Gemara Clarity

Yoma 7b

יומא ז׳ ע״ב

Learn Yoma 7b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yoma 7b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Is טומאה in public offerings הותרה or דחויה? This is shown through the תנאים dispute over when the ציץ is מרצה, and through how each side reads 'תמיד' in the פסוק.

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא which says that טומאה in public offerings 'was permitted' (הותרה). That wording seems to challenge רב ששת, who holds that public טומאה is only דחויה (overridden). The גמרא answers that this is a dispute among תנאים. רבי שמעון holds the ציץ is מרצה even when it is not on the כהן גדול's forehead. רבי יהודה holds it works only while it is worn. Their debate about the כהן גדול on יום הכיפורים shows that רבי שמעון holds טומאה דחויה בציבור, so רב ששת follows him. אביי then narrows the dispute: everyone agrees a broken ציץ does not work, and they argue only about an intact ציץ hanging on a peg. Each side learns its view from a different part of the same פסוק. For רבי שמעון, 'תמיד' means the ציץ always brings acceptance. For רבי יהודה, 'תמיד' means the כהן גדול must never take his mind off the ציץ. The amud ends with רבה בר רב הונא's rule that a person must regularly touch his תפילין, learned by a קל וחומר from the ציץ. The details of that קל וחומר come on the next amud.

Opening lines

הָא אֵינוֹ נוֹשֵׂא אֶלָּא

Apparently, it bears only

עֲוֹן טוּמְאָה

the sin of impurity

שֶׁהוּתְּרָה מִכְּלָלָהּ בְּצִיבּוּר.

which was permitted out of its general rule in public cases.

וְקַשְׁיָא לְרַב שֵׁשֶׁת!

And this is difficult for Rav Sheshet!

The steps (13)

  1. ChallengeThe ברייתא's conclusion challenges רב ששת
  2. ResolutionIt is a dispute of תנאים: רבי שמעון's view
  3. Statementרבי יהודה: only while it is on his forehead
  4. Challengeרבי שמעון's proof from יום הכיפורים
  5. Resolutionרבי יהודה: יום הכיפורים needs no ציץ
  6. Conclusionרבי שמעון holds impurity is only overridden
  7. Statementאביי: broken frontplate never works; dispute is about a peg
  8. Statementרבי יהודה's source from the verse
  9. Statementרבי שמעון's source: 'always for acceptance'
  10. ProofProving that 'always' cannot mean 'always on the forehead'
  11. ChallengeWhat does רבי יהודה do with the word 'always'?
  12. ResolutionFor רבי יהודה, 'always' means never losing awareness
  13. Statementרבה בר רב הונא: touch your תפילין every hour