Pesachim 73b

פסחים ע״ג ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 73b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 73b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Does a קרבן that lost its purpose need explicit עקירה? The גמרא tests this through a ברייתא about a פסח whose owners died, and ends by attributing that ברייתא to יוסף בן חונאי.

Overview

The amud asks whether a קרבן that has lost its original purpose needs an explicit עקירה (uprooting) before it becomes a different קרבן. A ברייתא on our משנה rules that a פסח whose owners died, slaughtered on a weekday, is burned immediately. That fits only if עקירה is needed: the animal stays a פסח, so its flaw is in its body (פסולו בגופו). If no עקירה were needed, it would be a שלמים with an outside flaw, and the rule is that such a flaw calls for עיבור צורה (waiting overnight) before burning. So רב's statement about an אשם is corrected to a case slaughtered explicitly לשם עולה. But רבי חייא בר גמדא holds that in general no עקירה is needed, so the ברייתא must be explained for him. רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע answers with נראה ונדחה, which is rejected because רב holds that living animals are not permanently rejected. רב פפא attributes the ברייתא to רבי אליעזר, which is rejected because רבי אליעזר would require a חטאת on שבת. רב אשי links רב to רבי ישמעאל בנו של רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה, but that proof is undercut. The גמרא concludes that the ברייתא follows יוסף בן חונאי, and the chapter אלו דברים ends.

Opening lines

The steps (17)

1. ProofA teaching on the משנה: on a weekday the פסח is burned immediately
2. ProofThe ruling fits well if עקירה is required
3. ChallengeIf no עקירה is needed, the animal should wait overnight first
4. ProofThe general rule: when to burn immediately and when to wait
5. ConclusionRe-reading רב's statement: the אשם was slaughtered explicitly as an עולה
6. ChallengeA challenge from the view of רבי חייא בר גמדא
7. Resolutionרב הונא בריה דרב יהושע: the animal was rejected after midday
8. RejectionRejection: רב holds living animals cannot be permanently rejected
9. Resolutionרב פפא: the ברייתא follows רבי אליעזר
10. Challengeרבי אליעזר would also require a sin-offering
11. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows יוסף בן חונאי
12. Resolutionרב אשי: רב follows רבי ישמעאל בנו של רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה
13. ProofThe reason: no uprooting is needed
14. RejectionWaiting overnight may have a different reason
15. ProofImpure owners show that this reading must be right
16. ConclusionBack to the original answer: יוסף בן חונאי
17. Conclusionהדרן: closing the chapter אלו דברים