Pesachim 61b

פסחים ס״א ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 61b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Intent for ערלים at the זריקה of the קרבן פסח: רב חסדא and רבה, their competing readings of a ברייתא on ״וכל ערל״ and ״זאת״, and רב אשי's objection

Overview

Someone slaughters the קרבן פסח for circumcised people, but intends that uncircumcised people (ערלים) get atonement through the sprinkling (זריקה) of its blood. רב חסדא says the offering is פסול, and רבה says it is כשר. The argument is whether intent for ערלים counts at the זריקה or only at the שחיטה. רבה brings a ברייתא that asks whether one ערל ruins the פסח for the whole group. The ברייתא tries comparing ערלה to טומאה and then to זמן, and each comparison can be countered, so it decides through the verse ״זאת״. In רבה's reading, ״וכל ערל״ teaches that only a fully ערל group disqualifies, and ״זאת״ limits even that to שחיטה, because intent about the eaters has no effect at זריקה. רב חסדא reads the ברייתא the opposite way: at זריקה even a partly ערל group disqualifies, because פיגול is fixed only at the זריקה. רב אשי rejects both readings, since ״וכל ערל״ might mean 'any ערל', and he begins his own explanation of the dispute, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. StatementThe case: slaughtered for circumcised people, sprinkled with ערלים in mind
2. StatementThe reasoning behind each opinion
3. Proofרבה brings a ברייתא: does one ערל ruin it for the whole group?
4. StatementFirst comparison: ערלה is like טומאה
5. ChallengeRival comparison: maybe ערלה is like זמן
6. ResolutionDeciding the comparison: ערלה matches טומאה, not זמן
7. ChallengeThe ברייתא flips the comparison: ערלה is more like זמן
8. ResolutionThe verse ״זאת״ settles the question
9. ChallengeThe גמרא asks what ״זאת״ adds, since ״וכל ערל״ already teaches the partial rule
10. Resolution״וכל ערל״ teaches the partial rule; ״זאת״ limits the disqualification to שחיטה
11. QuestionWhy is זריקה more lenient than שחיטה?
12. ResponseIntent about who will eat does not apply at זריקה
13. Resolutionרב חסדא reads ״וכל ערל״ the opposite way
14. Resolutionרב חסדא explains why ״זאת״ is needed
15. QuestionWhy should זריקה be stricter?
16. Responseפיגול becomes fixed only at זריקה
17. Challengeרב אשי: maybe ״וכל ערל״ means even one
18. Statementרב אשי begins a new explanation of the dispute