Yoma 30b

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Topic

The immersion (טבילה) before entering the Temple: how בן זומא and רבי יהודה differ, and whether רבי יהודה's rulings about a מצורע are consistent

Overview

Earlier on the daf, בן זומא and רבי יהודה both require a טבילה before someone enters the עזרה, but they give different reasons. בן זומא learns it from the כהן גדול on יום הכפורים. רבי יהודה sees it as a reminder in case the person has an old טומאה. The גמרא first says the practical difference is whether skipping the טבילה invalidates the עבודה. A ברייתא disproves that, so the גמרא says instead that the difference is whether a מצות עשה is violated. Next the גמרא asks whether רבי יהודה really holds the 'reminder' idea, since in one ברייתא he exempts a מצורע from an extra טבילה. A second ברייתא has רבי יהודה say that מצורעים and everyone else immersed in the לשכת המצורעים, which looks like a contradiction. The גמרא tries several ways to split the cases, then offers a text correction, and finally רבינא explains that רבי יהודה was arguing on the רבנן's own terms. אביי then asks רב יוסף whether the רבנן follow בן זומא. רב יוסף answers that they require the extra טבילה only for a מצורע, because he is used to טומאה. אביי begins another question about רבי יהודה's view, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. ResponseFirst answer: they argue about whether skipping immersion ruins the service
2. ChallengeChallenge: even the High Priest's missing immersion does not ruin the service
3. ResolutionNew answer: they argue about whether a positive commandment is violated
4. ChallengeChallenge: does רבי יהודה really require immersion as a reminder?
5. ResolutionThe מצורע is exempt because he already immersed last night
6. QuestionWhy was this ברייתא ever raised as a challenge?
7. ResponseHe wanted to contrast it with another ברייתא
8. Challengeרבי יהודה says even מצורעים immersed in a special chamber
9. ResolutionOne case is a מצורע who immersed, the other one who did not
10. ChallengeA מצורע who did not immerse must also wait for sunset
11. ResolutionBoth immersed; the difference is whether he became distracted
12. ChallengeDistraction requires sprinkling on days three and seven
13. ResolutionBoth cases are careful; the difference is the intention of the immersion
14. ResolutionCorrecting the wording of the second ברייתא
15. Resolutionרבינא: רבי יהודה was arguing on the רבנן's terms
16. ResponseWhy the רבנן limit the immersion to a מצורע
17. Questionאביי asks: Do the רבנן follow בן זומא?
18. Responseרב יוסף: The מצורע is a special case
19. Questionאביי opens a new question about רבי יהודה's view