Yoma 8a

יומא ח׳ ע״א

Learn Yoma 8a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The צִיץ verses for רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון, and the dispute over sprinkling the separated כהנים: whether הזאה is compared to טבילה

Overview

This עמוד opens by finishing a קל וחומר: if the כהן גדול may never take his mind off the צִיץ, which has God's name once, then all the more so a person may not take his mind off his תפילין, which have it many times. The גמרא then works through how רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון read the צִיץ verses. רבי יהודה says the צִיץ is מרצה only while it is worn. רבי שמעון says it is always מרצה, but only if it is whole and fit for the forehead, so a broken צִיץ does not work. Next the גמרא tries to link this dispute to a ברייתא about sprinkling the כהן גדול and the כהן who burns the פרה אדומה during their seven days of separation. רבי מאיר sprinkles every day, רבי יוסי only on the third and seventh days, and רבי חנינא סגן הכהנים splits the two cases. Two proposed reasons are rejected: טומאה דחויה versus הותרה, and whether טבילה בזמנה מצוה. The final answer is that רבי מאיר compares הזאה to טבילה and רבי יוסי does not. רבי חנינא does not compare them; the daily sprinkling for the כהן of the פרה is only an extra stringency (מעלה). The עמוד ends by starting to quote a ברייתא that lists the only difference between the two כהנים, and that ברייתא continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. StatementFinishing the logical argument from the frontplate to תפילין
2. ChallengeChallenge to רבי שמעון from 'on his forehead … and he shall bear'
3. ResolutionThat phrase only tells us where the frontplate goes
4. QuestionWhere does רבי יהודה learn the frontplate's placement?
5. Responseרבי יהודה learns it from the other 'on his forehead'
6. ChallengeThen רבי שמעון should also use that phrase for placement
7. ResponseAgreed — רבי שמעון learns placement from there too
8. QuestionSo what does רבי שמעון learn from 'on his forehead … and he shall bear'?
9. ResponseOnly a frontplate fit for the forehead brings acceptance
10. QuestionWhere does רבי יהודה learn the broken צִיץ rule
11. ResponseHe learns it from 'his forehead' instead of 'forehead'
12. QuestionSuggesting this dispute matches another dispute of תנאים
13. StatementThe בָּרַיְיתָא on sprinkling the separated כהנים
14. QuestionProposed reason: דחויה versus הותרה
15. ChallengeIf impurity were permitted, why sprinkle at all
16. RejectionBoth תנאים hold impurity is only pushed aside
17. ResolutionA new explanation: the dispute is about immersing on time
18. ChallengeChallenge from the case of ה׳'s name written on the skin
19. ChallengeThe ברייתא's dispute is exactly about immersing on time
20. RejectionRetraction: all these תנאים agree that immersing on time is a מצוה
21. ResolutionThe real dispute: is sprinkling compared to immersion?
22. Challengeרבי חנינא's split ruling seems inconsistent
23. ResolutionHe does not compare them; the heifer priest is just an extra stringency
24. QuestionWhich תנא matches the ברייתא comparing the two כהנים?