Yoma 50a

יומא נ׳ ע״א

Learn Yoma 50a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yoma 50a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whether blood is called פר, and whether the כהן גדול's יום הכפורים bull is a private or communal offering

Overview

This amud first finishes the argument between רבי יצחק נפחא and רבי אמי over whether a slaughtered bull is still called a פר. רב פפא narrows the dispute: everyone agrees the body is called פר, and they argue only about the blood. רב אשי supports the view that blood is called פר from 'בפר בן בקר', and the other side reads that פסוק differently. The גמרא then asks why the bull of a כהן גדול who died is not simply left to die, like any חטאת whose owner died. רב עמרם answers that it is a חטאת צבור. The גמרא tries to support this from a משנה with רבי מאיר and רבי יעקב, but shows that their words prove nothing. It explains that the real rule for pushing aside שבת and טומאה is a fixed time. אביי then brings ברייתות that call the bull communal. רבא answers that it is really a 'partners' offering, and explains the practical difference: כהנים do not bring a פר for a mistaken ruling. The amud ends by introducing a new proof from a question of רבי אלעזר, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. ChallengeA verse calls the slaughtered bull a bull
2. ResolutionThe verse means taking out all of it
3. ChallengeA second verse about the sin-offering bull
4. Resolutionרב פפא narrows the dispute to the blood
5. Proofרב אשי proves that blood is called a bull
6. QuestionHow does the other view read this verse?
7. ResponseThe bull qualifies Aaron to enter
8. ChallengeWhy not apply the rule of a sin-offering whose owner died?
9. ResolutionThe כהן גדול's bull counts as a communal sin-offering
10. ProofAn attempted proof from רבי מאיר's words
11. RejectionThe same logic would lead to an absurd result
12. Resolutionרבי מאיר was arguing against a general rule
13. Challengeרבי יעקב: being communal is not the deciding rule
14. StatementThe real rule: a fixed time decides
15. Challengeאביי's challenge from a ברייתא about lost offerings
16. ResolutionThe bull in the ברייתא is the communal-mistake bull
17. ChallengeBut the ברייתא says 'of יום הכפורים'
18. Resolution'Of יום הכפורים' describes only the goat
19. ChallengeA second ברייתא explicitly calls both the bull and the goat 'of יום הכפורים'
20. ResolutionChange the wording to 'a sin-offering of partners does not die'
21. QuestionWhat difference does 'partners' versus 'community' make?
22. Responseכהנים do not bring a bull for a mistaken ruling
23. ProofSetting up a proof from a question of רבי אליעזר