Gemara Clarity

Yoma 4a

יומא ד׳ ע״א

Learn Yoma 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The source for the seven-day separation of the כהן גדול before יום כיפור (and of the כהן who burns the פרה אדומה): the מחלוקת between רבי יוחנן, who learns it from the מילואים, and ריש לקיש, who learns it from סיני.

Overview

This amud opens with the last words of the previous discussion: the כהן גדול is moved out of his home because of possible impurity from his wife. Then רבי יוחנן challenges ריש לקיש. A ברייתא says the כהן is sprinkled all seven days. That fits the מילואים, where there was sprinkling, but there was no sprinkling at סיני. ריש לקיש counters that the מילואים used blood, not water. רבי יוחנן answers with רבי חייא's teaching that water replaced blood, and ריש לקיש finally says the sprinkling is only a מעלה. The גמרא then brings a ברייתא that supports רבי יוחנן. It reads 'בזאת יבא אהרן' as pointing to the מילואים and adds the פסוק 'כאשר עשה ביום הזה'. The גמרא explains why the feminine 'בזאת' teaches two things, and why the second פסוק was needed: it shows the separation applies to every יום הכפורים and every כהן גדול. Last, a ברייתא supporting ריש לקיש describes משה being set apart in the cloud at סיני, following רבי יוסי הגלילי's timeline. רבי עקיבא disagrees and says those days began on ראש חודש.

Opening lines

לְטוּמְאַת בֵּיתוֹ.

for the impurity of his household.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ:

Rabbi Yochanan said to Reish Lakish:

בִּשְׁלָמָא לְדִידִי דְּיָלֵיפְנָא מִמִּלּוּאִים,

Granted, according to me, since I derive it from the inauguration,

הַיְינוּ דְּתַנְיָא:

that explains what was taught in a baraita:

The steps (19)

  1. StatementClosing words: concern for the impurity of his household
  2. Challengeרבי יוחנן challenges ריש לקיש from the sprinkling
  3. Challengeריש לקיש counters: blood versus water
  4. Resolutionרבי יוחנן answers: water replaced blood
  5. Challengeרבי יוחנן repeats his challenge
  6. Resolutionריש לקיש answers: it is only an extra stringency
  7. StatementEach view has a supporting ברייתא
  8. ProofThe ברייתא supporting רבי יוחנן: 'בזאת' points to the מילואים
  9. ProofEvery future כהן גדול also separates for seven days
  10. ProofThe ברייתא links its source to the משנה, including the פרה and the sprinkling
  11. ChallengeThe ברייתא raises a problem: blood there, water here
  12. ResolutionWater takes the place of blood
  13. ProofA second פסוק links the מילואים to both the פרה and יום הכפורים
  14. ChallengeIsn't 'בזאת' needed for the offerings themselves?
  15. ResolutionThe feminine form 'בזאת' teaches two things
  16. QuestionWhy did the ברייתא need a second פסוק?
  17. ResponseThe second פסוק shows פרישה applies in every generation
  18. ProofA ברייתא supports ריש לקיש: משה was set apart in the cloud
  19. Statementרבי עקיבא: the six days began on ראש חודש