The Eddie B. Sit edition of the audio series on the תלמוד בבלי Talmud Bavli, specifically on מסכת חולין Masechet Chullin, is dedicated by our good friend, Mr. Joey Jamal and his wife, in honor of their son's engagement to Shirley Sutton. בעזרת השם Be'ezrat Hashem, may they marry בשעה טובה ומוצלחת besha'ah tovah umutzlachat, and through the זכות zechut of the לימוד limmud we will engage in over the next several months in מסכת חולין Masechet Chullin, may they experience much נחת nachat, שלום בית shelom bayit, peace, prosperity, and all the ברכות berachot. אמן Amen. Today’s דף daf 55 is dedicated לעילוי נשמת liyilui nishmat אברהם בן אסתר Avraham ben Ester and רבי משה בן נונא ve'rabi Moshe ben Nuna. May their souls find peace in the Garden of Eden ruach Hashem tenichena be'gan eden. אמן Amen. We also pray for the הצלחת hatzlachat of יעקב בן יוסף Yaakov ben Yosef.
We begin today’s study on נה עמוד ב nun hey amud bet, and we are several lines from the bottom. The discussion revolves around an animal that has been skinned. As stated in the משנה mishnah, if the animal has been skinned, it is still permissible to perform שחיטה shechitah on it, provided there is a small portion of skin remaining. This does not render the animal a טרפה tereifah as long as some hide is left intact. The גמרא gemara from the previous דף daf explored the location and size of the remaining skin, emphasizing that as long as a small piece of hide remains, the animal can still be slaughtered, even if the majority of its skin is removed.
אמר רב כל העור כולו מציל בגלודה Amar Rav kol ha'or kulo matzil bigiluda: any part of the animal that retains its hide will protect the animal from being classified as a טרפה tereifah, thus allowing for its slaughter. However, this excludes the עור בית הפרסות chutz me'or beit haperasot, the hide near the hooves of the animal. If you visualize the hoof, it is clear that there is a fleshy area above it, which is relevant to our discussion. If some flesh remains in that area, it does not suffice to protect the animal from being classified as a טרפה tereifah.
The גמרא gemara continues with the opinion of רבי יוחנן Rabbi Yochanan, who states that even the area by the בית הפרסות beit haperasot can save the animal from becoming a טרפה tereifah, as long as there is a סלע sela's worth of hide remaining. This leads to a question posed by רב אסי Rav Assi to רבי יוחנן Rabbi Yochanan: regarding the עור בית הפרסות or beit haperasot, does it indeed save the animal? To which רבי יוחנן Rabbi Yochanan affirms that it does.
However, רב אסי Rav Assi reminds רבי יוחנן Rabbi Yochanan of the משנה mishnah which states that certain parts of the animal are treated like meat, even though they are considered hide. Specifically, the משנה mishnah mentions that the עור or of the בית הפרסות beit haperasot is treated as בשר basar for the purposes of טומאה tumah, since hide does not transmit טומאה tumah while meat does. Thus, the question arises: how can רבי יוחנן Rabbi Yochanan assert that the hide can save the animal, when it is not even considered hide in this context?
In response, רבי יוחנן Rabbi Yochanan states: אל תקניטני Amar le al takniteni, do not challenge me on this point, as the משנה mishnah reflects a singular opinion, a דעת יחיד da'at yachid. The rabbis disagree with this view, and thus, they maintain that the עור or retains its status as hide, even by the בית הפרסות beit haperasot, and it can save the animal as long as there is a סלע sela's worth of hide remaining.
To illustrate this point, the גמרא gemara cites a ברייתא beraita concerning the slaughter of an עולה olah with the intention of taking a כזית kezayit of the עור or under the tail, known as the אליה alyah. If one’s intention is to remove it from its place, this renders the sacrifice פסול pasul but without incurring כרת karet. The דין din of כרת karet applies only if one intends to perform the act outside of its designated time. The ברייתא beraita continues, stating that if one slaughters the עולה olah with the intention of taking a כזית kezayit outside of its designated time, this also results in פיגול pigul and incurs כרת karet.
In this context, אליעזר בן יהודה איש בלם Eliezer ben Yehuda ish Belim states in the name of רבי יעקב Rabbi Yaakov, and similarly רבי שמעון בן יהודה איקוס Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda Ikkos from the village of איקוס Ikkos, that the same ruling applies to the עור or by the hooves and the עור or by the head of a young calf, as well as the hide under the tail. All of these cases are treated as בשר basar for the purposes of טומאה tumah, and thus, if one slaughters any of these sacrificial animals with the intention of taking a כזית kezayit from them outside of its place, it will incur the same דין din of פיגול pigul and כרת karet.
This reinforces the argument that the עור or in these instances is treated as בשר basar, and therefore, the דין din of פיגול pigul applies. The גמרא gemara concludes that the opinion presented in the משנה mishnah regarding the status of the עור or by the בית הפרסות beit haperasot is indeed a דעת יחיד da'at yachid. The consensus among the rabbis is that it is treated as hide, and thus, if a סלע sela's worth remains, it can save the animal from being classified as a טרפה tereifah.
Next, the גמרא gemara references רש"י Rashi, who clarifies that the discussion about the עור or by the בית הפרסות beit haperasot pertains to the area from the knee down, where it is not considered hide due to its softness. This reinforces the distinction that the area below the knee does not qualify as עור or in the halachic sense. Thus, we conclude that the discussion regarding the hide by the hooves is critical to understanding the broader implications of what constitutes a טרפה tereifah.
As we examine the next משנה mishnah, we find that it states that if all the skin of an animal is removed except for a סלע sela's worth, the animal is not considered a טרפה tereifah. This is a significant halachic principle that demonstrates the importance of even a small remnant in determining the status of the animal.
We then transition to discussing the specific cases of treifot treifot in birds. The משנה mishnah outlines various conditions that render a bird a טרפה tereifah, including a hole in the veshet nekuvat haveshet and a dislocated gargeret ufsukat hagargeret. The discussion continues with scenarios involving injuries to the bird, such as being bitten by a weasel, which raises questions about the conditions that would classify the bird as a טרפה tereifah.
As the discussion unfolds, we encounter complexities regarding the internal organs of the bird, particularly in cases where the bird has sustained injuries or burns. The גמרא gemara examines the implications of these injuries and the necessary waiting period before determining the status of the bird. The analysis emphasizes the need for careful examination and the inherent complications that arise in cases of potential treifot treifot.
The discourse culminates in a detailed examination of various scenarios, including instances where the internal organs of the bird are affected by burns or injuries. The גמרא gemara articulates the need for thorough checks, highlighting the importance of maintaining the integrity of the laws surrounding kosher slaughter and the classification of animals and birds as kosher or non-kosher.
In conclusion, the intricate discussions within the תלמוד Talmud regarding the laws of טרפות treifot serve as a reminder of the depth and complexity of halachic rulings. Each ruling is carefully considered, with distinctions drawn that reflect the nuanced understanding required in the practice of kosher laws. The journey through מסכת חולין Masechet Chullin not only enhances our knowledge but also deepens our connection to the traditions and teachings of our ancestors.