Derasha 2 on Bereishis 1:11

TT #36 · Parashas Bereishis · First Aliyah · Passuk 11

Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ דֶּ֗שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Chullin 60a (verified).

E-Daf image (Chullin 60a)

Core Text

Core Textדָּרַשׁ רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פַּפָּא: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ״לְמִינוֹ״ בָּאִילָנוֹת, נָשְׂאוּ דְּשָׁאִים קַל וָחֹמֶר בְּעַצְמָן: וּמַה אִילָנוֹת שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּן לָצֵאת בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ״לְמִינוֹ״, אָנוּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. מִיָּד כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד יָצָא לְמִינוֹ.
English of Core Text: Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa expounded: When the Holy One, blessed be He, said “according to its kind” regarding the trees, the grasses took a kal va-chomer for themselves: If the trees, which do not normally emerge intermingled, the Holy One, blessed be He, said “according to its kind,” we — how much more so. Immediately each one emerged according to its kind.
On the daf / in context: The Gemara notes that the grasses, though not explicitly commanded “le-mino,” nevertheless separated by species on the strength of a kal va-chomer from the trees.
Type of Learning: R’ Yishmael #1 (kal va-chomer)
What Is Learned: The grasses reasoned by kal va-chomer and emerged each according to its kind even without an explicit command.