Gemara Clarity

Pesachim 43a

פסחים מ״ג ע״א

Learn Pesachim 43a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 43a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why the משנה lists grain-containing items, and which תנא (רבי מאיר or רבי אליעזר) holds that mixtures of חמץ and נוקשה carry only a לאו

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the explanation of the women's hair-removing paste in the משנה. Poor girls used lime, wealthy girls used סולת, and princesses used שמן המור, which is either myrrh oil or oil from unripe olives. A ברייתא of רבי יהושע explains that the משנה lists specific items, even though 'כל שהוא ממין דגן' covers them, so that people learn their names. A story about a visitor who avoided כותח shows why this matters. The גמרא then asks which תנא holds that the listed items carry only a לאו (באזהרה). רב יהודה says רבי מאיר, using a ברייתא about שיאור. רב נחמן says רבי אליעזר, who gives a לאו for a mixture of חמץ. Each אמורא explains why he rejects the other's view, and a ברייתא supports רב יהודה. Finally, the גמרא searches for רבי אליעזר's source in the פסוקים, settling on the word 'כל'. Its defense of that source, about including women, continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לְפִרְקָן,

who reached their physical maturity,

וְלֹא הִגִּיעוּ לְשָׁנִים,

but had not yet reached the age (of majority),

בְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים — טוֹפְלוֹת אוֹתָן בְּסִיד,

daughters of the poor — they smear them with lime,

בְּנוֹת עֲשִׁירִים — טוֹפְלוֹת אוֹתָן בְּסוֹלֶת,

daughters of the wealthy — they smear them with fine flour,

The steps (35)

  1. StatementDifferent hair-removing pastes for different classes of girls
  2. QuestionWhat is שמן המור?
  3. ResponseFirst answer: it is סטכת
  4. ResponseSecond answer: oil from unripe olives
  5. ProofA ברייתא supports the unripe-olive-oil view
  6. StatementQuoting the משנה's general rule
  7. QuestionWhy list items if a general rule covers them?
  8. ResponseSo people become familiar with these items
  9. ProofThe visitor who stopped eating when he heard the word כותח
  10. StatementQuoting the משנה: these carry only a warning prohibition
  11. QuestionWhich תנא holds this view?
  12. ResponseThe answer: it is רבי מאיר
  13. ProofThe proof from the ברייתא about שיאור
  14. ChallengeThe ברייתא seems to contradict itself
  15. ResolutionEach clause refers to a different definition of שיאור
  16. ResolutionThe forty-lashes clause follows רבי מאיר
  17. ConclusionProof that the משנה follows רבי מאיר
  18. Statementרב נחמן says the משנה follows רבי אליעזר
  19. Conclusionרבי אליעזר covers both points of the משנה
  20. QuestionWhy did רב נחמן not agree with רב יהודה?
  21. Responseרבי מאיר may only speak about pure hardened leaven
  22. QuestionWhy did רב יהודה not agree with רב נחמן?
  23. Responseרב יהודה: רבי אליעזר only spoke about real חמץ in a mixture
  24. ProofA ברייתא supports רב יהודה: mixtures get a לאו, not כרת
  25. ConclusionThe ברייתא is רבי אליעזר, and he does not prohibit pure נוקשה
  26. QuestionWhere does רבי אליעזר get a לאו for a mixture?
  27. ResponseThe source: You shall eat nothing leavened
  28. ChallengeThen a mixture should also get כרת
  29. ResolutionThe כרת verse teaches about food leavened by something else
  30. ChallengeThen the לאו verse should teach the same thing
  31. Resolutionרבי אליעזר learns the mixture from the word 'כל'
  32. ChallengeThe כרת verse also says 'כל'
  33. Resolution'כל' in the כרת verse includes women
  34. ChallengeWomen are already included by a general rule
  35. ResolutionA special source for women is still needed