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1) BONES OF A SPINE OR SKULL

1. Objection: But Rava himself said (in explaining a Mishnah) 'this teaches about a spine or skull less than the volume of 1/4 Kav'!
2. Answer: Rava said that after hearing R. Akiva's opinion (before this, he assumed that every spine and skull exceeds 1/4 Kav).

(b) Answer #2 (Beraisa): Shamai says, even from 1 bone of the spine or skull.

i. We see that the spine and skull are more stringent!

(c) Rejection: We cannot bring a proof from Shamai, for he is more stringent.

1. Suggestion: Let us prove the opposite - only Shamai, who is stringent, says that they are more stringent; Chachamim require 1/2 Kav!
2. Rejection: No - Chachamim only argue regarding 1 bone from the spine or skull - but they admit that 1/4 Kav suffices.

(a) (R. Eliezer): Some of the early sages said that 1/2 Kav of bones or 1/2 Log of blood impart Tum'ah regarding everything; 1/4 Kav of bones or 1/4 Log of blood do not impart any Tum'ah;

1. Other sages said that even 1/4 Kav of bones or 1/4 Log of blood impart Tum'ah regarding everything;
2. Later sages said that 1/2 Kav of bones or 1/2 Log of blood impart Tum'ah regarding everything; 1/4 Kav of bones or 1/4 Log of blood impart Tum'ah regarding Terumah and Kodshim, but not regarding a Nazir or one offering the Pesach sacrifice.

(b) Objection: We do not rule as a 3rd opinion (i.e. of later sages; alternatively, a mediating opinion that distinguishes between cases the earlier opinions did not distinguish)!
(c) Answer (R. Yakov bar Idi): Here we rule as the 3rd opinion because they received the law from the last of the prophets.

(a) (Mishnah): On these a Nazir shaves ...
(b) This phrase at the beginning of the Mishnah hints at something he does not shave for - a bone the size of a barley seed.

1. A Nazir only shaves if he touches or moves it, but not for entering a tent with such a bone.

(c) This phrase at the end of the Mishnah hints at something else he does not shave for - a Sechuchis stone (Tosfos - a stone sticking out from a wall, and he does not know if it towered over him and Tum'ah; Rashi - a stone on a corpse or grave).
(d) (Mishnah): For 1/2 Kav of bones ...

(e) We infer, for 1/2 Kav, but not for 1/4 Kav.
(f) Question: What is the case?

1. Suggestion: If among them is a bone the size of a barley seed, for that alone he must shave!

(g) Answer: The case is, the bones were ground up, and there is no pieces the size of a barley seed.

(a) (Mishnah): For a limb from a corpse or a limb from a living person that has enough flesh on it to sustain it (if attached to a living person).
(b) Question: What is the law if it lacks this amount of flesh?
(c) Answer #1 (R. Yochanan): A Nazir does not shave for it.
(d) Answer #2 (Reish Lakish): A Nazir shaves for it.

1. R. Yochanan learns from our Mishnah - it says that he shaves only if it has sufficient flesh!
2. Reish Lakish learns from the fact that it is not listed in the next Mishnah (54A) among things for which a Nazir does not shave.
3. R. Yochanan says that this is no proof - anything which can be inferred from beginning of the Mishnah is not taught in the end of the Mishnah.
4. Objection #1: But our Mishnah teaches 1/2 Kav of bones, and we infer, not for 1/4 Kav - yet 1/4 Kav is taught in the next Mishnah!
5. Answer: 1/4 Kav had to be taught - otherwise, one might have thought that he does not shave even for touching or moving them!

i. The next Mishnah teaches that he is only exempted from shaving for being in a tent with them.

6. Objection #2: But our Mishnah teaches 1/2 Log of blood, and we infer, not for 1/4 Log - yet 1/4 Log is taught in the next Mishnah!
7. Answer: 1/4 Log was taught to oppose R. Akiva, who says that a Nazir shaves for touching or moving it.

(e) Question: What is the case of a limb from a corpse that R. Yochanan and Reish Lakish argue on?

1. Suggestion: If it contains a bone the size of a barley seed - why does R. Yochanan say he does not shave for it?
2. Suggestion: If it does not have a bone the size of a barley seed - why does Reish Lakish say that he shaves for it?

(f) Answer: Really, it lacks a bone the size of a barley seed; still, the Torah says that he shaves for it.

1. Beraisa: "Anyone that will touch on the face of the field, a body killed by a sword or a corpse ..."

i. "On the face of the field" - this teaches about one who towers above a corpse.
ii. "A body killed" - this teaches about a limb from a living person with sufficient flesh.
iii. "A sword " - this teaches that a sword that killed a person is Tamei just as a corpse.
iv. "Or a corpse" - this teaches about a limb that became detached from a corpse.
v. "Or a bone of a man" - this teaches about 1/4 Kav of bones.
vi. "Or a grave" - this teaches about a sealed casket.