{"id":14087,"date":"2011-10-25T16:55:37","date_gmt":"2011-10-25T16:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/masechet_hullin_124a130b\/"},"modified":"2015-11-05T06:01:48","modified_gmt":"2015-11-05T11:01:48","slug":"masechet_hullin_124a130b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/masechet_hullin_124a130b\/","title":{"rendered":"Masechet Chullin 124a-130b"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Coming Week’s Daf Yomi by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz<\/em><\/p>\n

This essay is based upon the insights and chidushim (original ideas) of Talmudic scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, as published in the Hebrew version of the Steinsaltz Edition of the Talmud.<\/em><\/p>\n

Chullin 124a-b: Changing the subject<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Not all situations of tumah<\/em> (ritual defilement) are created equal.<\/p>\n

Depending on the source of the tumah<\/em>, bones may or may not transfer ritual defilement. For example, according to the Mishnah<\/a>, someone who touches the bones of a dead person or of defiled sacrifices will always become ritually defiled; someone who touches the bones of a neveilah<\/em> (see above, daf 73<\/a><\/em>) or of a sheretz<\/em> (see above, daf 122<\/a><\/em>) will become ritually defiled only if the bone contains edible marrow and the bone has a crack or opening in it. This is because human bones are deemed tamei<\/em> (see Bamidbar<\/a> 19:16<\/a>) while regarding animals only edible flesh – including bone marrow – will give off tumah<\/em> (see Vayikra<\/a> 11:36, 39<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The Gemara<\/a> relates that there are also differences between ways that ritual defilement can be contracted. For example, aside from coming into physical contact with the dead animal, tumah<\/em> can also be transferred by carrying the animal, even if one does not touch it (see Vayikra 11:40<\/a>).<\/p>\n

This discussion leads Rav Avia Sabba to ask Rabbah bar Rav Huna<\/a> whether according to Rabbi Yishmael<\/a>, a closed marrow bone would convey tumah<\/em> by carrying, even though the marrow cannot be touched. Rather than answering him Rabbah bar Huna replied: “See, there is a raven flying past,” (i.e. he changed the subject to avoid the question). Afterwards, Rabbah’s son, Rava asked him why he refused to answer raised by such a great man as Rav Avia. Rabbah answered by referring to a passage in Shir HaShirim<\/a><\/em> (2:5<\/a>): “Today I am in the condition of the lover who said ‘sustain me with dainties, refresh me with apples; for I am love-sick.’<\/p>\n

A number of explanations have been put forward to explain this reference. Rashi<\/a> suggests that it was the Shabbat<\/a><\/em> of one of the holidays and Rabbah bar Rav Huna had just finished a lengthy lecture and he needed to rest before taking questions. According to the Geonim<\/a><\/em>, by mentioning this passage Rabbah was hinting to the fact that he had just been appointed head of the academy in Sura<\/a> and was too exhausted to enter into detailed discussion of the topic at that moment.<\/p>\n

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Chullin 125a-b: Touching different kinds of bones<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

As we learned on yesterday’s daf<\/em><\/a> not all situations of tumah<\/em> (ritual defilement) are created equal. The Mishnah<\/a> on today’s daf<\/em> discusses this in some detail.<\/p>\n

According to the Mishnah, “with regard to a kulit<\/a><\/em> – the thigh-bone – of a human corpse or of a consecrated animal, he who touches it, whether it be closed up or pierced, becomes unclean.”<\/p>\n

Although the word kulit<\/em> refers specifically to the thigh-bone, in fact the same rule would apply to any marrow bone, since the marrow is deemed edible, which changes our view of the bone from “bone” to “meat” with regard to the laws of ritual defilement. Furthermore, while the Mishnah groups the cases of a human corpse and that of a consecrated animal together, their rules are not exactly the same. In the case of a human bone, the bone itself becomes tamei<\/em> on a biblical level based on the passage in Sefer<\/a> Bamidbar<\/a><\/em> (19:16<\/a>). This stands in contrast to the case of a consecrated animal that only becomes tamei<\/em> on a rabbinic level (see Pesachim<\/a> daf 120b<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n

The Mishnah continues:<\/p>\n

“With regard to a kulit of an animal carcass or of a dead reptile, if it was closed up he who touches it remains clean, but if it was at all pierced it conveys uncleanness by contact.”<\/em><\/p>\n

These cases stand in contrast to the cases of a human corpse or of a consecrated animal, in that the bones themselves do not convey ritual defilement in-and-of themselves; it is the edible marrow that is the source of tumah<\/em>. For that reason, if the bone is totally sealed ritual defilement will not be conveyed.<\/p>\n

One question that is raised with regard to this issue is that the bone should serve as a shomer<\/em> – as protection – to the marrow within, and we have learned that a shomer<\/em> is considered part-and-parcel of the thing that it protects (see above, daf 118<\/a><\/em>), so that touching it should be considered as if physical contact had been made with marrow itself. Rashi<\/a> explains that we must distinguish between situations where the shomer<\/em> protects the food, but the food itself can be touched, and cases where the food is totally sealed off and cannot be touched under any circumstances. In the latter case, touching the shomer<\/em> will not be considered as if the food had been touched.<\/p>\n

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Chullin 126a-b: Burial traditions in ancient Israel<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

When comparing and contrasting different types of tumah<\/em> (ritual defilement) the Gemara<\/a> discusses three specific types of tumah<\/em> –<\/p>\n