Chullin

therefore by adding the minority to the presumption the majority is shaken! — If they said in a case of doubt concerning uncleanness that it is clean,1 will they also say in a case of doubt concerning a prohibition that it is permitted?2 Rabbi decided a case according to the view of R. Meir, and Rabbi also decided a case according to the view of the Rabbis. Now which was the later decision?3 — Come and hear [it from the following incident]. R. Abba the son of R. Hiyya b. Abba and R. Zera were standing in the open square in Caesarea at the entrance of the Beth-Hamidrash. R. Ammi came out and found them standing there and said,’Have I not told you that during sessions at the House of Study you shall not stand outside? There may be someone within who is in difficulty about a matter and there might be a disturbance’.4 Thereupon R. Zera went in [to the House of Study] but R. Abba did not. Now inside they were sitting and considering the question. Which was the later decision? R. Zera said to them, ‘[What a pity] you did not let me ask that old man5 about this. He might have heard something about this from his father [R. Hiyya b. Abba] and his father from R. Johanan, for R. Hiyya b. Abba used to revise his study in the presence of R. Johanan every thirty days’. What has been decided about the matter? — Come and hear it from the message which R. Eleazar had sent to the Exile,6 ‘Rabbi decided in accordance with R. Meir’. Now had he not decided according to the Rabbis too? It must be, therefore, that this7 was the later decision. This proves it. MISHNAH. IF A PERSON SLAUGHTERED A HUNDRED WILD ANIMALS IN ONE PLACE, ONE COVERING SUFFICES FOR ALL; IF [HE SLAUGHTERED] A HUNDRED BIRDS IN ONE PLACE, ONE COVERING SUFFICES FOR ALL; IF [HE SLAUGHTERED] A WILD ANIMAL AND A BIRD IN ONE PLACE, ONE COVERING SUFFICES FOR BOTH. R. JUDAH SAYS. IF HE SLAUGHTERED A WILD ANIMAL HE SHOULD COVER UP ITS BLOOD AND THEN SLAUGHTER THE BIRD [AND COVER IT UP ALSO]. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: [The expression] wild animal8 includes all wild animals, whether many or few; [the expression] bird8 includes all birds, whether many or few. Hence they said: If a person slaughtered a hundred wild animals in one place, one covering suffices for all; if [he slaughtered] a hundred birds in one place, one covering suffices for all, if [he slaughtered] a wild animal and a bird in one place one covering suffices for both. R. Judah says: If he slaughtered a wild animal he must [first] cover up its blood and then slaughter the bird, for it is written: Any wild animal or bird.9 They replied. But it also says. For as to the life of all flesh, the blood thereof is all one with the life thereof.10 What did they mean by this reply? This is what the Rabbis meant: Is not the particle ‘or’ required to show disjunction?11 And R. Judah? — He derives the principle of disjunction from the expression the blood thereof.12 And the Rabbis? — They say that the expression ‘the blood thereof’ means [the blood] of many,13 as it is written: For as to the life of all flesh, the blood thereof is all one with the life thereof. R. Hanina said: R. Judah agrees that with regard to the Benediction he has only to say one Benediction.14 Rabina asked R. Aha the son of Raba (others say: R. Aha the son of Raba asked R. Ashi). In what way is this different from the incident concerning Rab's disciples? For R. Berona and R. Hananel, the disciples of Rab, were sitting at a meal and R. Yeba the elder was waiting on them. They said to him, ‘Let us say the Grace [after meals]’, and immediately after they said to him, ‘Pass [the cup of wine] that we may drink’. Thereupon R. Yeba said to them, ‘Thus said Rab: As soon as a man says "Let us say the Grace", it is forbidden to drink wine.’15 In this case, too, since he must first attend to the covering up of the blood he is bound to say another Benediction! 16 — presumption. In point of fact, however, there is here a majority principle that supports the presumption, since the majority of children bungle what they do. decision and now ruled differently. had been slaughtered by a deaf-mute or a minor. slaughtered at one time. were slaughtered. the covering of the blood he should not repeat the Benediction. by his desire to say the Grace after meals.