Overview
Chullin 132 continues the sugya of ืืจืืข, ืืืืื ืืงืืื (the foreleg, cheeks, and stomach given to a Kohen). The daf addresses three major topics:
- May a Kohenet receive these gifts?
- Does the obligation apply to a koy and hybrids?
- Who is legally responsible for giving the gifts: the owner or the butcher?
The daf then concludes with several practical and memorable teachings about the importance of separating the gifts properly.
May a Kohenet Receive Matanot Kehunah?
The daf begins with the dispute about Ulla, who would give the priestly gifts to a Kohenet.
View Excluding Kohanot
A beraita from the school of Rabbi Yishmael teaches:
โืืืโ ืืื ืืื ืช
The gifts belong specifically to male Kohanim.
View Including Kohanot
The school of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov derives:
ืืื ืืืคืืื ืืื ืช
The Torah uses a form of miโut achar miโut, resulting in inclusion rather than exclusion.
Practical Outcome
Several Amoraim, including:
- Rav Kahana
- Rav Pappa
- Rav Yeimar
- Rav Idi bar Avin
would receive the gifts through their wives who were daughters of Kohanim.
Marimar concludes:
ืืืืชื ืืืืชืื ืืขืืื
The halachah follows Ulla, permitting gifts to be given to a Kohenet.
A Side Ruling: Pidyon HaBen
Marimar also rules:
ืืืื ืฉืืืื ืื ื ืคืืืจ ืืืืฉ ืกืืขืื
If the mother is a Leviyah, her son is exempt from Pidyon HaBen, even if the father is a Yisrael.
The Koy and Hybrids
The Gemara discusses hybrids and the koy.
Rabbi Eliezer
A hybrid sheep-goat receives different treatment depending on its lineage.
The Gemara analyzes whether we:
ืืืฉืฉืื ืืืจืข ืืื
take paternal lineage into account.
This becomes the key question in determining liability for the gifts.
The Koy According to the Rabbis
Rabbi Yochanan teaches:
A koy is obligated in all the priestly gifts according to the Rabbis.
The Gemara derives this from:
- โืื ืฉืืจโ includes hybrids.
- โืื ืฉืโ includes a koy.
Thus the Rabbis impose the full obligation.
The Rule: โThe Law Is With the Butcherโ
A major teaching is derived from:
ืืืช ืืืืื ืืืื
Rava explains:
ืืืื ืขื ืืืื
The responsibility rests with the butcher.
Even if the animal belongs to someone else, the one performing the slaughter may be liable to ensure the gifts are properly separated.
This becomes an important practical principle.
The Story of Rabbi Tavla
A poor Kohen named Rabbi Tavla entered into a partnership with Jewish butchers so that he could share in their exemption.
Rav Nachman objected and forced collection from him.
The Gemara explains that certain leniencies only apply temporarily and not when someone establishes a regular slaughtering business.
Rav Chisdaโs Strong Language
Rav Chisda declares:
ืืื ื ืืื ืืคืจืืฉ ืืชื ืชื ืืืืื ืืฉืืชื
A Kohen who withholds or mishandles the gifts deserves excommunication.
The Gemara emphasizes the seriousness of fulfilling this mitzvah.
How Are the Gifts Divided?
Rav Chisda rules:
- The foreleg may be given to one Kohen.
- The stomach may be given to another.
- The cheeks may be split between two Kohanim.
The Gemara notes that in Eretz Yisrael they would even divide individual sections more extensively when dealing with very large animals.
A Famous Statement About Eating Meat
Rabbi Yochanan is quoted:
One should not eat from an animal before its priestly gifts have been separated.
He compares it to eating tevel.
Practical Halachah
The Gemara concludes:
ืืืืช ืืืืชื ืืืืชืื
The halachah does not follow this stringency.
How Should a Kohen Eat the Gifts?
Rav Chisda teaches:
The priestly gifts should be eaten:
- Roasted
- With mustard
Why?
Because the verse says:
ืืืฉืื
meaning they should be eaten in an honorable fashion,
ืืืจื ืฉืืืืืื ืืืืืื
like kings eat.
Who Deserves the Gifts?
Rav Chisda initially states:
A Kohen who is unfamiliar with the twenty-four priestly gifts should not receive them.
The Gemara rejects this as the actual criterion.
Instead, the true standard is:
A Kohen who rejects the Temple service loses his rights.
A Kohen need not know every detail; he must accept and participate in the institution of Kehunah.
Big Idea of the Daf
The central theme of Chullin 132 is:
The gifts belong to the institution of Kehunah, but determining who may receive them and who bears responsibility for them requires careful definition.
The daf clarifies:
- Kohen vs. Kohenet,
- owner vs. butcher,
- ordinary animals vs. hybrids,
while emphasizing the honor due to these gifts.
Final Summary
Chullin 132 rules that a Kohenet may receive Matanot Kehunah, discusses the status of hybrids and the koy, and establishes Ravaโs principle that the responsibility for the gifts rests with the butcher. The daf also records Marimarโs ruling regarding a Leviyahโs son being exempt from Pidyon HaBen, teaches that the gifts should be eaten โlike kings,โ and stresses the importance of treating Matanot Kehunah with respect and seriousness.