Gemara Clarity

Pesachim 47b

פסחים מ״ז ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 47b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 47b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Testing רבה's principle of הואיל against plowing on יום טוב and against kindling in the five מלקות case, and whether מוקצה is a Torah prohibition.

Overview

The גמרא is testing רבה's principle of הואיל: an act on יום טוב is not punished if it could have served a permitted יום טוב need. First it quotes a ברייתא that counts plowing on יום טוב as punishable, even though the loosened dirt could be used for כיסוי הדם. The גמרא tries several kinds of ground: hard clods, then rock-hard צונמא, then rock above loose soil. Each answer is knocked down. מר בר רב אשי finally answers that the ground was moist earth (מתונתא), which can be planted but cannot cover blood. Next אביי brings a ברייתא that gives five sets of מלקות for cooking גיד הנשה in milk on יום טוב, one of them for kindling. רבה first replaces kindling with נבילה, but רבי חייא's count rules that out. So he replaces it with using עצי מוקצה, and he argues that מוקצה is a Torah prohibition. אביי then challenges רבה from רבה's own earlier question about a meadow lamb used for the תמיד, quoting a word-by-word דרשה on a verse in יחזקאל that continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

וּשְׁבִיעִית, בְּיוֹם טוֹב,

and it is the Sabbatical year, on a Festival,

כֹּהֵן וְנָזִיר אַבֵּית הַטּוּמְאָה.

a priest and a nazirite, over a place of impurity.

וְאִי אָמְרִינַן ״הוֹאִיל״ —

And if we say the principle of "since"

אַחֲרִישָׁה לָא לִיחַיַּיב,

he should not be liable for the plowing,

The steps (24)

  1. StatementThe end of the list of eight prohibitions in one furrow
  2. ChallengeIf we say הואיל, plowing on יום טוב should be exempt
  3. ResolutionThe plowing was through hard clods
  4. ChallengeThe clods could be crushed
  5. ResolutionCrushing on יום טוב is itself forbidden
  6. ChallengeThey could be crushed in an unusual way
  7. ResolutionThe ground was rock-hard
  8. ChallengeRock-hard ground cannot be planted
  9. ResolutionHard layer on top, loose soil underneath
  10. ChallengeThe loose soil underneath should make it exempt
  11. Resolutionמר בר רב אשי: the case is plowing mud
  12. ChallengeIs mud even plantable?
  13. ResolutionMoist earth: plantable but cannot cover blood
  14. Challengeאביי cites the five lashes for cooking גיד הנשה in milk on יום טוב
  15. Challengeאביי: הואיל should exempt the kindling
  16. Resolutionרבה: swap kindling for eating נבילה
  17. Challengeרבי חייא counts three for cooking, not three for eating
  18. ResolutionRemove kindling and add set-aside wood instead
  19. ChallengeIs מוקצה really forbidden by the Torah
  20. ResolutionYes: a verse for the rule and a verse for the warning
  21. Challengeאביי recalls רבה's question about a meadow lamb used as the daily offering
  22. ResponseThe answer רבה reported: a lamb, but not a firstborn
  23. ResponseThe word 'one' excludes a tithe animal
  24. Response'From the flock' excludes an in-between animal