belongs to Heaven, while חכמים hold that it belongs to the person. רב אסי applies this disagreement to מצה on פסח and to an אתרוג on סוכות. רב פפא objects: the Torah says 'yours' for dough and for אתרוג, but never 'your מצה.' רבא answers with a גזירה שוה on the word 'לחם,' which links מצה to חלה, so מצה must also be yours. A ברייתא about dough of מעשר שני is offered as possible support, and the גמרא explains why it is only a 'maybe.' Next, ריש לקיש asks whether חלה taken from מעשר שני dough can be used as מצה. The question is narrowed step by step and turns on the 'הואיל' argument, and רבא resolves it by ruling that all מעשר is one category. The amud ends as the גמרא begins to find the source for why חלות תודה and רקיקי נזיר do not work as מצה, and the verse comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַצּוֹת שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי,

Matzot made of second-tithe produce,

לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר —

according to the words of Rabbi Meir —

אֵין אָדָם יוֹצֵא בָּהּ יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בַּפֶּסַח,

a person does not fulfill his obligation with it on Pesach;

לְדִבְרֵי חֲכָמִים —

according to the words of the Rabbis —

The steps (22)

  1. Statementמצה made from מעשר שני produce
  2. Statementאתרוג from מעשר שני produce
  3. Challengeרב פפא grants the dough and אתרוג cases
  4. ChallengeBut the Torah never says 'your מצה'
  5. ResolutionLearning ownership for מצה from the word 'bread'
  6. ProofA ברייתא about חלה from מעשר שני dough offered as support
  7. ChallengeWhy only 'let us say'? It is the same thing
  8. ResolutionThe real question: does the dough dispute extend to the other cases?
  9. RejectionMaybe dough is different: 'your dough' is written twice
  10. Questionריש לקיש asks about חלה of מעשר שני as מצה
  11. ResponseAccording to רבי יוסי הגלילי there is no question
  12. StatementThe question applies according to רבי עקיבא
  13. QuestionFirst side: maybe only the ordinary part of מעשר שני works
  14. QuestionSecond side: the 'הואיל' argument
  15. QuestionSecond version: the question is really about dough bought with מעשר שני money
  16. QuestionThe question only works according to רבי יהודה
  17. ProofThe source for the disagreement about food bought with מעשר שני money
  18. QuestionFirst side: two 'since' arguments allow it
  19. QuestionSecond side: maybe only one 'since' is allowed
  20. Responseרבא: all מעשר is one category
  21. QuestionSource for excluding חלות תודה and רקיקי נזיר
  22. Responseרבה begins his answer with a verse