Chapter 1 · Or LeArba'ah Asar

Search and Nullification

Lesson 5 of 68 26 min

Rav says the searcher must also nullify, and the Gemara asks for the reason, since crumbs are not significant.

Lesson goals

01Read Rav's ruling.
02Identify the Gemara's difficulty about crumbs.
03Read Rava's answer.

Source and decoding

Pesachim 6b

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב: הבודק צריך שיבטל. מאי טעמא, אי נימא משום פירורין — הא לא חשיבי

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: One who searches must nullify. What is the reason? If we say because of crumbs, they are not significant.

Rav says the searcher must also nullify, and the Gemara asks for the reason, since crumbs are not significant. It then offers Rava's answer: a decree lest he find a fine loaf he cares about and, once the forbidden time has come, cannot nullify it. The sugya does not quote a specific text of nullification here, so none should be drawn from it.

Building the reasoning

1Read Rav's ruling.
2Identify the Gemara's difficulty about crumbs.
3Read Rava's answer.

Practice

Explain in your own words why earlier nullification matters according to Rava, keeping search and nullification distinct.

Lesson wrap-up

Rava is concerned that important chametz may be found after the forbidden time when it can no longer be nullified. So nullification is done beforehand.

Check your understanding

Test yourself before marking the lesson complete.

Question 1 of 1

What does Rav Yehuda say in Rav's name?

Original explanations and translations: Bonei Atalmud. Excerpts were checked against the site’s Gemara text. Explanations and exercises have not undergone rabbinic review and are not halakhic rulings.

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