Pesachim 68a

פסחים ס״ח ע״א

Learn Pesachim 68a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 68a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which camps a בעל קרי must leave and the פסוק behind it; the meaning of 'מיחוי קרביו'; and אגדה about the future, צדיקים reviving the dead, and a Torah source for תחיית המתים.

Overview

Background: In the desert there were three camps: מחנה שכינה (innermost), מחנה לויה, and מחנה ישראל. A מצורע leaves all three, a זב leaves two, and a טמא מת leaves only מחנה שכינה. The גמרא first shows that the משנה's line 'בועל נדה is like a טמא מת' is about camps. It then refuses to conclude that the line about בעל קרי is about camps too. A ברייתא seems to group בעל קרי with טמא מת, so he could stay in מחנה לויה. The גמרא rereads it: he is grouped with the זב, whom he resembles, so he leaves two camps. A ברייתא learns this from the פסוק in דברים. רב יצחק בר אבדימי corrects which camp matches which phrase, and רבינא's challenge is answered from the extra word ״המחנה״. The גמרא then defines 'מיחוי קרביו' from the משנה, where רב הונא and חייא בר רב disagree. A פסוק in ישעיה brought to support חייא בר רב leads into אגדה: the promise that צדיקים will revive the dead, verses that seem to contradict each other about death and about the sun and moon in the future, and a Torah source for תחיית המתים from 'אני אמית ואחיה, מחצתי ואני ארפא'.

Opening lines

The steps (41)

1. QuestionWhat is the comparison of one who was with a נדה to a טמא מת about?
2. RejectionThe comparison cannot be about their impurity, since the Torah already says that
3. ResponseSo the comparison must be about camps
4. ProofIf the second line is about camps, the first line should be too
5. RejectionEach clause can be about something different
6. ChallengeA ברייתא ranks the impurities and places בעל קרי below טמא מת
7. Challenge'Excluded' seems to mean בעל קרי may stay in the Levite camp
8. ResolutionA בעל קרי is grouped with a זב, not with a טמא מת
9. StatementA ברייתא: a בעל קרי leaves two camps
10. ChallengeThe ברייתא's order of camps is backwards
11. ResolutionFixing the ברייתא: switch the camps
12. ChallengeMaybe both phrases are about the same camp
13. ResolutionThe extra word ״המחנה״ teaches a second camp
14. QuestionWhat does 'cleaning the intestines' mean?
15. Responseרב הונא: Puncturing the intestines with a knife
16. Responseחייא בר רב: Removing the slimy secretions
17. Proofרבי אליעזר finds a פסוק behind חייא בר רב
18. QuestionHow does that פסוק show it?
19. Responseרב יוסף's תרגום: מחים are the רשעים
20. Statement'As was said about them': the start of the same פסוק
21. QuestionWhich promise is meant?
22. Responseאביי: It points to the end of the same פסוק
23. Challengeרבא: The extra 'ו' shows a separate idea
24. Responseרבא: The promise is that צדיקים will revive the dead
25. ProofThe link between 'ורעו' and 'ירעו'
26. ProofBashan points to Elisha
27. ProofGilad points to Elijah
28. StatementAnother source that the righteous will revive the dead
29. ChallengeWill death end, or will people still die?
30. ResolutionJews will not die; non-Jews will
31. QuestionWhy will non-Jews be there at all?
32. ResponseNon-Jews will work for Israel
33. ChallengeWill the sun and moon dim or shine brighter?
34. ResolutionTwo different future times
35. ChallengeHow would שמואל explain the two פסוקים?
36. ResolutionBoth פסוקים are about עולם הבא, but different camps
37. Challengeרבא asks why the פסוק says both 'I give life' and 'I heal'
38. ResolutionThe same person who dies will come back to life
39. ProofA ברייתא teaches the same reading
40. ConclusionA Torah source for תחיית המתים
41. StatementAnother reading: first revival, then healing