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- Today15 min
Hullin 47: The Telling Colors of Blood
Rulings by Rava: Issues of the lungs, specifically with regard to the lobes. Plus, Meimar, who answers the halakhic questions differently from Rava. Until the Gemara establishes that their answers pertain to different cases -- regarding the lobes. The sages are very precise here in their examination of the different concerns. Also, the implications of various colors -- dark grey (kosher) vs. black (not kosher) vs. green (kosher) vs. red (kosher) vs. Black being the shift from the red of blood, as it deteriorates, which means there's a problem in the lung that would lead to the color black. Plus, the stories of Rabbi Natan, who saves a couple of babies by advising their mothers to let the children's blood to be reabsorbed before brit milah (circumcision).
- 2 days ago13 min
Hullin 46: Frictionless Kashrut
The Gemara moves on to the mishnah''s case of an animal that was missing a liver -- which is surely a treyfa -- but what if an olive's worth remained? That seems to define the animal as a kosher animal. But less than a "kezayit" amount of the liver seems that it would get that treyfa distinction. Also, 4 rulings - listed with a mnemonic. Including the case of creepy crawlies - and the question of them not bleeding, with implications for Shabbat -- all as a parallel to a punctured (or not!) lung. But note throughout here the lack of attack among the sages, despite all the differences of opinion, and with practical implications.
- 2 days ago15 min
Hullin 45: Talmudic Anatomy - Animals Edition
A review of injuries to various body parts and the implications for a kosher shechitah. Note the sages' awareness of the animals' anatomy. After all, they did open these animals up and were able to discern their inner workings. Note also the sages' verbal descriptions of the visual/physical. Also, a deeper dive into the potential perforation of the heart -- and which chamber of the heart was (presumably necessarily) perforated? And, of course, note the big loss that a treyfa discovery would mean. It wasn't a simple thing to render the meat before the shochet into non-kosher food.
- 3 days ago22 min
Hullin 44: Resolved by a Bat Kol/Heavenly Voice (Or Not)
An investigation into an acceptance of the stringencies of Rav and the stringencies of Shmuel when it comes to the details of shechitah, including the location of where one begins the process of slaughtering. But taking the stringencies of both sages, instead of following either of them for the full gamut of their respective views, seems incongruous in its inconsistency. Plus, the bat kol (heavenly voice) that establishes halakhah as per Beit Hillel, though it seems a contradiction here -- and also as against the statement that we do not determine practice from a bat kol! Also, what is the "majority" of the trachea? Is it the thickness of the trachea wall or is it the majority of the hollowness of the tube itself? Plus, the case of Yehezkel (Ezekiel), who never personally ate from the meat of an animal that had been called into question, even though it was subsequently declared fine. Also, the decision to offer the prime cut.
- 4 days ago20 min
Hullin 43: Even for Unusual Healing, Don't Rely on Miracles
Ulla says that there 8 groups of treyfot that were told to Moses at Sinai - that is, the categories. Plus a focus on a punctured gallbladder, among other potential issues, where the animal may actually not die (but isn't that a miraculous event, and therefore not a proof for anything?). Also, a focus on some kind of injury for an animal that might or might not make the animal a treyfa -- with the example of a thorn in the animal's esophagus. And 4 cases that argue against Ulla's positions.
- 5 days ago21 min
Hullin 42: When Treyf Is Treyf
Chapter 3! A focus on the slaughtering of kosher animals -- and what makes an animal kosher (as compared to a treyfa, which is a kosher kind of animal, but some blemish prevents it from being kosher upon shechitah). Which is to say: a new mishnah -- that lists 18 "defects" that make an animal a treyfa in detail - and then because of the animal's status, the shechitah cannot be kosher. Plus, what is the source in the Torah for this concern about a treyfa? That should be obvious - it's an explicit verse, but what about the position that a treyfa has to be an animal that won't live from the defect? That source is provided - Leviticus 11. Also, the Gemara adds another 7 ways an animal could become a treyfa. With a mnemonic to remember them -- and a strong question why they weren't included in the 18.
- 6 days ago17 min
Hullin 41: Shechitah on a Ship
2 mishnayot! The first one includes the details about a non-believing Jew who participates in shechitah, and whether that shechitah would be kosher. And the mishnah is preceded by Gemara that includes a discussion of a Jewish apostate. The mishnah includes what manner of disposing of the blood of kosher shechitah are acceptable and which are problematic because they smack of idolatry. The second mishnah lists ways of dedicating one's shechitah in ways that make it invalid. Plus other key variations on intent and the way one's actions might be misinterpreted.
- 1 weeks ago20 min
Hullin 40: Not in the Name of the Mountain, the River, the Sea!
A new mishnah! One who slaughters an animal in the name of worship of natural bodies (mountains, rivers, seas, etc.), then the slaughtering is not kosher shechitah. Even if two people are doing the slaughtering together and one of them has correct "kosher" intent, the shechitah is still not valid. But it's also not fully idolatry either - except for a beraita that presents comparable cases as being idolatry (with slight differences that make room to say they are different). Also, if one's animal is lying in front of idolatry, then the moment one cuts that animal, it's prohibited - because it smacks of idolatry, even if it was not intended as such (live, the animal isn't a concern of idolatry, or not until a physical act is done to it). But does that really work? To make another person's animal problematic? The distinction is drawn between a "zevach" (or a shelamim/peace-offering) and a "chatat" - sin-offering.
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