Kiddushin, Daf Nun Bet, Part 6
Introduction
Today s section provides a fascinating story of the tension between R. Yehudah and R. Meir s students after the latter s death.
תנו רבנן לאחר פטירתו של ר’ מאיר אמר להם רבי יהודה לתלמידיו אל יכנסו תלמידי רבי מאיר לכאן מפני שקנתרנים הם ולא ללמוד תורה הם באים אלא לקפחני בהלכות הם באים
דחק סומכוס ונכנס אמר להם כך שנה לי ר’ מאיר המקדש בחלקו בין קדשי קדשים ובין קדשים קלים לא קידש
כעס ר’ יהודה עליהם
אמר להם לא כך אמרתי לכם אל יכנסו מתלמידי ר"מ לכאן מפני שקנתרנים הם ולא ללמוד תורה הם באים אלא לקפחני בהלכות הם באים וכי אשה בעזרה מנין
Our Rabbis taught: After R. Meir’s death, R. Yehudah said to his disciples, Do not let R. Meir’s disciples enter, because they are disputatious and do not come to learn Torah but to overwhelm me with halakhot.
Summachus forced his way through and entered. He said to them: Thus R. Meir taught me: If one betroths [a woman] with his portion, whether of higher or lower sanctity, he has not betrothed [her].
R. Judah became angry with them. He said: Did I not say to you, Let not R. Meir’s disciples enter here, because they are disputatious and do not come to learn Torah but to overwhelm me with halakhoth: how then does a woman come to be in the Temple Courtyard?
R. Yehudah does not seem particularly fond of R. Meir, or at least not of his students, and wants to keep them out of his Bet Midrash after their master s death. R. Yehudah s complaint is that they posit halakhot that really cannot happen. They are halakhic nudniks if you will. R. Meir states that a priest cannot betroth a woman with his sacrificial portion. But how can this ever happen this meat cannot leave the Temple Courtyard, and a woman cannot enter the Temple Courtyard! So why rule against an impossible situation?
אמר ר’ יוסי יאמרו מאיר שכב יהודה כעס יוסי שתק דברי תורה מה תהא עליה וכי אין אדם עשוי לקבל קידושין לבתו בעזרה ואין אשה עשויה לעשות לה שליח לקבל קידושיה בעזרה
ועוד דחקה ונכנסה מאי
R. Yossi said: They will say: Meir is dead, Yehudah is angry, and Yossi is silent. The words of Torah, what is to become of them? Can a man not accept kiddushin on his daughter’s behalf in the Temple Court? And can a woman not authorize a messenger to receive her kiddushin in the Temple Court?
And furthermore, what if she forces herself in?
R. Yossi finds a case where it would be possible for a woman to be betrothed with the priest s portion either by a man accepting betrothal for his daughter, or in a case where a woman appoints a man to accept her kiddushin in the Temple Court on her behalf. Finally, she could force herself in. Even though she should not do this, if she does, she is betrothed.
תניא ר’ יהודה אומר מקודשת ר’ יוסי אומר אינה מקודשת אמר ר’ יוחנן שניהם מקרא אחד דרשו (במדבר יח, ט) וזה יהיה לך מקדש הקדשים מן האש ר’ יהודה סבר לך ולכל צרכיך ור’ יוסי סבר כאש מה אש לאכילה אף הוא נמי לאכילה
It was taught: R. Yehudah said: She is betrothed; R. Yossi said: She is not betrothed. R. Yohanan said: Both derive [their views] from the same verse: This shall be yours of the most holy things, the offerings by fire (Numbers 18:9). R. Yehudah holds, yours and for all your needs; whereas R. Yossi holds it is like [what is offered by] the fire just as [what is burned on the] fire is for consumption only, so too this is for consumption [by the priest] only.
R. Yehudah and R. Yossi disagree whether a priest can betroth with his portion of sacrificial meat. The Torah says that this portion belongs to the priest. R. Yehudah argues that therefore he can do what he wants with it even betroth a woman. R. Yossi holds that when the Torah compares this offering to offerings by fire it means to say that just as the portion burned on the fire is consumed, so too the portion eaten must be consumed. The priest cannot use it to betroth a woman.