Daf 137 — Chullin 137 Summary

Chullin 137 – Good Morning Raboisai Reishis HaGez and a Treifah A Treifah Is Exempt We continue with Reishis HaGez. Rebbe Shimon learns Reishis HaGez from: • Maaser Behemah. Just as a: • Treifah is excluded from Maaser Behemah so too: • A Treifah is exempt from Reishis HaGez. Why Is a Treifah Excluded From Maaser? By Maaser Behemah, the animals pass: • Under the staff – Tachas HaShevet. A Treifah is excluded because: • The Torah requires an animal capable of passing through in the normal way. Although some Treifos: • Can physically walk once the Torah excludes the category of Treifah: • All Treifos are excluded. Why Learn From Maaser and Not Bechor? Bechor Would Give the Opposite Result The Gemara asks: Why compare Reishis HaGez to: • Maaser Behemah? Perhaps we should compare it to: • Bechor. A Bechor can still have its Kedushah even if: • It is a Treifah. If Reishis HaGez follows Bechor: • A Treifah should be Chayav. Seven Similarities to Maaser The Gemara lists reasons why Reishis HaGez is similar to: • Maaser Behemah. Among them: • Both can involve males and females. • Both apply to kosher animals. • Both require multiple animals rather than a single special firstborn. • Both deal with ordinary animals rather than only the firstborn. • Neither applies to humans. • Both belong to a system that began after the earlier Bechor concept. The Gemara summarizes: • There are seven similarities. But Eight Similarities to Bechor! The Gemara then points out that Reishis HaGez actually has: • Eight similarities to Bechor. These include cases involving: • A Yasom – orphaned animal • Purchased animals • Partnership • Gifts • Whether it applies Bizman Hazeh • Giving something to the Kohen • Kedushah • Sale. So numerically: • Bechor appears to be the stronger comparison. “Pashut” Is the Stronger Factor Nevertheless, the Gemara prefers: • Maaser Behemah. Why? Because one similarity is especially important: • Pashut. Reishis HaGez applies to: • Ordinary sheep. Maaser Behemah also deals with: • Ordinary animals. Bechor is fundamentally different because it applies specifically to: • The special firstborn. Therefore this qualitative similarity outweighs: • The numerical advantage of Bechor. Reishis HaGez Applies Only to Sheep Not Goats The Gemara states: • Reishis HaGez applies only to Rechelim – sheep. It does not apply to: • Goats. The source is a Gezeirah Shavah: • Gez – Gez. The Torah uses Gez regarding Reishis HaGez and elsewhere speaks about: • The wool of sheep. Therefore: • Reishis HaGez is limited to sheep. Why Not Cattle? Bechor Uses “Gez” With Cattle The Gemara challenges this. Regarding Bechor the Torah says: • Do not work with the firstborn ox • And do not shear the firstborn sheep. The prohibition of: • Avodah and Gizah extends across: • Cattle and sheep. So perhaps the “shearing” of cattle should also qualify for: • Reishis HaGez. Wool Suitable for Clothing The Gemara explains that Reishis HaGez concerns material suitable for: • A Beged – clothing. The normal wool used for clothing is: • Sheep's wool. The coarse material from cattle: • Is not the type of wool intended by the Mitzvah. What About Goat Hair? Goat Hair Can Make Clothing Goat hair can also be valuable. The transcript gives the familiar example of: • Cashmere which comes from: • Goats. So why is goat hair excluded? The Gemara explains that Reishis HaGez requires material: • Ra’ui L’Sheirus – suitable for the Avodah in the Beis Hamikdash. The wool used for the relevant Bigdei Kehunah is: • Sheep's wool. Therefore: • Goat hair is excluded. What Does “Gez – Gez” Now Teach? If goats are already excluded because the wool must be: • Ra’ui L’Sheirus what is the Gezeirah Shavah of: • Gez – Gez needed for? It teaches that the wool must be: • The type used for warmth. Therefore: • Hard, coarse wool that is not normally used to warm a person is excluded. Shearing by Hand Does It Need Scissors? The Gemara now discusses what counts as: • Gizah – shearing. What if instead of using: • A shearing tool the owner removes the wool: • By hand? Is he still Chayav in: • Reishis HaGez? Rebbe Yosi One Beraisa says: If wool comes off while washing or plucking the sheep: • Patur. Another source indicates: • Chayav. The Gemara initially connects the exemption to: • Rebbe Yosi. Rebbe Yosi generally pays close attention to: • The normal method by which an activity is performed. The Comparison to Leket Harvesting by Hand We find a similar principle by: • Leket. The Torah speaks about: • Ketzircha – your harvesting. If a crop is normally harvested with: • A sickle or harvesting tool pulling it out by hand may not have: • The same Halachic status. It Depends on the Normal Method However, Rebbe Yosi agrees: If the normal way to harvest something is: • By hand then doing it by hand: • Counts as harvesting. So the key is not simply: • Tool versus hand. The key is: • Derech – the normal way that particular item is harvested. Onions and Peah A Vegetable That Keeps The Gemara uses: • Onions as an example. Most vegetables do not have the same Peah obligation because: • They do not keep for long. Onions are different: • They can be stored for a long period. Therefore: • They can be obligated in Peah. Onions Are Pulled by Hand Onions are normally harvested: • By pulling them from the ground by hand. Yet: • Peah still applies. This proves: • Harvesting by hand counts when that is the normal method. The same principle can therefore apply to: • Removing hair or wool. Onions Between Vegetables The Gemara discusses: • Rows of onions growing between other vegetables. The surrounding vegetables: • Are exempt from Peah. The onions: • Are obligated. The question is whether the intervening vegetables divide the onions into: • Separate fields for Peah. Rebbe Yosi requires: • Peah from each section. The Chachamim hold: • One Peah can cover them all. The Halachah follows: • The Chachamim. How Many Sheep Are Required? Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel We return to the Mishnah's Machlokes: • Beis Shammai – two sheep. • Beis Hillel – five sheep. Even if: • One sheep produces a tremendous amount of wool that does not create Reishis HaGez. The Mitzvah requires: • A minimum number of sheep. Why Five? “Chameish Tzon Asuyos” Beis Hillel derives five from the Pasuk: • Chameish Tzon Asuyos. The Gemara connects this Pasuk to: • The story of Naval HaCarmeli. Naval was a wealthy man: • Shearing his sheep. Dovid HaMelech sent men asking him for: • Food for his soldiers. Naval responded: • Harshly and disrespectfully. Avigayil Saves the Situation Naval's servant informed: • Avigayil that Naval had endangered everyone through: • His behaviour toward Dovid. Avigayil immediately prepared: • Food and gifts and went out to meet: • Dovid HaMelech. She persuaded him: • Not to act against Naval. Shortly afterward: • Naval died and Dovid eventually married: • Avigayil. “Asuyos” – Two Mitzvos Rav Kahana explains: • Chameish Tzon Asuyos means that with five sheep: • Two Mitzvos are “made.” These are: • Reishis HaGez • Matanos. The Gemara considers alternatives such as: • Bechor but rejects them because Bechor does not require: • Five animals. Rebbe Yosi – Four Sheep A Third Opinion Rebbe Yosi says: • Four sheep are sufficient. His source is the Torah's description: • Arba Tzon – four sheep. This shows that: • Four can already be called “Tzon.” So we now have: • Beis Shammai – 2 • Rebbe Yosi – 4 • Beis Hillel – 5. Why Follow Rebbe Yosi? Rebbe says: Even if Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel had brought: • Torah sources and Rebbe Yosi had only brought: • Divrei Kabbalah he would still follow: • Rebbe Yosi. But in fact: • Rebbe Yosi's source is from the Torah. What Is “Kabbalah” Here? Kabbalah here does not mean: • The mystical teachings commonly called Kabbalah. Here it means: • The words of the Nevi’im. Rashi explains the distinction: • Torah was given as enduring instruction. • The words received by the Nevi’im are called Kabbalah because they were received through Nevuah/Ruach HaKodesh. Not Simply a Compromise We might think Rebbe Yosi is accepted because: • Four is between two and five. But the Gemara rejects that explanation. A true compromise is where: • A third opinion takes part of each of the first two views. Here: • Nobody else said four. Rebbe Yosi is presenting: • His own received tradition. Therefore his view is not accepted merely because: • It lies numerically between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel. How Much Wool Is Required? The Mishnah’s Shiur The Gemara now discusses the amount of wool required before: • Reishis HaGez takes effect. The earlier Mishnah gave: • A substantial Shiur. But several Amoraim give: • Different measurements. Rav – Maneh U’Pras Rav says: • Maneh U’Pras. The transcript calculates this as approximately: • 425 grams in total. It must come from: • Five sheep. That works out to approximately: • 85 grams per sheep. Shmuel – Sixty Sela Shmuel gives a larger Shiur: • Sixty Sela. The transcript estimates this at approximately: • One kilogram of wool. From this amount: • The Kohen receives the appropriate portion. Rebbe Yochanan – Six Sela Rebbe Yochanan gives another Shiur: • Six Sela. But when it comes to the amount given to the Kohen: • Five Sela is the important figure. Even in the smallest qualifying case: • The Kohen receives five • And the owner is left with one. Rebbe Elazar – Kol Shehu Rebbe Elazar takes the most lenient position: • Kol Shehu. According to him: • Even a very small amount can qualify. The Gemara therefore has several apparently conflicting Shiurim that: • Need to be reconciled. How Much Does the Kohen Receive? Five Sela Our Mishnah says the Kohen receives: • Five Sela. This appears to fit particularly well with: • Rebbe Yochanan. But the Gemara notes that it appears difficult according to: • Rav • Shmuel • And Rebbe Elazar. Two Different Shiurim The Gemara answers that we are dealing with: • Two separate measurements. One question is: • How much wool is needed for the Mitzvah to begin? Another question is: • How much should each Kohen receive when the owner distributes the wool among several Kohanim? These are: • Not necessarily the same Shiur. One - Sixtieth Reishis HaGez – 1/60 Rav and Shmuel teach: • Reishis HaGez B’Shishim. The amount given is: • One - sixtieth. They also mention: • Terumah B’Shishim • Peah B’Shishim. This immediately creates: • A question. But Peah Has No Shiur! We say every day: • Eilu Devarim She’ein Lahem Shiur. Among them is: • Peah. Meaning: • Min HaTorah there is no fixed minimum amount. So how can the Gemara say: • Peah is one - sixtieth? Torah Law vs Rabbinic Shiur The answer is: • Min HaTorah, Peah has no fixed Shiur. The Chachamim established: • A practical minimum. Similarly, the discussion of: • One - sixtieth can refer to the Rabbinic measure rather than: • An absolute Torah minimum. This distinction allows both statements: • Peah has no Torah Shiur • Yet the Chachamim can prescribe an amount. Key Chazarah • A Treifah is exempt from Reishis HaGez, learned from Maaser Behemah. • Although Reishis HaGez has more numerical similarities to Bechor, its similarity to ordinary “Pashut” animals makes Maaser the stronger comparison. • Reishis HaGez applies only to sheep, not goats. • The wool must be suitable for clothing and for the relevant use in the Beis Hamikdash. • Hard, coarse wool not normally used for warmth is excluded. • Removing wool by hand can count when that is the normal method; the same principle appears by harvesting for Peah. • Onions are obligated in Peah and are normally harvested by hand, proving that the normal Derech is what matters. • Beis Shammai requires two sheep for Reishis HaGez; Beis Hillel requires five; Rebbe Yosi says four. • Beis Hillel derives five from “Chameish Tzon Asuyos,” connected to the story of Naval and Avigayil. • “Asuyos” indicates that five sheep create the relevant Mitzvos. • Rebbe Yosi derives four from “Arba Tzon.” • Kabbalah in this Gemara means the words received through the Nevi’im, not mystical Kabbalah. • Rebbe Yosi's four is not merely a compromise between two and five; it is an independent received tradition. • Rav, Shmuel, Rebbe Yochanan and Rebbe Elazar give different Shiurim for the wool of Reishis HaGez. • The Gemara distinguishes between the amount required to create the obligation and the amount distributed to each Kohen. • Reishis HaGez is described as B’Shishim – one - sixtieth. • Peah has no fixed Shiur Min HaTorah, even though the Chachamim established a practical amount. 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