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Zevachim 41b

זבחים מ״א ע״ב

Learn Zevachim 41b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Why the details of the פר העלם דבר של צבור need their own extra source, a dispute between תנאים about how far one comparison reaches, and two parables from דבי רבי ישמעאל explaining why the תורה describes the community's bull more briefly than the bull of the כהן משיח.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an explanation of why the community's bull needs an extra source to teach that the יותרת and the two כליות are burned for it. רב הונא בריה דרב נתן challenges רב פפא from a ברייתא, and רב פפא answers that this is a dispute between תנאים. Two teachings of דבי רבי ישמעאל then use parables about a king to explain why the תורה describes the community's bull more briefly than the bull of the כהן משיח. Next the גמרא turns to our משנה's line about one improper placement and brings the dispute in מנחות between רבי מאיר and חכמים about a פיגול thought during only half the מתיר. ריש לקיש explains that רבי מאיר really holds that a person acts on his first intention, and he proves this from the wording of our משנה. רבי שמואל בר יצחק rereads the משנה so that it fits the חכמים. רבא and רב אשי defend that reading, and a challenge to them is answered by saying the משנה only copied the style of its earlier clause. Finally, a ברייתא is brought against ריש לקיש, and the challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֲבָל יוֹתֶרֶת וּשְׁתֵּי כְלָיוֹת –

But the diaphragm and the two kidneys,

דְּלָא כְּתִיבָן בְּגוּפֵיהּ,

which are not written about it itself,

אֵימָא לָא;

I might say: no, they do not apply;

קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

so it teaches us that they do.

The steps (18)

  1. ResolutionWhy the diaphragm and kidneys need an extra source
  2. Challengeרב הונא challenges from a ברייתא that includes everything
  3. ResolutionIt is a dispute between תנאים
  4. StatementParable of the king who spoke little of his beloved's offense
  5. StatementParable of the province that sinned
  6. StatementA new discussion opens with a related משנה from מנחות
  7. Statementחכמים require the thought during the whole מתיר
  8. Statementריש לקיש explains רבי מאיר: a person acts on his first intention
  9. ProofProof from the wording of our משנה
  10. QuestionWhose opinion is our משנה?
  11. ProofSo רבי מאיר's reason must be 'first intention'
  12. Rejectionרבי שמואל בר יצחק: the משנה could be the חכמים
  13. ChallengeThe ruling 'פסול' shows that 'proper' means kosher
  14. Resolutionרבא: the improper placement was a thought of eating outside the proper place
  15. Resolutionרב אשי: the improper placement was done not for its sake
  16. ChallengeThen a silent last placement would make it פיגול
  17. ResolutionThe wording just copies the earlier clause
  18. ChallengeA ברייתא is brought against ריש לקיש