Pesachim 51a

פסחים נ״א ע״א

Learn Pesachim 51a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 51a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Not permitting local stringencies in front of people (דברים המותרין ואחרים נהגו בהן איסור): rice-dough חלה, the stories of רבן גמליאל's sons, and רבה בר בר חנה's travel between ארץ ישראל and בבל

Overview

This amud finishes the debate about בני חוזאי, who separated חלה from rice dough even though rice is exempt. אביי objects that one may not publicly permit something people treat as forbidden. רב יוסף answers that רב חסדא limited this rule to כותאי, but the גמרא replies that the unlearned people of חוזאי will also stretch the leniency. רב אשי then says it depends on whether the local people mostly eat rice or mostly eat grain. Returning to the rule itself, the גמרא challenges רב חסדא with a ברייתא of three stories: bathing in כבול, wide shoes in בירי, and stools in עכו. In each, the sons of רבן גמליאל respected a local stringency. The גמרא answers that towns without חכמים are treated like כותאי, and it explains the reason behind each custom. Next comes the story of רבה בר בר חנה, who hid permitted fat from scholars in בבל. אביי criticizes this as treating them like כותאי. The גמרא then explains why he could eat it there, giving two answers from אביי and רב אשי. It closes by beginning to quote another statement of his that seems to contradict his advice to his son, a point that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. ChallengeEnd of אביי's objection: you may not permit it in front of them
2. Resolutionרב יוסף answers: that rule was said only about כותאי
3. RejectionRejection: the people of חוזאי will also stretch the leniency
4. Resolutionרב אשי: where most people eat rice, a זר should not eat it
5. Resolutionרב אשי: where most people eat grain, a זר should eat it
6. StatementBack to the rule itself: רב חסדא limits it to כותאי
7. ChallengeChallenge from the brothers bathing together in כבול
8. ProofSecond story: wide shoes on שבת in בירי
9. ProofThird case: רבן שמעון בן גמליאל and the stools in עכו
10. ResolutionDistant towns are treated like כותאי
11. QuestionThe reasons for the stools and shoes are clear, but why not bathing?
12. ResponseA ברייתא: people one may not bathe with
13. ConclusionKabul extended the rule to two brothers
14. StatementA student bathing with his teacher
15. Statementרבה בר בר חנה eats the fat and hides it
16. ChallengeDoesn't the traveler have to keep both places' stringencies?
17. Resolutionאביי: the rule does not apply when going from ארץ ישראל to בבל
18. Resolutionרב אשי: he planned to return home
19. Statementרבה בר בר חנה tells his son not to eat it
20. Challengeרבה בר בר חנה seems to contradict himself