Temurah 28a

תמורה כ״ח ע״א

Learn Temurah 28a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Temurah 28a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Animals forbidden for the מזבח: why they are never cancelled in a mixture, why our משנה is needed, and the source that רובע and נרבע are unfit.

Overview

The משנה lists animals that may never be brought on the מזבח, such as רובע, נרבע, מוקצה, נעבד, אתנן, מחיר, כלאים, טרפה and יוצא דופן. If one of them gets mixed in with good animals, the whole group is forbidden for the מזבח, no matter how small its share. The משנה also defines מוקצה and נעבד and says both may still be eaten. The גמרא explains that these animals are never cancelled by a majority, then asks why our משנה is needed when משניות in זבחים and עבודה זרה seem to teach the same thing. Through a chain of answers (צריכותא), it shows that each משנה teaches something new: our משנה covers animals that are only unfit for the מזבח and that got mixed while still חולין. Next the גמרא asks for the source that רובע and נרבע are unfit, and brings a ברייתא that learns it from the words מן הבהמה. The ברייתא tests whether a קל וחומר could teach this instead, and finds that it works only when two witnesses saw the sin. רבי שמעון offers a קל וחומר for the one-witness case too, and the גמרא explains that the רבנן who disagree with him still need the פסוק.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. StatementForbidden altar animals make a whole mixture forbidden
2. StatementDefining the set-aside and the worshipped animal
3. StatementIn any amount means no cancelling by majority
4. ChallengeWe already learned this in another משנה
5. ChallengeThe wording 'even' in that משנה was puzzling
6. ResolutionHow to read the משנה in זבחים
7. ResolutionOur משנה is needed for animals that are not forbidden for benefit
8. Challengeזבחים already teaches about רובע and נרבע
9. ResolutionOne משנה is about חולין, the other about קדשים
10. ResolutionWhy both the קדשים case and the חולין case are needed
11. ChallengeA משנה in עבודה זרה already teaches mixtures of non-sacred items
12. Resolutionעבודה זרה deals with items forbidden for all benefit; ours does not
13. ResolutionWhy the עבודה זרה list is still needed
14. QuestionWhere do we learn that רובע and נרבע are unfit for the מזבח?
15. ResponseThe source is the words "from the animals"
16. ChallengeWhy do we need a פסוק if logic already teaches it?
17. RejectionThe ox used for forbidden plowing breaks the logic
18. RejectionPlowing with an ox and donkey carries no death penalty
19. ConclusionThe קל וחומר works only when there are two witnesses
20. QuestionWhat if only one witness or the owner knows?
21. Challengeרבי שמעון learns even the one-witness case with a קל וחומר
22. ConclusionThe verse is what rules out these animals
23. ChallengeWhy do we need a verse if logic already proves it
24. ResolutionThe logic does not actually work