Pesachim 79b

פסחים ע״ט ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 79b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 79b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who brings which פסח when the community is half טהור and half טמא: רב vs. two versions of רב כהנא, tested against the משנה and three ברייתות

Overview

This amud deals with a community that is exactly half טהור and half טמא at פסח time. רב holds that each half brings its own first פסח, the טמאים בטומאה. רב כהנא has two versions: in one the טמאים go to פסח שני, and in the other they bring no פסח at all. The גמרא tests both views against the רישא and סיפא of the משנה, and each side reads the words 'רובו' and 'מיעוט' to fit its view. Next, the גמרא brings three ברייתות, one for each position. It then shows how each opinion explains away the ברייתות that disagree with it, mostly by asking whether women are counted for the first פסח and for פסח שני. For the remaining ברייתא, רב כהנא answers that תנאים argue whether half counts like a majority. Finally, the גמרא studies that ברייתא directly: if the טמאים outnumber the טהורים by even one, everyone brings the פסח בטומאה, because a קרבן ציבור is not divided. רבי אלעזר בן מתיא disagrees, and his verse comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. StatementThe other opinion: impure half brings no Pesach at all
2. ChallengeThe משנה's first clause seems to contradict רב
3. Resolutionרב reinterprets the משנה's first clause
4. ProofThe משנה's later clause supports רב's reading
5. ChallengeNow the משנה seems to be a problem for רב כהנא
6. Resolutionרב כהנא reads the סיפא differently
7. ChallengeBut what about רב כהנא's first version?
8. Resolution'Minority' is just a style match for 'majority'
9. ProofA ברייתא supports רב
10. ProofA ברייתא supporting the first version of רב כהנא
11. ProofA ברייתא supporting the later version of רב כהנא
12. ChallengeHow do the others explain the ברייתא that sends the טמאים to פסח שני?
13. ResolutionThe women complete the טמא half
14. ResolutionWomen don't count for the first פסח, so the טמאים are really a minority
15. ChallengeHow do רב and the first version of רב כהנא explain the second ברייתא?
16. Resolutionרב's answer: women push the pure into a majority
17. ResolutionWhy the טמאים miss both the first פסח and פסח שני
18. Resolutionרב כהנא's answer: women bring the pure up to half
19. ResolutionWhy the half-and-half group brings neither Pesach, according to רב כהנא
20. ChallengeA ברייתא lets each half bring its own פסח — how does רב כהנא explain it?
21. Resolutionרב כהנא: this is a dispute among תנאים
22. StatementStudying the ברייתא itself: each half brings its own
23. StatementIf the impure are more by even one, everyone brings it in impurity
24. Statementרבי אלעזר בן מתיא: one person cannot tip the community into impurity