Pesachim 66b

פסחים ס״ו ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 66b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 66b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Objections to carrying knives on the פסח animals on שבת, lessons on haughtiness and anger, and the source that the פסח and תמיד override טומאה.

Overview

On the previous amud, the גמרא told how the people stuck their knives into the wool and horns of their פסח animals, so the animals carried the knives to the עזרה on שבת. The גמרא now raises objections to this practice. Isn't it using קדשים for work? No, because like הלל they were only מקדיש the animals once they reached the עזרה. But how can anyone be מקדיש on שבת? A קרבן with a fixed time may be consecrated on its day, as רבי יוחנן says. Isn't leading a loaded animal מחמר? It is done כלאחר יד, and whether a מצוה permits breaking a שבות this way was exactly what הלל was asked; he forgot, and he told them to rely on the Jewish people. From הלל's forgetting, the גמרא teaches that haughtiness and anger make a חכם lose wisdom and a נביא lose prophecy, with proofs from הלל, דבורה, משה, אלישע and אליאב. Then the גמרא returns to the קרבנות and asks how we know the תמיד and פסח override טומאה. רבי יוחנן brings a proof from 'איש' in the פסח שני פסוק, ריש לקיש rejects it, and he begins a new proof from the פסוק about sending impure people out of the camp, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. ChallengeIsn't this using a consecrated animal for work?
2. ResolutionThey followed הלל: consecrate only in the עזרה
3. ChallengeBut you may not consecrate on שבת
4. ResolutionOfferings with a fixed time may be consecrated
5. ChallengeBut he is driving a loaded animal
6. ResolutionIt is מחמר done in an unusual way
7. ChallengeEven unusual מחמר is forbidden מדרבנן
8. ResolutionThis was exactly the question put to הלל
9. Responseהלל forgot, so he said to rely on the Jewish people
10. StatementA haughty person loses wisdom or prophecy
11. ProofProof from הלל: he rebuked them, then forgot
12. ProofProof from דבורה: she praised herself, then needed to be awakened
13. StatementAn angry person loses wisdom or prophecy
14. ProofProof from משה: he got angry and the law was hidden from him
15. ProofProof from אלישע: he got angry and needed music to prophesy
16. StatementAn angry person loses even greatness promised from Heaven
17. ProofProof part one: אליאב got angry at דוד
18. ProofProof part two: אליאב was rejected even though ה׳ had loved him
19. QuestionBack to the main topic: how do we know the תמיד and פסח override טומאה?
20. ResponseThe תמיד learns from the פסח about טומאה
21. QuestionHow do we know this for the פסח itself?
22. Responseרבי יוחנן: only an individual is pushed off to פסח שני
23. Rejectionריש לקיש: maybe the community gets no פסח at all
24. Responseריש לקיש brings his own source: the verse about sending impure people out of the camp
25. ChallengeWhy does the verse need to mention זבין and מצורעין at all?