Chullin 41
מכל מקום קשיא
But after all does not the original objection stand?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Raba's original objection against Ze'iri's statement viz., Why proceed with the nipping if the bird is already dead? V. supra n. 1.');"><sup>1</sup></span>
וכן הוא עושה חותך שדרה ומפרקת בלא רוב בשר
This is what he does: He [the priest] cuts [with his finger-nail] the spinal cord and the neckbone without cutting through the major portion of the surrounding flesh'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And as long as the major Portion of the surrounding flesh has not been cut the bird is not regarded as dead.');"><sup>2</sup></span>
כי סליק רבי זירא אשכחיה לר' אמי דיתיב וקאמר לה להא שמעתא אמר ליה
When R'Zera went up [to palestine] he found R'Ammi sitting and reciting the above statement [of Ze'iri], and at once put to him the question: Why proceed with the nipping if it is already dead?
רוב שנים
Surely he holds that the major portion only of both organs [shall be cut through]! - Interpret it thus: 'Both organs' - that is, according to the view of the Rabbis; 'or the major portion of both organs' - that is, according to the view of R'Eleazar son of R'Simeon, If you wish, however, I can say that the whole [Baraitha] is in accordance with the view of R'Eleazar son of R'Simeon, and as to the term 'both organs' it means that both organs appear to be severed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., according to R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon a substantial portion of the organs must be cut so that it would appear as though both organs were severed, although in reality only the major portion of each has been actually cut through.');"><sup>5</sup></span>
אימא
Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: If [in a human being] the neckbone and the major portion of the surrounding flesh was broken, the body immediately defiles<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the meaning of 'defilement in the tent' v. supra p. 62, n. 2.');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ואיבעית אימא
And if you will contend: But was not the incident of Eli a case where the neckbone was broken without the major portion of the surrounding flesh having been cut?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There is no mention in the verse of the flesh of the neck being torn, and nevertheless he is referred to as dead.');"><sup>7</sup></span>
הא והא ר' אלעזר בר"ש ומאי שנים שדומין לשנים
[I reply that] in the case of old age it is different, for written: And it came to pass when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell off his seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke and he died; for he was an old man and heavy.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. IV, 28.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
א"ר שמואל בר יצחק
If their (0) heads have been cut off, even though their limbs move convulsively, they are unclean[the convulsions being] but similar to the convulsive movements of the lizard's tail [after it has been cut off].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These movements are clearly no signs of life, since the tail is here absolutely severed from the body.');"><sup>11</sup></span>
אמר שמואל
Whereupon R'Jeremiah asked R'Assi: Do you mean 'as the head of the burnt-offering of a bird is severed' according to the view of the Rabbis,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that both organs of the throat must be severed. Accordingly, this view is substantially the same as that of Resh Lakish.');"><sup>12</sup></span>
עשאה גיסטרא נבלה
and so you do not disagree at all; or do you mean 'as the head of the burnt-offering of a bird is severed' according to the view of R'Eleazar son of R'Simeon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that only the greater portion of the organs must he severed.');"><sup>13</sup></span>
ניטל הירך וחלל שלה (ניכר) נבלה
Some there are who read [the above passage thus]: Resh Lakish said: It means actually cut off; R'Assi said in the name of R'Mani, [It means severed in the sense] as the head of the burnt-offering of a bird is severed according to the view of R'Eleazar son of R'Simeon, [and that is.] cut off to the extent of the greater portion of both organs.
ה"ד חלל שלה (ניכר)
What is [this dispute between] the Rabbis and R'Eleazar son of R'Simeon? - It was taught: It is written: And he shall prepare the second for a burnt-offering, according to the ordinance.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. V, 10.');"><sup>14</sup></span>
כל שרבוצה ונראית חסרה
You say it means, 'according to the ordinance prescribed for the sin-offering of an animal'; but perhaps it is not so, but rather, according to the ordinance prescribed for the sin-offering of a bird! [This cannot be], for when it says.
תנן התם
And he shall bring it near,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. I, 15. This verse deals with a freewill burnt-offering of a bird, and the fact that the pronoun 'it' is expressly stated serves to indicate that this sacrifice must be dealt with differently from others of the same class.');"><sup>15</sup></span>