Kiddushin, Daf Mem Aleph, Part 4

Introduction

The Talmud continues to discuss the issue of agency how do we know that one may appoint an agent to act on his behalf?

והא דתנן חבורה שאבד פסחה ואמרו לאחד צא ובקש ושחוט עלינו והלך ומצא ושחט והן לקחו ושחטו אם שלו נשחט ראשון הוא אוכל משלו והם אוכלים ושותים עמו מנלן

Again, as to what we learned: A company lost their pesah and they said to one [who was registered with them], Go and seek it, and slaughter it on our behalf ; and he went, found, and slaughtered it, and they [also] took an animal and slaughtered [it]: If his was slaughtered first, he eats of his and they eat with him.

How do we know this?

This source is from Mishnah Pesahim 9:9. The issue is related to the halakhah that one cannot eat from a pesah offering for which he is not registered. However, it is cited here only because the company appoints an agent to go slaughter a pesah on their behalf. How do we know that one may appoint an agent for such a matter.

וכי תימא דיליף מהנך מה להנך שכן ישנן חול אצל קדשים

And should you say that it is derived from these, [I would respond:] as for these, [that may be] because they rank as secular in relation to sacred animals!

Earlier we learned that one may appoint an agent to separate terumah on his behalf. But from this halakhah we cannot derive that one may also appoint an agent to separate a pesah offering, because pesah offerings are holier than terumah. Perhaps one cannot appoint an agent to perform such a sacred act?

נפקא ליה מדרבי יהושע בן קרחה דא"ר יהושע בן קרחה מנין ששלוחו של אדם כמותו שנאמר (שמות יב, ו) ושחטו אותו כל קהל עדת ישראל בין הערבים וכי כל הקהל כולן שוחטין והלא אינו שוחט אלא אחד אלא מכאן ששלוחו של אדם כמותו

It is derived from R. Yeshoshua b. Korha, for R. Yehoshua b. Korhah said: How do we know that one s agent is as himself? As it is said, And the whole assembly of the congregation shall slaughter it [the pesach sacrifice] at dusk (Exodus 12:6): Does then the whole assembly really slaughter it? Surely, only one person slaughters it. From here it follows that one s agent is as himself.

The Torah states that the whole assembly of Israel slaughters the pesah sacrifice, although it is obvious that only one person performs the act. From here we can derive that a person s agent is as himself it is as if all of Israel slaughtered the pesah.