Yoma 42a

יומא מ״ב ע״א

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Topic

The weights of the crimson wool strips (לשון של זהורית) used for the פרה אדומה, the שעיר המשתלח, and the מצורע, and רבי יצחק's doubt about which שחיטה may be done by a זר: the פרה אדומה or the פר of the כהן גדול.

Overview

This amud opens by finishing a ruling about the weight of the crimson strip used for the פרה אדומה, the שעיר המשתלח and the מצורע. רבי יוחנן reports a מחלוקת about the פרה's strip. רבי ירמיה מדיפתי says the dispute was really about the שעיר's strip, and the death of רביא בר קיסי that day became its סימן. Next, רבי יצחק remembers that a זר may slaughter either the פרה or the פר of the כהן גדול, but he does not remember which one. רב and שמואל disagree about this, and the גמרא proves that רב is the one who invalidates the פרה, because of the words ״אלעזר״ and ״חוקה״. The גמרא defends רב with several points: שחיטה is not an עבודה, the פרה is קדשי בדק הבית, and מראות נגעים show that a כהן can be required even where there is no עבודה. For שמואל, the verse ״לפניו״ shows that a זר slaughters while אלעזר watches. The גמרא then explains the rule against taking one's attention off the פרה, and why it must be written for both slaughtering and burning. The amud ends as the גמרא begins asking which stage this rule leaves out, and the discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. StatementThe weight of each crimson strip
2. StatementA dispute over the weight of the heifer's strip
3. RejectionThe dispute was really about the scapegoat
4. StatementA sage's death becomes the memory aid
5. Statementרבי יצחק's forgotten tradition about slaughter by a non-כהן
6. Statementרב and שמואל disagree about a non-כהן slaughtering the פרה and the פר
7. ProofProof that רב is the one who invalidates the פרה
8. ChallengeChallenge: the פר also has "אהרן" and "חוקה"
9. ResolutionAnswer: slaughtering is not an עבודה
10. ChallengeChallenge: then the פרה should also be valid
11. ResolutionThe פרה is different because it is קדשי בדק הבית
12. ChallengeShouldn't the פרה be valid with a זר all the more so?
13. ResolutionThe case of מראות נגעים shows that something that is not an עבודה can still need a כהן
14. ChallengeFor שמואל, why do ״אהרן״ and ״חוקה״ disqualify the פר but ״אלעזר״ and ״חוקה״ not disqualify the פרה?
15. Resolution״לפניו״ shows a זר may slaughter the פרה while אלעזר watches
16. Resolutionרב reads ״לפניו״ as a rule not to take attention off the פרה
17. QuestionWhere does שמואל learn the rule against losing focus?
18. Responseשמואל learns it from ״לעיניו״ in the burning verse
19. Resolutionרב needs both verses: one for slaughtering and one for burning
20. ResolutionWhy the attention rule must be written for both slaughtering and burning
21. QuestionWhich stage is left out of the attention rule?
22. ResponseFirst suggestion: gathering the ashes and drawing the water