Gemara Clarity

Shevuos 9a

שבועות ט׳ ע״א

Shevuot 9a

Learn Shevuos 9a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Shevuos 9a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

What the יום הכיפורים, ראש חודש and רגלים goats atone for, according to רבי ישמעאל and רבי יהודה

Overview

The גמרא first finishes a point from the previous page: this atonement happens 'only once a year.' It then asks about רבי ישמעאל. In his view, someone who found out about his טומאה only at the end brings his own קרבן, so what does the outer שעיר of יום הכיפורים atone for? The answer is a case where the person never knew at all. The גמרא explains that רבי ישמעאל agrees with רבי מאיר that all the goats share one atonement. For him, the הקש of the outer goat to the inner goat teaches that neither one atones for other sins. Next the גמרא turns to רבי יהודה in the משנה, who says the ראש חודש and רגלים goats atone for טומאה no one ever knew about. שמואל finds the source in the word ״לַה׳״, meaning a sin known only to ה׳. The גמרא shows that this word also leaves room for ריש לקיש's lesson about the moon. A teaching from the school of רבי ישמעאל limits the ראש חודש goat to טומאת מקדש וקדשיו. The גמרא then searches for a source for the רגלים goats, a discussion that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֶלָּא אַחַת בַּשָּׁנָה.

Rather, only once a year.

וּלְרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּאָמַר

And according to Rabbi Yishmael, who says:

אֵין בָּהּ יְדִיעָה בַּתְּחִלָּה

where there was no awareness at the beginning

וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ יְדִיעָה בַּסּוֹף

but there was awareness at the end,

The steps (18)

  1. ConclusionClosing the earlier point: only once a year
  2. QuestionUnder רבי ישמעאל, what is left for the outer goat?
  3. ResponseAnswer: when the person never knew at all
  4. ChallengeBut the רגלים and ראש חודש goats cover that case
  5. Resolutionרבי ישמעאל follows רבי מאיר: all goats atone alike
  6. QuestionThen why does the תורה link the outer goat to the inner one?
  7. ResponseNeither goat atones for other sins
  8. StatementThe משנה: holiday and ראש חודש goats atone when no one ever knew
  9. QuestionWhat is רבי יהודה's reason?
  10. Response״לַה׳״: a sin only ה׳ knows about
  11. ChallengeBut ריש לקיש needs ״לַה׳״ for the moon
  12. ResolutionThe wording ״לַה׳״ instead of ״עַל ה׳״ teaches both
  13. ChallengeMaybe the whole word teaches only שמואל's lesson
  14. ResolutionThe wording teaches two lessons
  15. ChallengeWhy not atone for other sins too?
  16. ResolutionCompared to the יום הכפורים goat: fixed time
  17. QuestionWhat is the source for the רגלים goats?
  18. RejectionNeither single comparison works for the רגלים