Talking Talmud

If the Korban Pesach is rendered impure, on part of all, how is it than burned? And how different personalities or economic standings have impact on who brings the wood to burn it. Plus, what in human nature we protect and protect against, and the potential to misappropriate public funds, even though we're talking about the holy Beit HaMikdash. Also, if the Korban Pesach or a portion thereof was t...

More on Tumat ha-Tehom. First, the Gemara establishes a kal va-chomer (a fortiori) regarding the unknown impurity as derived from known purity. And then the Gemara knocks down that logic as illegitimate reasoning in this case. Rather, the particulars of Tumat ha-Tehom emerge from a whole slew of biblical verses, right? In fact, not quite, as the Gemara recasts those verses as "asmachta be-alma," a...

What happens if different elements of Bnei Yisrael are impure, and in different kinds of impurity? Those divisions might even be as per the biblical tribes... Would that push the whole tribe to Pesach Sheni? That's difficult, given the unifying role of the Korban Pesach. Also, the case of the korban itself being discovered to have been impure - the meat or the blood, not the person sacrificing - t...

What happens if/when most or all of the population is impure? What happens if/when a minority of the community is impure? (Think Pesach Sheni). What if the people are pure, but the kohanim impure, or vice versa, or the vessels are impure? The offering stands. What is the knife is impure? With tumah that will render the person who wields it impure? Or tumah that will only render that which it cuts...

Does the mishnah line up with R. Yosi? What is the role of the tzitiz? Also, what is part of your korban becomes impure? Specifically, the meat that you would eat are impure, and the parts that would be burned on the altar are fine - no sprinkling of blood, because the eating is the most important part for the Korban Pesach. The reverse would require sprinkling. But the Korban Pesach itself doesn'...

5 different offerings from the mishnah on daf 76 that can be offered by those who are impure, though it's not eaten by those who are impure. As compared to other sacrifices, which cannot be eaten or offered in impurity. And as compared to the Korban Pesach. Plus, why identify this list as specifically "5"? What is excluded and why? Also, is the principle that allows for the korban one of "d'chuya"...

What happens if the Korban Pesach comes in contact with something that might cook any amount of the sacrifice through direct contact? The question brings us to a discussion of basic kashrut principles, and how foods absorb (or don't) the taste(s) of other foods. Specifically, the role of temperature, and the placement of the respective foods. Similarly, the braita that presents the basics of tempe...

The need for fire in roasting, and the Gemara's reread of the mishnah with an emended text (chisurei mechsera) that turns the mishnah's discussion of a grill on its head, and Rabban Gamliel's instruction to his servant Tavi no longer contradicting the primary position of the mishnah. The Gemara also beings an example of fire that is fueled by that which is prohibited (in this case, orlah) - can th...

Chapter 7! Cooking the Korban Pesach... The mishnah says to roast the animal on a skewer of pomegranate wood, and of course the question is why pomegranate wood? Why not a metal spit? The positioning of the animal's limbs and entrails, while roasting, is a matter of dispute as well. Plus, a lot of detail of handling the blood of the animal. Also, Who's Who on R. Acha and Ravina.

Who's Who: Rabbi Tarfon, and his unusual take on terumah. Also, one who violates Shabbat without that action including some constructive aspect, that violation is not complete, for the sake of "melekhet machshevet." According to those who say that one who injures another, the injury is incomplete in this way (and the perpetrator is exempt from a korban chatat), whyever would a Korban Pesach that i...

The Gemara raises one model of a case, following on the positions of the mishnah,that then is applied to several different halakhic cases. Our case study of this? A case of 2 babies who need brit milah on Shabbat and the day after Shabbat, respectively. Or Friday and Shabbat, in turn. What happens when the wrong baby is circumcised on Shabbat? The outcome is different in those two scenarios, in te...

Does a korban brought in rejoicing (shlamei simcha) have to be at the time of the holiday? Of course, it's a machloket, with a key implication with regard to what should happen on Shabbat. Also, how the chagigah differs when offered on Erev Pesach. And: another very long mishnah... this time, the halakhic discussion on the lack of intent or purpose for the Korban Pesach when it is slaughtered on S...

More on the Korban Pesach and the korban chagigah that is offered with it - Ben Teima's opinion whether the chagigah has to be roasted becomes essential [What's What: Yehuda ben Teima]. The 5th question of the 4 Questions is also telling. Also: What if everyone were impure - how would they bring the Korban Pesach? And also, however would there ever be a case of everyone being impure?! Plus: The st...

More on R. Eliezer, R. Yehoshua, and R. Akiva, and their dispute from the mishnah - in terms of what, if anything, can be done on Shabbat, if it could have been done in advance. Also, a new mishnah, on when the korban hagigah comes together with the Korban Pesach, and when you don't. Plus: Acknowledging a pitfall of the podcast and our focus on the discussion along the way.

A departure from the regularly scheduled topics. First, some intricacy in explicating biblical verses, specifically to make a comment on the righteous and the resurrection of the dead - with a real dive into the esoteric, philosophical material. Also, revisiting Shmuel's comment on what will change (and what won't) in the time of the messiah, and God's role in life and death - and resurrection. Pl...

An introduction to the challenges of this daf. A comment on the "isolation" of the metzora. And on the combination of a positive and negative commandment. Plus, on the range of impurities, and the implications of those degrees for what camp one could enter. And - what it may mean to learn these details at some remove from the experience of the Beit HaMikdash.

Chapter 6! We open with a long mishnah on the conflict between what needs to be done on Erev Pesach and what is prohibited on Shabbat. Also: Hillel on this same conflict. [Who's Who: Bnei Beteirah] Among other points, he notes that the Korban Pesach isn't the only korban to conflict with Shabbat - there are sacrifices every week! Plus: How our emotions, or character traits, can get the better of u...

Finishing the 5th chapter: On the third group of the Korban Pesach, which was called the "lazy group" (but doesn't the Gemara stipulate that there are 3 groups? How is it fair to knock the third one??). The world is built to contain the range of professions, both males and females, and more, but some of those are praised and others denigrated (cough, female, cough). Namely, the third group had to...

A very long mishnah, describing the offering of the Korban Pesach, as presented by 3 separate groups. Also, can we, should we rely on miracles, even in the Beit HaMikdash? Abaye and Rava disagree. Who's Who: Akavya ben Mehalalel. Plus: Two notable Pesachs, as recalled by the Gemara.

When it comes to the shechitah of the Korban Pesach, is it one full action, or are the many component parts considered separate parts? For example, the intent in the kohen's mind vs. what he says about uncircumcised, who cannot participate. Do a person's mouth and heart have to be in agreement? How can this even be a question?! But people misspeak all the time, and they should be protected from th...

What can impurity teach about the uncircumcised, who cannot eat from the Korban Pesach? Also, the Book of Yuchasin, lineage, spurs the question: Where are you from? Which grants a window into the travels of Chazal, from Lod to Nehardeah. And the put-downs of Chazal, too. On the one hand, Beruriah is held up as an example of her exceptional learning; on the other, the insult of being obviously upst...

Offering the Korban Pesach with intent for those who are not registered to eat it, or who are not eligible to eat it would disqualify the sacrifice. Unless some of the people who are part of that intent can eat, at least or the mishnah. The question of a mixed crowd - valid and not valid to eat the Korban Pesach - complicates matters, but salvages the karbanot. Also: The Gemara cites a passage fro...

Improper intention invalidates the Korban Pesach. Note 4 essential component parts of the sacrifice. The degree of intent here is specific - and yet the case this daf considers is one where correct intent is there together with mistaken intent. Namely, that one could intend for the sacrifice before him to be the Korban Pesach, and also have intent for it to be a korban shelamim... How do those dif...

The order of the ritual on Erev Pesach: daily offering, Korban Pesach, incense, lighting menorah. Why so? Including, a specific detail about the menorah that makes the difference. Also: What happens when something runs interference to the completion of a sacrifice? Who gets the residual effects? Plus: On acclimating to korbanot.

Turning to the 5th chapter of Pesachim, and embarking on the many details of the Korban Pesach. Which means we must first consider the other korbanot that are offered on that same day, namely the Tamid shel Shacharit and the Tamid shel Bein HaArba'im on the 14th of Nisan. The afternoon offering that takes place every day must be completed before the Korban Pesach (plus a What's What run-down of th...