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Shevuos 7b

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Shevuot 7b

Learn Shevuos 7b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How the קרבן עולה ויורד and the inner שעיר of יום כיפור both deal with טומאת מקדש וקדשיו, and exactly which cases the שעיר covers.

Overview

The גמרא finishes a גזירה שוה proving that the קרבן עולה ויורד is brought for טומאת מקדש. It then asks why the word "בָּהּ" is needed. It answers that "בָּהּ" includes someone made impure by נבלת עוף טהור, because a מיעוט אחר מיעוט comes to include. Next the גמרא turns to the משנה's case of awareness at the beginning but not at the end, where the inner שעיר of יום כיפור holds off the punishment. A ברייתא shows that this שעיר does not atone for עבודה זרה, גילוי עריות or שפיכות דמים, even though the תורה calls them 'impure'. It atones only for טומאת מקדש וקדשיו. רבי יהודה learns this by comparison to another place, and רבי שמעון learns it from the same פסוק. The ברייתא then limits the שעיר to sins that cannot be fixed by a personal קרבן. In the case of awareness only at the start, the שעיר just holds off the punishment. Finally, the גמרא asks what case of עבודה זרה could have been suggested at all. It answers: on purpose without a warning, or by mistake without ever finding out.

Opening lines

וּכְתִיב הָתָם:

And it is written there:

״טָמֵא יִהְיֶה עוֹד טֻמְאָתוֹ בּוֹ״;

"He shall be impure; his impurity is still upon him";

מָה לְהַלָּן טוּמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ,

just as there it is impurity of the Temple,

אַף כָּאן טוּמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ.

so too here it is impurity of the Temple.

The steps (18)

  1. ProofFinishing the comparison: the offering is for impurity of the Temple
  2. ChallengeThen why do we need the word "through which"?
  3. ResolutionIt includes the carcass of a kosher bird
  4. ChallengeBut "through which" is a limiting word
  5. ResolutionTwo restrictions in a row include more
  6. StatementBack to the משנה: awareness at the start but not at the end
  7. StatementA ברייתא suggests the goat atones for three sins called impurity
  8. ProofEach of the three sins is called impurity in a פסוק
  9. RejectionThe word 'from the impurities' means not all impurities
  10. Conclusionרבי יהודה: the goat atones for טומאת מקדש וקדשיו
  11. Statementרבי שמעון: the verse itself tells us it is about holy things
  12. QuestionMaybe the goat covers every case of defiling holy things?
  13. ResponseOnly sins that cannot be fixed by a personal offering, like intentional sins
  14. QuestionWhere do we learn the goat only holds off punishment for 'knew at first, not at the end'?
  15. Response'For all their sins' includes people who may later owe a sin-offering
  16. StatementThe גמרא goes back and quotes the first line about the three severe sins
  17. ChallengeWhich case of idol worship could the שעיר possibly cover?
  18. ResolutionOn purpose but no warning, or by mistake but never found out