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Shevuos 10a

שבועות י׳ ע״א

Shevuot 10a

Learn Shevuos 10a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 10a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

What each goat of ראש חודש, the רגלים and יום הכיפורים atones for, and the sources for the views of רבי מאיר and רבי שמעון

Overview

This amud explains which sins the חטאת goats of ראש חודש, the רגלים and יום הכיפורים atone for. First the גמרא finishes explaining the view in which each goat has its own job. The festival goats are linked to the ראש חודש goats, so they atone for a matter of קודש. They cannot take over another goat's case, and every case with awareness is already covered, so they must atone for טומאה with no awareness at all. Next the גמרא looks for רבי מאיר's source that all the goats atone alike. It tries the extra ו of 'ושעיר', and then the פסוק 'אלה תעשו לה׳ במועדיכם' from רבי יונה. It also shows that ראש חודש is called a מועד. רבי יוחנן adds that even רבי מאיר keeps the inner goat of יום הכיפורים separate, and a ברייתא supports this. Finally the גמרא asks how רבי שמעון knows that each goat's job is locked in both directions, using the words 'עון', 'אותה' and 'אחת'. The amud ends as the גמרא begins answering whether 'אחת', written about the inner goat, can teach about the outer one. That answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאִיתַּקּוּשׁ שְׂעִירֵי הָרְגָלִים לִשְׂעִירֵי רָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים;

And the goats of the festivals are compared to the goats of the New Moons;

מָה שָׂעִיר דְּרֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ

just as the goat of the New Moon

בְּמִילְּתָא דְּקוֹדֶשׁ מְכַפְּרִי,

atones for a matter involving holy things,

אַף שְׂעִירֵי רְגָלִים

so too the goats of the festivals

The steps (26)

  1. StatementFestival goats are compared to New Moon goats
  2. RejectionThey cannot share the New Moon goat's job
  3. RejectionThey cannot share the יום הכיפורים goat's job
  4. ConclusionSo what else could they atone for?
  5. RejectionEach of the other cases is already covered
  6. ConclusionOnly the case with no awareness at all is left
  7. StatementThe משנה quotes רבי מאיר: all goats atone the same
  8. QuestionWhat is רבי מאיר's reason?
  9. ResponseThe extra ו links all the goats
  10. ChallengeCan each goat learn from the one before it?
  11. ResolutionAll the goats learn from the first goat
  12. ChallengeWhat about עצרת and יום הכפורים, which have no extra ו?
  13. Resolutionרבי יונה: the פסוק compares all the festivals
  14. ChallengeBut ראש חודש is not a festival
  15. Resolutionראש חודש is also called a festival
  16. Statementרבי מאיר agrees the inner goat is separate
  17. StatementWhy the exception works both ways
  18. ProofA ברייתא supports רבי יוחנן
  19. ConclusionThe inner goat is left out of the list
  20. Statementרבי שמעון's view in the משנה
  21. ChallengeWhy can't the festival goats also atone for the ראש חודש case?
  22. ResolutionThe word 'אותה' keeps the ראש חודש case for its own goat
  23. ChallengeWhy can't the יום הכפורים goat also atone for the festival case?
  24. ResolutionThe word 'אחת' allows only one atonement
  25. ChallengeThe word 'once' is written about the inner goat, not the outer one
  26. ResolutionA פסוק beginning 'aside from' links the two goats