Temurah 10b

תמורה י׳ ע״ב

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

Open Temurah 10b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whether a fetus can be made holy: why רבי יוחנן taught two rules, and רבי ירמיה's challenges to בר פדא's view, which רבי זירא defends using קדושת דמים and ולדי קדשים.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an explanation of why רבי יוחנן needed two rules. One rule is about making a pregnant animal holy, so the fetus becomes holy with its mother. The other is about making only the fetus holy. Each case has its own weak point, so each had to be taught. The גמרא then gives a second version (לישנא אחרינא). In that version, רבי יוחנן's point is that a fetus is not just part of its mother (עובר לאו ירך אמו), and again both rules turn out to be needed. Next, רבי ירמיה challenges רבי זירא with several sources that seem to show a fetus can be made holy, against בר פדא. רבי זירא answers that some of these sources mean קדושת דמים (holiness of value). He proves that this kind of holiness is still strong enough to cancel firstborn status and to forbid working the animal. He answers that the other sources mean ולדי קדשים, fetuses already holy through their mothers, which leads to a back-and-forth about תמורה, רבי יהודה, and limbs. The amud ends with רבי ירמיה asking why a משנה would say 'one makes holy' about offspring that are already holy, and the answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. ResolutionWhy the fetus case alone would not be enough
2. ResolutionWhy the pregnant-animal case alone would not be enough
3. ChallengeSecond version: if a fetus is separate, why teach it twice?
4. ResolutionBoth rules are needed: the mother gives the fetus a reason to be holy
5. ResolutionWhy the fetus-only rule cannot replace the pregnant-animal rule
6. ChallengeA challenge from the משנה about cleverly avoiding the firstborn
7. ResolutionThe משנה is talking about holiness of value
8. ChallengeIs holiness of value strong enough to cancel firstborn status?
9. ProofProof that holiness of value does cancel firstborn status
10. ChallengeA pregnant animal may not be worked because of its holy fetus
11. ResolutionThis ברייתא is also talking about value-holiness
12. ChallengeCan weak value-holiness forbid working the animal?
13. ProofProof that value-holiness does forbid work
14. ChallengeThe תמורה rule suggests a fetus can be made holy
15. ResolutionThe משנה is about babies of holy animals
16. ChallengeIf the Fetuses Are Offspring of Holy Animals, Could They Make a Substitute Once Born?
17. ResolutionThe משנה Follows רבי יהודה
18. ChallengeBut רבי יהודה Says Limbs Cannot Be Made Holy
19. ResolutionThe משנה Means a Limb the Animal Cannot Live Without
20. ChallengeA משנה Says You May Make Fetuses Holy
21. ResolutionThis Too Is About Offspring of Holy Animals
22. ChallengeWhy say 'make holy' if the offspring are already holy?