Yoma 6b

יומא ו׳ ע״ב

Learn Yoma 6b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yoma 6b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

יומא 6b: When a בועל נדה immerses, why the כהן גדול is not guarded from טומאת מת, and whether טומאת מת is הותרה or דחויה בציבור

Overview

This amud first finishes the challenge against רב שימי מנהרדעא, who held that a בועל נדה immerses at night. The גמרא tries to prove from a ברייתא that he immerses by day like a טמא מת, but that proof is pushed off. Then a ברייתא of רבי חייא says it outright, and רב שימי is refuted (תיובתא). Next the גמרא asks why the כהן גדול is kept away from his wife's impurity but not guarded from the more severe טומאת מת. רב תחליפא in the name of רבא answers that טומאת מת is permitted for communal service (הותרה בציבור). רבינא answers instead that טומאת מת is rare, while impurity from home is common. The גמרא then brings the מחלוקת of רב נחמן (הותרה) and רב ששת (דחויה), and shows the practical difference: must we bring pure כהנים from another בית אב? A second version (איכא דאמרי) says רב נחמן lets impure כהנים serve even beside pure ones in the same בית אב, and this continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (11)

1. ChallengeSo the comparison must be about immersion
2. RejectionThe comparison is about impurity, needed for the later clause
3. Proofרבי חייא's ברייתא: a בועל נדה immerses by day
4. Conclusionרב שימי is refuted
5. ChallengeWhy not also guard the כהן גדול from corpse impurity?
6. ResolutionCorpse impurity is permitted for communal service
7. Resolutionרבינא: corpse impurity is rare, impurity at home is common
8. Statementרב נחמן and רב ששת argue about corpse impurity in communal service
9. StatementDefining exactly where the two opinions disagree
10. StatementThe practical outcome: do we search for pure priests elsewhere?
11. StatementSecond version: רב נחמן lets impure כהנים serve even when pure ones are present