חולין 45:1 — Soncino English Talmud

‘They are honoured by [inviting] me’. Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: If the windpipe was perforated [with many holes] like a sieve, they are reckoned together in order to make up the greater part. R. Jeremiah raised an objection It was taught: If there was one long hole in the skull, or even if there were many small holes in it, in either case the hole or holes are computed to make up the measure of a hole the size of a [surgeon's] drill. We therefore see that if the measure is that of a hole the size of a drill, several small holes are reckoned together so as to make up this measure; similarly we ought to say here, inasmuch as the measure is that of a hole the size of an issar, that several small holes shall be reckoned together to make up a hole the size of an issar? — He [R. Jeremiah] obviously overlooked the dictum of R. Helbo which he reported in the name of R. Hama b. Guria on the authority of Rab: Holes with loss of substance are reckoned together to make up the measure of a hole the size of an issar, but holes without any loss of substance are reckoned together to make up the greater part [of the circumference]. Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: If a strip [of the windpipe] was removed its space is computed to make up a hole the size of an issar. R. Isaac b. Nahmani enquired of R. Joshua b. Levi: What is the law if the windpipe was perforated like a sieve? — He replied: They have said: Holes with loss of substance are reckoned together to make up the measure of a hole the size of an issar, but holes without any loss of substance are reckoned together to make up the greater part [of the circumference]. What is the test in the case of a bird? — R. Isaac b. Nahmani said: It was explained to me by R. Eleazar thus: It must be cut out and placed over the opening of the windpipe; if it covers the greater part of the windpipe, the bird is trefah, but if not, it is permitted. R. Papa said: And in order to remember this [test] think of a sieve. R. Nahman said, if the windpipe was lacerated in the shape of a door, it is trefah if an issar can pass through it horizontally. Rab said, if the windpipe was slit lengthwise it is permitted, provided there remained intact at least one ring at the top and one ring at the lower end. When this was reported to R. Johanan he exclaimed: Why a ring? Why does Rab insist upon a ring? I would rather say: It is permitted — provided there remained a portions no matter how little, intact at the top and at the lower end. When this same ruling was reported to R. Johanan in the name of [the Babylonian] R. Jonathan he exclaimed: Our Babylonian friends know full well how to interpret the law! R. Hiyya b. Joseph recited in the presence of R. Johanan: The whole of the neck is the appropriate place for slaughtering — that is, from the large ring to the nethermost lobe of the lung. Raba said: ‘The nethermost lobe’ really means the uppermost lobe, for I hold [that the appropriate place for slaughtering is] the entire extent of the neck observed at the time when the animal is grazing. But on no account may the organs [of the throat] be stretched [by force]. R. Hanina (others say: R. Hanania) enquired: What is the law if the animal of its own accord stretched its neck? It is undecided. R. Johanan and R. Simeon b. Lakish were once sitting together and the following was established: If one stretched the organs of the throat of an animal by force and slaughtered in the extended part, the slaughtering is invalid. If the windpipe was pierced below the breast it is considered as if the lungs [were pierced]. Our Rabbis taught: What counts as the breast? It is that portion which looks down upon the ground; on top it extends as far as the neck, and below as far as the rumen. Two ribs from the two sides, on this side and on that, are cut away with it. This is the breast which is to be given to the priests. IF THE MEMBRANE OF THE BRAIN WAS PIERCED. Rab and Samuel both said: If the outer membrane only was pierced, even though the inner was not, [it is trefah]. Others say [that Rab and Samuel both said: It is not trefah] unless the inner membrane was [also] pierced. R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: And in order to remember this think of the bag in which the brain lies. Rabbah b. Bar Hana said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: The same is to be observed with the stones. R. Simeon b. Pazzi said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi on the authority of Bar Kappara: All the marrow that is within the cranium is regarded as the brain; from the point at which it begins to elongate it is counted as the spinal cord. At what point does it begin to elongate? — Said R. Isaac b. Nahmani: It was explained to me by R. Joshua b. Levi: there are two^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ^ᵐ^ⁿ^ᵒ^ᵖ^ᵠ^ʳ^ˢ^ᵗ^ᵘ^ᵛ^ʷ^ˣ^ʸ

^ᵃnote:I.e., the holes are considered as being adjacent and in a line, and if then it appears that the greater portion of the circumference of the windpipe is severed the animal is trefah.
^ᵇnote:And if the hole is of the size of a surgeon's drill the skull will no longer convey uncleanness to men or vessels that are in the same ‘tent’ or under the same roof; V. Ohol. II, 3.
^ᶜnote:Where the windpipe was perforated, as distinct from where it was merely severed. V. infra 54a.
^ᵈnote:A coin, the Roman as, one twenty-fourth part of a denar.
^ᵉnote:And Rab Judah was referring to holes without any loss of substance.
^ᶠnote:I.e., its area.
^ᵍnote:If there were several holes in it with loss of substance, or if a strip of the windpipe was removed. The measure of an issar obviously cannot apply to a bird too, since the entire width of its windpipe does not amount to an issar.
^ʰnote:Sc. the portion of the windpipe that is perforated with several holes, including even the solid substance between the holes (Rashi).
^ⁱnote:Lit., ‘he rolls it up’.
^ʲnote:Which is a cavity covered over by a network of small holes; here too the portion perforated must be placed over the cavity of the windpipe.
^ᵏnote:I.e., a Portion of the windpipe was cut around on three sides but attached on the fourth side (Rashi). According to Alfasi and Maim., ‘The windpipe was perforated from side to side’, i.e., there were two holes in the windpipe exactly opposite each other. It is to be observed that ‘like a door’ is not found in MS.M. nor in the text of Alfasi. Moreover there is considerable doubt whether this case refers to a bird or cattle. V. commentaries.
^ˡnote:V. Tosaf. s.v. hsf and Kesef Mishnah on Maim. Yad, Hil. Shech. III, 24.
^ᵐnote:Or: ‘one section consisting of three rings’.
^ⁿnote:Sc. the cricoid ‘cartilage.
^ᵒnote:It is clear that the top lobe of the lung is meant but the description of it will vary according to the position of the animal. If the animal is suspended by its hind legs the top lobe is really the nethermost.
^ᵖnote:And the animal was slaughtered in that extended portion of the neck.
^ᵠnote:Lit., ‘the matter emanated from them’.
^ʳnote:And the slightest perforation will render the animal trefah.
^ˢnote:From all peace-offerings the breast as well as the thigh was presented to the priest; cf. Lev. VII, 34.
^ᵗnote:This is the better text, so found in Tosef Hul. IX and in many MSS.; so also in Maim. In cur. edd. the directions are reversed.
^ᵘnote:According to Rashi, one rib is to be cut away on each side; however, in the Tosef. loc. cit. and in Maim. it is expressly stated that two ribs must be cut away on each side. So too R. Hananel, v. Tosaf. ad loc.
^ᵛnote:I.e., the dura mater, the inner membrane being the pia mater.
^ʷnote:V. Asheri and R. Nissim ad loc.
^ˣnote:This is a mnemonic for remembering the second opinion, namely, that the inner membrane is the vital one. There is a play upon the word t,hhj, which means ‘life’ and also ‘a bag’.
^ʸnote:I.e., the testicles of an animal are also invested by two coverings, an inner and outer membrane, like the brain.