Gemara Clarity

Niddah 40b

נדה מ׳ ע״ב

Learn Niddah 40b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Niddah 40b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which disqualified קרבנות stay on the מזבח once placed there, and which must come down (a ברייתא on ״זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעוֹלָה״)

Overview

This amud brings a ברייתא about a disqualified קרבן that was already put up on the מזבח: must it come down or stay there? It opens in the middle of the first opinion. That opinion uses limiting words in the פסוק to say that three cases must come down: an offering slaughtered at night, one whose blood spilled, and one whose blood left the קלעים. רבי שמעון disagrees and lists many disqualified offerings, including those same three. He asks where we learn that they stay up. He answers from ״זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעוֹלָה״: one תורה (one law) covers everything that goes up on the מזבח, so once it is up, it does not come down. He then limits the rule with the word זאת, which leaves out animals that were never fit to be offered, like a טרפה, כלאים, and יוצא דופן. The amud ends with רבי שמעון asking why we include the first group and exclude the second, and the answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

פָּרַט לְנִשְׁחֲטָה בַּלַּיְלָה,

Excluding one that was slaughtered at night,

וְשֶׁנִּשְׁפַּךְ דָּמָהּ,

and one whose blood spilled,

וְשֶׁיָּצָא דָּמָהּ חוּץ לַקְּלָעִים

and one whose blood went outside the curtains,

שֶׁאִם עָלְתָה תֵּרֵד.

so that if it went up, it must come down.

The steps (6)

  1. StatementThree disqualified offerings that must come down
  2. Questionרבי שמעון begins listing disqualified offerings
  3. QuestionMore disqualified offerings added to the list
  4. ResponseOne law for everything that goes up on the מזבח
  5. StatementThe word זאת excludes animals that were never fit for the מזבח
  6. QuestionWhy include one group and exclude the other?