Yoma 43a

יומא מ״ג ע״א

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Topic

Who may perform each stage of the פרה אדומה: רב and שמואל on the כהן, and רבנן and רבי יהודה on gathering, קידוש and sprinkling

Overview

This עמוד continues the גמרא's line-by-line reading of the פסוקים of פרה אדומה, asking who may perform each stage. It first finishes an earlier point: the views on "אותה" differ when a donkey is taken out with the פרה. Then רב and שמואל read "לפניו," "אלעזר" and "הכהן" according to their views. רב holds that a כהן is needed throughout, and even a כהן הדיוט is enough. שמואל holds that a זר may slaughter, but אלעזר must take the blood. The repeated word "הכהן" teaches that the כהן must be בכיהונו, even לדורות. The גמרא defends this rule with the idea that the תורה sometimes writes out a קל וחומר. Next it learns that a זר and an אשה may gather the ashes, but a חרש, שוטה and קטן may not. It then brings the dispute between רבנן and רבי יהודה over who may do קידוש and who may dip the hyssop, and each side reads every word of the פסוקים. The עמוד ends with a משנה about sprinkling that seems to contradict רבי יהודה.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. ResponseThe practical difference: taking a donkey out with the heifer
2. Statement"And he shall slaughter it": no other animal slaughtered with it
3. Statement"Before him": רב and שמואל read it differently
4. Statementשמואל: the blood stage goes back to אלעזר
5. Statementרב: a double limitation includes even a כהן הדיוט
6. Statementשמואל: "הכהן" at the cedar stage means even a כהן הדיוט
7. Resolutionרב: the word "הכהן" is still needed at the cedar stage
8. StatementThe כהן must be in his priestly state, now and in future generations
9. ChallengeWhy say 'in his priestly state' if a High Priest is required?
10. ResolutionThe Torah sometimes writes out something we could have derived ourselves
11. StatementWho may gather the ashes: a non-kohen and a woman, but not a deaf-mute, an imbecile or a minor
12. StatementQuoting a משנה about who may sanctify the water
13. QuestionWhat is the source for the view of רבנן?
14. ResponseThe plural 'they shall take' links mixing to gathering
15. Rejectionרבי יהודה reads the plural as including a minor
16. QuestionWhere does רבי יהודה learn that a woman is unfit?
17. Response'He shall put', not 'she shall put'
18. Resolutionרבנן: the plural teaches that the taker and the putter may differ
19. ResolutionTwo may take and one may put
20. Statementרבנן read 'a pure man' for dipping the hyssop
21. Statementרבי יהודה reads the same words the opposite way
22. ChallengeA משנה rejects a woman for sprinkling but accepts a minor