Yoma 47b

יומא מ״ז ע״ב

Learn Yoma 47b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yoma 47b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Flour or incense caught between the fingers in קמיצה and חפינה, and רב פפא's unresolved questions about unusual ways of taking a handful

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא about how a כהן takes the קומץ from a fried מנחה, and the ברייתא calls this the hardest עבודה in the מקדש. The גמרא corrects the wording to 'one of the hardest,' since מליקה and חפינה are also very hard. Next, רבי יהושע בן עוזאה asks about the flour caught between the fingers of the קומץ. רב פפא narrows the question to the middle zone, and the ruling is that this flour is a ספק. רבי חנינא says to burn the definite קומץ first and the doubtful flour afterward, so the שירים are not reduced before the קומץ is burned. The גמרא objects that burning possible שירים violates בל תקטירו. It answers that the flour is burned as fuel, following רבי אליעזר, and that ideally fat-fingered כהנים do the קמיצה so no doubt arises at all. After a סימן, רב פפא asks the same in-between question about the כהן גדול's handfuls of קטורת on יום כיפור, recast as whether the 'taking' and the 'bringing' must match. He then asks about unusual ways of doing קמיצה and חפינה, and all of these questions end in תיקו. The amud closes as another dilemma begins, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. StatementSmoothing the קומץ for fried מנחות, the hardest עבודה in the מקדש
2. ChallengeChallenge: other services are also extremely hard
3. ResolutionCorrection: it is one of the hardest services
4. QuestionThe question about flour between the fingers
5. Statementרב פפא narrows the question to the middle zone
6. ResponseThe answer: the in-between flour is a ספק
7. QuestionSo what does the כהן actually do?
8. Responseרבי חנינא: burn the definite קומץ first
9. ProofWhy the order matters: reduced שירים disqualify the קומץ
10. ChallengeBurning the doubtful flour afterward still risks a prohibition
11. ResolutionThe doubtful flour is burned as fuel, like רבי אליעזר
12. ProofThe ברייתא showing רבי אליעזר permits burning as fuel
13. ChallengeWhat about the רבנן, who disagree with רבי אליעזר?
14. ResolutionFat כהנים take the קומץ
15. ConclusionEven רבי אליעזר prefers fat כהנים from the start
16. StatementMemory aid for רב פפא's upcoming questions
17. QuestionWhat about the in-between of the כהן גדול's handfuls?
18. ChallengeWhat is the question? It should be the same as the קומץ
19. ResolutionWhat רב פפא was really asking: matching the taking and the bringing
20. StatementThe normal way of taking a handful is obviously correct
21. QuestionQuestions about unusual ways of taking a handful
22. StatementThe normal way of scooping with both hands is obviously correct
23. QuestionQuestions about unusual ways of scooping with both hands
24. QuestionOpening word of a new dilemma