Gemara Clarity

Yoma 14a

יומא י״ד ע״א

Learn Yoma 14a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yoma 14a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The כהן גדול as an אונן; his practice עבודה before יום הכיפורים; and רבי עקיבא's view that sprinkling makes a pure person impure

Overview

This amud opens with רבא finishing his explanation of רבי יהודה. A כהן גדול who is an אונן may serve by Torah law, but the Rabbis decreed that he not serve that whole day, in case he eats קדשים. רב אדא בר אהבה challenges this from יום הכיפורים, where רבי יהודה makes no such decree. רבא answers that on יום הכיפורים nobody eats, so there is no worry. A new משנה then teaches that during the seven days before יום הכיפורים the כהן גדול performs the main daily services to practice, and that all year he has first choice of service and portions. רב חסדא says this משנה cannot follow רבי עקיבא, who holds that sprinkling פרה אדומה water on a pure person makes him impure. The גמרא explains how רבי עקיבא and the חכמים each read the verse, and how each understands שלמה's puzzle about פרה אדומה. It then shows that the 'מזה' who must wash his clothes is really someone who carries the water, and that he becomes impure only if he carries a sprinkling's worth of water. A משנה about the amount the vessel must hold begins at the end of the amud and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵד כׇּל הַיּוֹם,

To say that he does not serve the entire day,

גְּזֵירָה שֶׁמָּא יֹאכַל.

a decree, lest he eat.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה לְרָבָא:

Rav Adda bar Ahava said to Rava:

וּמִי גָּזַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה שֶׁמָּא יֹאכַל?

And did Rabbi Yehuda decree lest he eat?

The steps (27)

  1. Responseרבי יהודה's decree: a כהן גדול who is an אונן does not serve all day
  2. ChallengeChallenge: רבי יהודה made no such decree on יום הכיפורים
  3. Resolutionיום הכיפורים is different because nobody eats
  4. ChallengeChallenge: the wife was divorced, so there is no mourning
  5. ResolutionHe is still emotionally troubled
  6. Statementמשנה: the כהן גדול practices the daily service for seven days
  7. Statementמשנה: all year the כהן גדול may take his pick
  8. QuestionWho is the author of this משנה?
  9. Responseרב חסדא: not like רבי עקיבא, because the sprinkling would make him impure
  10. ProofThe Source: רבי עקיבא Says Sprinkling Makes a Pure Person Impure
  11. StatementThe חכמים: The Verse Is About Things That Can Become Impure
  12. QuestionWhat Does the חכמים' Rule Mean in Practice?
  13. ResponseThe משנה of Sprinkling on an Animal or a Person
  14. QuestionWhat Is רבי עקיבא's Reason?
  15. ResponseThe Extra Words "On the Impure"
  16. ResponseThe חכמים' Use of the Words and Their קל וחומר
  17. Resolutionרבי עקיבא: This Law Is Beyond Logic
  18. ResolutionThe חכמים: שלמה's Puzzle Was the מזה vs. the נוגע
  19. ChallengeChallenge: The Torah says the sprinkler must wash his clothes
  20. ResolutionAnswer: 'Sprinkler' here means one who touches
  21. RejectionRejected: The verse already mentions the toucher separately
  22. ResolutionNew answer: 'Sprinkler' means one who carries the water
  23. ChallengeChallenge: Then why not just write 'carrier'?
  24. ResolutionAnswer: The word teaches the carrier needs enough for a sprinkling
  25. ChallengeChallenge: What about the view that sprinkling has no minimum?
  26. ResolutionAnswer: No minimum on the person, but a minimum in the vessel
  27. ProofProof from a משנה: How much water the vessel must hold