Shevuos 12a

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Shevuot 12a

Learn Shevuos 12a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 12a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The source for לב בית דין מתנה, what רבי שמעון does with leftover תמיד lambs, and the גזירה against offering a former חטאת as an עולה

Overview

The גמרא is looking for a תנא who holds that the בית דין silently sets conditions on הקדש even for something that rarely happens. It tries three sources: the רבנן of קטורת, the רבנן of פרה אדומה, and the speakers of "אמרו לו" in the משנה. Each one is pushed aside. Incense cannot be left to graze, a פרה is very expensive, and the "אמרו לו" speaker might be רבי מאיר, who allows swapping the goats for a different reason. So the גמרא concludes that רבי יוחנן simply learned the dispute as a tradition. רבי יוחנן then explains that for רבי שמעון the leftover תמיד lambs are offered as filler offerings for the מזבח. רבי שמואל בר רב יצחק adds that leftover חטאת goats are not offered themselves; only their value is used, because of a גזירה made after atonement on account of before atonement. אביי, רבא and רבינא each bring a source supporting this גזירה, and the גמרא accepts it. Finally, a ברייתא is opened that asks what is brought from the leftover lambs, and it continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. RejectionIncense is different: it cannot be left to graze
2. ProofSuggesting the רבנן of the red heifer
3. RejectionThe heifer is different: it is very expensive
4. ProofSuggesting the רבנן of "they said to him"
5. RejectionHow do we know the speaker is רבי יהודה reasoning from the court's condition?
6. RejectionMaybe the speaker in the משנה is רבי מאיר
7. Conclusionרבי יוחנן had a received tradition
8. QuestionWhat does רבי שמעון do with the leftover lambs?
9. ResponseThey are used as filler offerings for the מזבח
10. Statementרבי שמעון agrees that חטאת goats are not offered themselves
11. ResolutionWhy lambs can be offered but sin-offering goats cannot
12. Proofאביי brings a ברייתא about lost public sin offerings
13. Proofאביי shows how the ברייתא proves the decree
14. Proofרבא brings support from a משנה about the יום הכפורים goats
15. ProofWhy not offer the extra goat itself?
16. Proofרבינא brings a third source: a משנה about a guilt offering
17. ProofThe guilt offering proves the decree
18. ProofA ברייתא about leftover lambs