Hadran: Advancing Talmud Study for Women

This is the daf for Shabbat. 

Rabbi Zeira says in the name of Shmuel that if one heats a knife and uses it for slaughtering, the animal is not considered a treifa. Although the heat could potentially damage the animal, the sharp edge of the blade severs the windpipe and gullet before the heat from the sides of the blade can cause a burn.

A question is raised regarding a person who strikes another with a hot knife, resulting in a leprous mark: is this classified as a boil (shechin) or a burn (michve)? The Gemara explores the practical halakhic implications of this distinction. Two sources are brought to resolve the matter – the first being the aforementioned statement of Rabbi Zeira – but the Gemara distinguishes between the cases and reaches no definitive conclusion.

The Gemara then transitions to a discussion regarding benefit from knives used for idol worship, detailing when they are forbidden or permitted. It further addresses the status of meat slaughtered with a knife previously used for non-kosher slaughter, as well as the process for kashering a knife used on a treifa.

Rav Yehuda in the name of Rav notes that a slaughterer should maintain three distinct knives: one dedicated solely to slaughtering, one for cutting meat, and one for removing cheilev (forbidden fats).

Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi decreed that produce in Beit Shean did not require tithing, as he ruled the area was not considered part of Israel for those specific purposes. This decision was based on the testimony of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Zeiruz, who observed Rabbi Meir eating a vegetable leaf without tithing it.

Rabbi Yirmia challenged this testimony, suggesting various reasons why Rabbi Meir might have eaten the leaf without realizing it was untithed or why it might have actually been tithed. In response, Rabbi Zeira argued that if God protects the animals of the righteous from inadvertent sin, then God certainly protects the righteous themselves.

The Gemara recounts the story of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair’s donkey, which refused to eat untithed produce, to support Rabbi Zeira’s assertion. This episode is part of a larger narrative regarding Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair’s journey to redeem captives: the first part describes him splitting a river to cross; the middle section concerns the donkey’s refusal to eat; and the final part involves Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi inviting him to dine, an invitation he ultimately declined. Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair was exceptionally careful never to benefit from the food of others.

When Rabbi Zeira heard that Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Asi were eating meat slaughtered by a Cuti, he assumed they must have been aware of a prior decree permitting it. He reasoned that had it been forbidden, they would have inadvertently consumed non-kosher meat – a mistake God would not allow to befall the righteous. This principle is derived from the story where God protected the animal of a righteous person from sin; how much more so would He protect the righteous individuals themselves! From this incident, the Gemara concludes that Rabbi Zeira eventually conceded to Rabbi Yaakov that the shechita of a Cuti had been forbidden by the decree of Rabban Gamliel, even if a Jew was present to supervise the process.

The Gemara explains that although Rabban Gamliel and his court originally decreed that the shechita of Cutim was unacceptable, the restriction expanded over time. A story is told of Rabbi Meir, who forbade their wine after discovering that a minority of the Cutim worshipped idols. Later, a subsequent generation of Amoraim in Israel – Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi – were informed that the Cutim had ceased to be “Torah worshippers” entirely. Consequently, they accorded them the status of gentiles regarding all halakhic matters. The Gemara clarifies that while their shechita and wine had been forbidden by Rabbi Meir and Rabban Gamliel previously, the ruling was only universally accepted and finalized in the time of Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi.

The Gemara presents two other instances where the concept of God protecting the righteous from accidental transgression is applied. The first involves Rabbi Zeira regarding the laws of demai (produce from an am haaretz which tithes may not have been separated). When produce purchased from an am haaretz is mixed with other ingredients, its status is debated. Seeing Rav Asi eating such a mixture without tithing it, Rabbi Zeira inferred that it must be permitted, as God would not allow a righteous person to eat untithed food.

The Gemara challenges this conclusion based on a braita that appears to forbid such mixtures. However, the Gemara resolves this in two possible ways by explaining that the case in the braita involved a unique type of “mixture.” While the initial difficulty was raised from the second half of the braita, the Gemara also questions the first part, which permits returning food to a neighbor who is an am haaretz without re-tithing it (as we do not suspect the neighbor of swapping the food). Although three other Tannaitic sources suggest we should fear a swap, the Gemara distinguishes each case as unique.

A third situation is mentioned where Rabbi Zeira applied the principle of divine protection. It concerns Rabbi Yehuda haNasi in the footsteps of Rabbi Meir permitting produce in Beit Shean to be eaten without tithing, on the basis that Beit Shean was not considered to be within the halakhic borders of the Land of Israel.

After explaining that the source for Rav Anan’s statement in the name of Shmuel, that one can trust the slaughter of a person who worships idols was derived from Yehoshafat, the Gemara seeks evidence that Yehoshafat actually consumed Achav’s meat.

Two additional sources are examined to support Rav Anan. The first involves Eliyahu, who was fed meat by ravens (orvim), which supposedly originated from Achav’s kitchen. However, this is dismissed as a unique divine decree that cannot serve as a legal precedent. The second source is a braita previously cited about accepting the slaughter of a Jew who does not observe the commandment. While it was initially thought to support Rav Anan, and referring to one who worships idols, the proof is deemed inconclusive as it can also be reconciled with Rava’s position, and be referring to one who eats non-kosher mean to satisfy one’s appetite.

A challenge is raised against Rav Anan from a braita that equates an idol-worshipping Jew to one who rejects the entire Torah. This difficulty remains unresolved.

The braita cites the biblical source for the rule that an apostate cannot bring sacrifices from a verse regarding a burnt offering. However, another braita derives this from verses regarding a sin offering. The Gemara explains why both derivations are necessary.

Rabbi Yaakov notes that Rabban Gamliel and his court prohibited slaughter performed by a Cuti. Rabbi Zeira suggests this only applies when no Jew is supervising. Rabbi Yaakov disagrees, arguing that such a case was already prohibited; Rabban Gamliel’s decree applied even when a Jew is present. The Gemara questions whether Rabbi Zeira ultimately accepted this view.