## Pesachim Daf 79b

###### Pesachim 79b:1
[Pesachim 79b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:1)

וּטְמֵאִין אֵין עוֹשִׂין לֹא אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וְלֹא אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי. בָּרִאשׁוֹן לָא עָבְדִי — דְּלָא הָווּ רוּבָּא. בַּשֵּׁנִי לָא עָבְדִי — דְּלָא הָווּ מִיעוּטָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and those who are impure do not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ* **or the second. They do not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the first** *Pesaḥ* **because they are not the majority,** and the Paschal lamb may be sacrificed in a state of impurity only when the majority of the community is impure. Additionally, **they may not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the second** *Pesaḥ* **because they are not the minority,** and only the sacrifice of a minority of the community is deferred to the second *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 79b:2
[Pesachim 79b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:2)

תְּנַן: נִטְמָא קָהָל אוֹ רוּבּוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים טְמֵאִין וְהַקָּהָל טְהוֹרִים — יֵעָשֶׂה בְּטוּמְאָה. רוּבּוֹ הוּא דְּעָבְדִי בְּטוּמְאָה, אֲבָל פַּלְגָא וּפַלְגָא לָא עָבְדִי בָּרִאשׁוֹן. קַשְׁיָא לְרַב!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara raises an objection from that which **we learned** in the mishna: If **the entire community became ritually impure, or** if **most of it** became impure, **or** if **the priests were impure and the community** was **pure, they** should **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **in impurity.** This indicates that it is only when **most of** the community is impure **that they perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **in impurity, but** if it is **half and half, they do not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the first** *Pesaḥ*. This poses **a difficulty to** the opinion of **Rav.**


###### Pesachim 79b:3
[Pesachim 79b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:3)

אָמַר לָךְ רַב: רוּבָּא עָבְדִי כּוּלְּהוּ בְּטוּמְאָה, פַּלְגָא וּפַלְגָא — הַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav** could have **said to you:** When **a majority** of the community is impure, **they** may **all perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **in impurity.** Even those who are still pure are not required to ensure that they remain pure in order to sacrifice the Paschal lamb. When it is **half and half, these** who are pure **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** in a state of purity **and these** who are impure **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** in a state of impurity.


###### Pesachim 79b:4
[Pesachim 79b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:4)

הָכִי נָמֵי מִסְתַּבְּרָא, דְּקָתָנֵי סֵיפָא: נִטְמָא מִיעוּט הַקָּהָל, טְהוֹרִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וּטְמֵאִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי. מִיעוּט הוּא דְּעָבְדִי בַּשֵּׁנִי, אֲבָל פַּלְגָא וּפַלְגָא — לָא. וְעָבְדִי בָּרִאשׁוֹן, וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara adds: **So too, it is reasonable** to understand the mishna in this way, **as the latter clause teaches:** If **a minority of the community became impure, those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ* **and those who are impure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the second** *Pesaḥ*. This indicates that it is only when **the minority** has become impure **that they perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the second** *Pesaḥ*. **But** when it is **half and half** this is **not** the case; rather, **these perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** in a state of purity **and those perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** in a state of impurity on the first *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 79b:5
[Pesachim 79b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:5)

וְאֶלָּא קַשְׁיָא לְרַב כָּהֲנָא! אָמַר לָךְ רַב כָּהֲנָא: נִטְמְאוּ מִיעוּט הַקָּהָל — טְהוֹרִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וּטְמֵאִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי. הָא פַּלְגָא וּפַלְגָא — טְהוֹרִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֲבָל טְמֵאִין אֵינָן עוֹשִׂין לֹא אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וְלֹא אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**However,** if so, **it then** poses **a difficulty to** the opinion of **Rav Kahana.** The Gemara responds: **Rav Kahana** could have **said to you** that the latter clause of the mishna should be understood as follows: If **a minority of the community became ritually impure, those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ* **and those who are impure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the second** *Pesaḥ*. This indicates that if it is **half and half, those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ* **and those who are impure do not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first or the second** *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 79b:6
[Pesachim 79b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:6)

הָתִינַח לְלִישָּׁנָא בָּתְרָא דְּרַב כָּהֲנָא. אֶלָּא לְהָךְ לִישָּׁנָא דְּאָמַר רַב כָּהֲנָא: טְהוֹרִים עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּטְמֵאִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי, מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: This works out **well according to the latter version** of Rav Kahana’s statement, according to which this is the *halakha* when exactly half of the community is pure and half is impure. **But according to that** first **version,** in **which Rav Kahana said** that when half the community is pure and half is impure, **those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ* **and those who are impure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the second** *Pesaḥ*, **what is there to say?**


###### Pesachim 79b:7
[Pesachim 79b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:7)

אָמַר לְךָ רַב כָּהֲנָא: הוּא הַדִּין דַּאֲפִילּוּ פַּלְגָא וּפַלְגָא נָמֵי — טְהוֹרִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּטְמֵאִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי. וְהַאי דְּקָתָנֵי מִיעוּט הַקָּהָל, אַיְּידֵי דִּתְנָא רֵישָׁא ״רוּבּוֹ״ — תְּנָא נָמֵי סֵיפָא ״מִיעוּטוֹ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Kahana** could have **said to you** that the mishna should be understood as follows: **The same is true even** in a case of **half and half as well; those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ*, **and those who are impure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the second** *Pesaḥ*. **And that which was taught** in the mishna that the sacrifice of **a minority of the community** is deferred to the second *Pesaḥ* is not meant to indicate that half the community cannot observe the second *Pesaḥ*. Rather, **since it taught in the first clause** of the mishna the case in which **the majority of** the community became ritually impure, **it also taught in the latter clause** the case in which **the minority of** the community became impure, so as to employ a parallel formulation.


###### Pesachim 79b:8
[Pesachim 79b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:8)

תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַב, תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַב כָּהֲנָא כִּתְרֵי לִישָּׁנֵי. תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַב: הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה טְהוֹרִין וּמֶחֱצָה טְמֵאִין, הַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara points out that **it was taught** in a *baraita* **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav,** and **it was taught** in a *baraita* **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav Kahana, in accordance with** each of the **two versions** of his opinion. **It was taught** in the following *baraita* **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav:** If **the Jewish people were** divided, and **half** were **pure and half** were **impure, those** who are pure **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** in a state of purity, **and those** who are impure **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** in a state of impurity on the first *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 79b:9
[Pesachim 79b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:9)

תַּנְיָא כְּלִישְׁנָא קַמָּא דְּרַב כָּהֲנָא: הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה טְהוֹרִין וּמֶחֱצָה טְמֵאִין, טְהוֹרִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וּטְמֵאִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It was taught** in the following *baraita* **in accordance with the first version of** the opinion of **Rav Kahana:** If **the Jewish people were** divided, and **half** were **pure and half** were **impure, those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ*, **and those who are impure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the second** *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 79b:10
[Pesachim 79b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:10)

וְתַנְיָא כְּלִישָּׁנָא בָּתְרָא דְּרַב כָּהֲנָא: הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה טְהוֹרִין וּמֶחֱצָה טְמֵאִין, טְהוֹרִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּטְמֵאִין אֵינָן עוֹשִׂין לֹא אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וְלֹא אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And it was taught** in the following *baraita* **in accordance with the latter version of** the opinion of **Rav Kahana:** If **the Jewish people were** divided, and **half** were **pure and half** were **impure, those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ*, **and those who are impure do not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ* **or the second** *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 79b:11
[Pesachim 79b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:11)

לְרַב וּלְלִישָּׁנָא בָּתְרָא דְּרַב כָּהֲנָא, הָא דְּתָנָא ״טְהוֹרִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וּטְמֵאִין אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי״, הֵיכִי מְתָרְצִי לַהּ? כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה טְהוֹרִין וּמֶחֱצָה טְמֵאִין, וְנָשִׁים מַשְׁלִימוֹת לַטְּמֵאִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **According to Rav and according to the latter version of** the opinion of **Rav Kahana,** with regard to **that which was taught** in the second *baraita* quoted above, that **those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ* **and those who are impure** perform the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the second** *Pesaḥ*, **how do they reconcile it?** The Gemara answers: According to them, the case under discussion is one **where the Jewish people** are divided, and **half** are **pure and half** are **impure.** However, the majority of the men are pure, **and the** majority of the **women** are impure and the women **complete the** number of **impure** people necessary to reach half of the community.


###### Pesachim 79b:12
[Pesachim 79b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:12)

וְקָסָבַר: נָשִׁים בָּרִאשׁוֹן רְשׁוּת. דַּל נָשִׁים מִטְּמֵאִין, וְהָווּ לְהוּ טְמֵאִין מִיעוּטָא, וּמִיעוּטָא יִדְחוּ לְפֶסַח שֵׁנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** this *tanna* **holds** that the participation of **women in the first** *Pesaḥ* **is optional.** Therefore, **remove the women from those who are impure, and the impure become the minority. And the** sacrifice of the **minority is deferred to the second *Pesaḥ*** according to all opinions.


###### Pesachim 79b:13
[Pesachim 79b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:13)

לְרַב וּלְלִישָּׁנָא קַמָּא דְּרַב כָּהֲנָא, הָא דְּתַנְיָא ״טְהוֹרִין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וּטְמֵאִין אֵין עוֹשִׂין לֹא אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וְלֹא אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי״, הֵיכִי מְתָרְצִי לַהּ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **According to** the opinion of **Rav and according to the first version of** the opinion of **Rav Kahana,** with regard to **that which was taught** in the third *baraita* cited above: **Those who are pure perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on the **first** *Pesaḥ* **and those who are impure do not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb on **the first** *Pesaḥ* **or** on **the second** *Pesaḥ*, **how do they reconcile it** according to their opinions?


###### Pesachim 79b:14
[Pesachim 79b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:14)

רַב מְתָרֵיץ לַהּ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה טְמֵאִין וּמֶחֱצָה טְהוֹרִין, וְנָשִׁים עוֹדְפוֹת עַל הַטְּהוֹרִים, וְקָסָבַר: נָשִׁים בָּרִאשׁוֹן חוֹבָה, וּבַשֵּׁנִי רְשׁוּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav reconciles** the *baraita* by explaining that it is referring to a case **where** the men of **the Jewish people were** divided, and **half** were **impure and half** were **pure, and** the **women,** a majority of whom were pure, **added on to** the number of those who were **pure** so that the majority of the community was pure. **And** this *tanna* **holds** that the participation of **women in the first** *Pesaḥ* **is obligatory, and** their participation **in the second** *Pesaḥ* **is optional.**


###### Pesachim 79b:15
[Pesachim 79b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:15)

בָּרִאשׁוֹן לָא עָבְדִי — דְּהָוֵי לֵיהּ מִיעוּט, וּמִיעוּטָא לָא עָבְדִי בָּרִאשׁוֹן. וּבַשֵּׁנִי לָא עָבְדִי — דַּל נָשִׁים מִינַּיְיהוּ וְהָווּ לְהוּ פַּלְגָא וּפַלְגָא, וּפַלְגָא לָא עָבְדִי בַּשֵּׁנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Therefore, **on the first** *Pesaḥ*, those who are impure **do not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **because they are a minority, and a minority** of the community that is ritually impure **may not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the first** *Pesaḥ*. **And on the second** *Pesaḥ* **they do not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb because when one **removes the women from them,** those who were impure **are half** of the community, **and half** the community **does not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the second** *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 79b:16
[Pesachim 79b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:16)

וּלְרַב כָּהֲנָא דַּאֲמַר: פַּלְגָא נָמֵי עָבְדִי בַּשֵּׁנִי, הָכִי מְתָרֵיץ לַהּ: כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה טְהוֹרִין וּמֶחֱצָה טְמֵאִין, וְנָשִׁים מַשְׁלִימוֹת לַטְּהוֹרִין. וְקָסָבַר: נָשִׁים בָּרִאשׁוֹן חוֹבָה וּבַשֵּׁנִי רְשׁוּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And according to** the first version of the opinion of **Rav Kahana,** in **which he said that half** the community **also performs** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the second** *Pesaḥ*, **this** is how **he would reconcile** the *baraita* with his opinion: It is addressing a case **where the Jewish people were** divided, and **half** were **pure and half** were **impure.** However, the majority of the men were impure, **and** it is **the women** who **completed** the necessary number of **the pure** so that the division was half and half. **And** this *tanna* **holds** that the participation of **women on the first** *Pesaḥ* **is obligatory, and** their participation **on the second** *Pesaḥ* **is optional.**


###### Pesachim 79b:17
[Pesachim 79b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:17)

בָּרִאשׁוֹן לָא עָבְדִי — דְּהָווּ לְהוּ פַּלְגָא וּפַלְגָא, וּפַלְגָא בָּרִאשׁוֹן לָא עָבְדִי, בַּשֵּׁנִי נָמֵי לָא עָבְדִי — דַּל נָשִׁים מִינַּיְיהוּ מִן הַטְּהוֹרִין הָווּ לְהוּ טְמֵאִין רוּבָּא, וְרוּבָּא לָא עָבְדִי בַּשֵּׁנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Therefore, **on the first** *Pesaḥ* **they** may **not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **because they are half and half, and** according to his opinion, **half** of the community **may not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the first** *Pesaḥ* in a state of impurity. **On the second** *Pesaḥ* **as well, they may not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb because one must **remove the women from** the number of those who are pure, and **the impure become the majority, and the majority does not perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **on the second** *Pesaḥ*.


###### Pesachim 79b:18
[Pesachim 79b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:18)

וּלְרַב כָּהֲנָא, הָא דְּתַנְיָא: הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה טְהוֹרִין וּמֶחֱצָה טְמֵאִין, הַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן, הֵיכִי מְתָרֵיץ לַהּ? אָמַר לָךְ רַב כָּהֲנָא: תַּנָּאֵי הִיא. אִיכָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר: מֶחֱצָה עַל מֶחֱצָה כְּרוֹב, וְאִיכָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר: מֶחֱצָה עַל מֶחֱצָה אֵינוֹ כְּרוֹב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks further: **And according to Rav Kahana,** with regard to **that which was taught** in the first of the three *baraitot* above: If **the Jewish people were** divided, **half** were **pure and half** were **impure, those** who were pure **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** on the first *Pesaḥ*, **and those** who were impure **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** on the second *Pesaḥ*, **how does he reconcile it? Rav Kahana** could have **said to you:** This matter **is** subject to a dispute between **the *tanna’im*. There is one who said** that in a case of **half and half,** each half by itself **is** considered **like the majority, and there is one who said** that **half and half is not like the majority.**


###### Pesachim 79b:19
[Pesachim 79b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:19)

גּוּפָא. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶחֱצָה טְהוֹרִין וּמֶחֱצָה טְמֵאִין, הַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹשִׂין לְעַצְמָן. הָיוּ טְמֵאִין עוֹדְפִין עַל הַטְּהוֹרִין, אֲפִילּוּ אֶחָד — יַעֲשׂוּ בְּטוּמְאָה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין קׇרְבַּן צִיבּוּר חָלוּק.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara addresses **the** matter **itself** discussed in the *baraita* cited previously. If **the Jewish people** were divided, **half** were **pure and half** were **impure, those** who were pure **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** on the first *Pesaḥ* **and those** who were impure **perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **for themselves** on the second *Pesaḥ*. If **those who were impure outnumbered those who were pure even** by **one** person, **they should perform** the ritual of the Paschal lamb **in ritual impurity** on the first *Pesaḥ* **because a communal offering is not divided.** Therefore, the entire community may sacrifice the Paschal lamb in a state of impurity. This includes those who were pure; they do not need to take care to remain pure in order to sacrifice the Paschal lamb.


###### Pesachim 79b:20
[Pesachim 79b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Pesachim/r/79b:20)

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן מַתְיָא אוֹמֵר: אֵין הַיָּחִיד מַכְרִיעַ אֶת הַצִּיבּוּר לְטוּמְאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Elazar ben Matya says: The individual cannot tip** the balance of the entire **public toward ritual impurity, as it is stated:**