Shiur 05/13/16 – Beitza 7b

Beitza 7b. (2)

1- Shechting on Yom Tov.

Our Gemara discusses the issue of covering the blood after the shechita in a case where loose earth was not prepared before Yom Tov.

Beis Shamai has no issue in allowing one to dig up some earth to cover the blood. On the other hand, Beis Hillel rules that one should not shecht if loose gravel is not available.

All agree however, that (despite the Halocha that one should not) if one did shecht he should use a shovel to dig and perform the Mitzvah of ‘Kisui HaDam‘.

 

2- We mentioned the two Rebbes of Abaya. Rabba and Rav Yosef. [Rabba’s actual name was Rabba bar Nachmeni]

The story (Brachos 48a)  of a young Abaya and Rava studying under Rabba. They were asked by Rava “who do we Bentch to”? And they responded to “Rachamono”. “And where is Rachamono” he asked them? Abaya pointed to the the roof. Rava went outside and pointed to the sky.

Upon seeing these two youngster’s pointing he predicted that they will be great schoolrs one day. “As the popular saying goes: BOTZIN BOTZIN MI’KATFEI YEDI’A– [the quality of] pumpkins is known by testing the sap from which they are formed, i.e. future Talmidei Chachamim are recognizable at a young age

3-We discussed the four issues in digging for earth on Yom Tov:

 

a- Choresh – plowing.

b- Tochen – grinding.

c- Boneh- building. (digging a hole in preparation to build)

d- Muktze.

4- Rav Yehuda’s ruling that the above allowable digging is only if the shovel was already in the ground. Our Gemara attempts to figure out which of the four issues above does Rav Yehuda’s ruling alleviate.

5- We began the Tosfos concerning the materials that can be used to cover the blood of a fowl or Chaya. The Torah states explicitly: Ofor – meaning earth. Can ashes be used?

Story of the poor guy who was in a desert with no earth to use (how’s that?). His only solution is to grind down a gold coin into dust and use it to perform Kisui Hadom!

Or if one is on a boat with no earth available. Can he burn his clothes and use the ashes?

More next week.

3 thoughts on “Shiur 05/13/16 – Beitza 7b”

  1. In point #5, those aren’t (necessarily) actual cases that occurred, but dinim cited in a baraisa (Chullin 88b). As for the parenthetical “how’s that?” – the Gemara there indeed establishes, based on this baraisa, that the earth used for kisui hadam has to be something in which plants will grow, thus excluding desert sand.

    1. Actually, Ari pointed out to me offline that Tosafos here (and I see the same thing in Chullin there, ד”ה שוחק) says that if the substance being used is called afar, then it doesn’t have to be something in which plants grow.

      In that case, then, the scenario with the person in the desert would presumably have to be where there’s gravel but no sand (desert pavement).

  2. A desert is technically defined as a place where it rains very little, it can be full of sand, but it can just as easily be full of rocks or ice.

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