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Zevachim 79b

זבחים ע״ט ע״ב

Learn Zevachim 79b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Zevachim 79b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Washing out absorbed impure liquid, the dispute about mixtures with blood of exudate, and a new משנה on mixed blood

Overview

A ברייתא teaches that a clay vessel that soaked up the urine of a זב or זבה becomes טהור after three rinses with water. If urine was poured in instead of water, it stays טמא even after ten times, because the same kind does not cancel out its own kind. The גמרא says this first opinion is רבי יהודה, who holds מין במינו לא בטיל. It challenges this from רבי יהודה's ruling that water never washes a נדה's spit out of flax. רב פפא answers that spit is different because it is sticky. Next the גמרא asks why the first תנא and רבי אליעזר disagree about fit blood mixed with blood of exudate. רב זביד says the dispute is whether חכמים make a גזירה in the מקדש. רב פפא says everyone makes a גזירה, and the dispute is only whether exudate blood is commonly the larger amount. The wording of the משנה supports רב פפא and leaves רב זביד with a קשיא. A new משנה then rules on other blood mixtures: blood of blemished animals, one unfit cup lost among fit cups, and blood for below the line mixed with blood for above.

Opening lines

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן:

The Sages taught:

חַרְסָן שֶׁל זָב וְזָבָה –

A clay vessel of a זב or a זבה —

פַּעַם רִאשׁוֹן וְשֵׁנִי טָמֵא,

the first and second time, it is impure;

שְׁלִישִׁי טָהוֹר.

the third time, it is pure.

The steps (15)

  1. StatementA clay flask of a זב becomes pure after three rinses
  2. StatementOnly rinsing with water helps, and urine never does
  3. Statementרבי אליעזר בן יעקב: three times works even without water
  4. QuestionThe first opinion is רבי יהודה
  5. ChallengeChallenge: for רבי יהודה, water never washes spit out of flax
  6. Resolutionרב פפא: spit is different because it is sticky
  7. QuestionWhat is the root of the dispute in the משנה?
  8. Responseרב זביד: they disagree about making a גזירה in the מקדש
  9. Responseרב פפא: everyone makes a גזירה; they disagree about how common it is
  10. ProofThe משנה's wording fits רב פפא
  11. Challengeרב זביד cannot explain the separate clauses
  12. StatementBlood of unblemished and blemished animals mixed together
  13. StatementOne unfit cup lost among fit cups
  14. StatementBlood for below mixed with blood for above
  15. StatementIf he placed it without asking, it is fit