Gemara Clarity

Yoma 23a

יומא כ״ג ע״א

Learn Yoma 23a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

A scholar's response to insult, the finger-count of the פייס and the meaning of פקיע, and the ramp murder that preceded the פייס

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a statement: a תלמיד חכם who does not 'avenge and hold a grudge like a snake' is not a real scholar. The גמרא challenges this from 'לא תקום ולא תטור' and goes through several rounds. It concludes that the scholar may keep a personal hurt in his heart, but he must forgive once the offender comes to appease him. Next the גמרא turns to the משנה about the פייס (the lottery of fingers). A healthy כהן puts out one finger. A sick כהן may put out two, but they count as only one. Along the way it explains the word פקיע: a split-ended whip used to punish cheating כהנים, which is why אביי changed his mind about its meaning. Then a ברייתא tells of a כהן murdered during the race up the ramp, followed by רבי צדוק's tearful speech and the father's shocking concern for the knife's טהרה. The גמרא works out that the murder came first but was seen as a freak crime, while the broken leg showed the race itself was dangerous and led to the פייס. Finally, the גמרא asks whether ירושלים can bring an עגלה ערופה at all. It begins quoting a ברייתא of ten special laws of ירושלים, which continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹקֵם וְנוֹטֵר כְּנָחָשׁ —

who does not avenge and hold a grudge like a snake —

אֵינוֹ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם.

is not a Torah scholar.

וְהָכְתִיב: ״לֹא תִקּוֹם וְלֹא תִטּוֹר״?

But isn't it written: 'You shall not take revenge and you shall not hold a grudge'?

הָהוּא, בְּמָמוֹן הוּא דִּכְתִיב,

That one is written regarding money matters,

The steps (33)

  1. StatementA scholar who does not avenge like a snake is not a scholar
  2. ChallengeBut the Torah forbids revenge and grudges
  3. ResolutionThat verse is about money matters
  4. ProofA ברייתא defines revenge: the sickle and the axe
  5. ProofA ברייתא defines a grudge: the axe and the robe
  6. ChallengeBut we praise those who stay silent when insulted
  7. ResolutionHe may keep it in his heart
  8. ChallengeBut רבא says letting go earns forgiveness
  9. ResolutionForgive when he comes to appease you
  10. StatementQuoting the משנה: one or two fingers
  11. ChallengeIf two fingers are allowed, why mention one?
  12. ResolutionOne finger for a healthy כהן, two for a sick one
  13. ProofA ברייתא supports רב חסדא
  14. ChallengeA ברייתא suggests the middle finger is counted
  15. Resolution'Counted' means counted as one
  16. QuestionWhat is a פקיע?
  17. QuestionWhat is a מדרא? An Arab whip with a split end
  18. Statementאביי's first guess: פקיע means wicks
  19. Rejectionאביי changes his mind: פקיע means lashes
  20. StatementQuoting the משנה: two כהנים racing up the ramp
  21. StatementThe ברייתא's version: one כהן stabbed the other
  22. Statementרבי צדוק's speech about עגלה ערופה and the people's tears
  23. StatementThe father finds his son still convulsing and worries about the knife
  24. ConclusionThe lesson: purity of vessels mattered more to them than murder
  25. ProofA verse about מנשה shows the same disregard for blood
  26. QuestionWhich incident happened first?
  27. ChallengeThe murder could not have come first, or the lottery would have come then
  28. ResponseSo the broken leg must have come first
  29. ChallengeIf there was already a lottery, why were they still racing?
  30. ResolutionThe murder came first but was seen as a freak event
  31. StatementQuoting רבי צדוק's עגלה ערופה question again
  32. ChallengeCan ירושלים even bring an עגלה ערופה?
  33. ProofA ברייתא lists ten special laws of ירושלים