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Yoma 51a

יומא נ״א ע״א

Learn Yoma 51a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Identifying the offering in the ברייתא: why זבח is read as specific, why רב ששת rejects פסח and פסח שני, and the dispute over whether פסח שני overrides טומאה

Overview

This amud joins the סוגיא in the middle of a discussion about a ברייתא. The ברייתא describes an offering that overrides שבת, overrides טומאה, and can have a תמורה. First the גמרא finishes explaining that 'זבח' in the ברייתא means one specific offering, not all sacrifices, because בכור and מעשר follow special rules. It then explains why תמורה can be one general category when זבח cannot. Next it asks why רב ששת does not explain the ברייתא as the קרבן פסח. The answer is that he holds אין שוחטין הפסח על היחיד. The פסח שני does not work either, because it does not override טומאה. Then רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע asks רבא why the תנא calls the פסח a קרבן יחיד but the חגיגה a קרבן ציבור. רבא answers that it is because of פסח שני, and he accepts that this תנא follows רבי יהודה, who holds that פסח שני overrides טומאה. The amud ends with each side's reasoning: the תנא קמא's argument from logic and רבי יהודה's פסוק 'ככל חקת הפסח'.

Opening lines

בְּכוֹר וּמַעֲשֵׂר,

A firstborn and an animal tithe,

דְּחָלִין עַל בַּעַל מוּם קָבוּעַ,

whose holiness takes effect even on a permanently blemished animal,

וְאֵין יוֹצְאִין לְחוּלִּין

and they do not go out to non-sacred status

לִיגָּזֵז וְלֵיעָבֵד.

to be sheared and to be worked.

The steps (15)

  1. ResolutionFirstborn and tithe show that 'offering' is not a general category
  2. QuestionWhy treat substitution and offering differently?
  3. ResponseSubstitution is uniform; offerings have exceptions
  4. ChallengeWhy doesn't רב ששת explain the ברייתא as the Paschal offering?
  5. Resolutionרב ששת holds the Paschal offering is not slaughtered for one person
  6. ChallengeThen explain it as the פסח שני
  7. ResolutionThe second Pesach does not override impurity
  8. ChallengeWhy is the פסח called an individual offering but the חגיגה a communal one?
  9. ResolutionBecause פסח שני is not brought by a crowd
  10. ChallengeThen פסח שני should override שבת and impurity
  11. ResolutionYes, this תנא holds פסח שני overrides impurity
  12. ProofA ברייתא shows the dispute about פסח שני and impurity
  13. ResponseThe תנא קמא's reason: impurity is why he got a second chance
  14. Responseרבי יהודה's verse: like all the laws of the פסח
  15. Resolutionרבי יהודה answers the תנא קמא's logic