Gemara Clarity

Pesachim 65b

פסחים ס״ה ע״ב

Learn Pesachim 65b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Pesachim 65b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The blood-filled עזרה on ערב פסח, the end of פרק תמיד נשחט, and the start of פרק אלו דברים: which acts of the פסח override שבת

Overview

This amud opens by finishing a קשיא against רבי יהודה. He holds that only the life-blood atones, yet his cup of mixed floor blood must contain דם התמצית. The גמרא answers that he holds אין דם מבטל דם, so the valid blood in the cup is not cancelled. A ברייתא then records רבי יהודה asking the חכמים why the עזרה was plugged. They answer that it honored the כהנים to walk in blood. The גמרא solves two problems with this. Wet blood is not a חציצה. As for soiled garments, the walking happened while carrying wood, which is not an עבודה, and during real עבודות the כהנים walked on raised platforms. After two short explanations of the משנה, about the basin of אמורים and carrying the פסח home in its hide, the chapter תמיד נשחט ends. The new chapter's משנה lists which parts of the פסח override שבת. It then presents the dispute over שבות: רבי אליעזר argues by קל וחומר that they override, and רבי יהושע and רבי עקיבא bring counter-examples. רבי אליעזר's reply about הזאה continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

דָּם שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ יוֹצְאָה בּוֹ — מְכַפֵּר.

Blood with which the life goes out — atones.

דָּם שֶׁאֵין הַנֶּפֶשׁ יוֹצְאָה בּוֹ — אֵינוֹ מְכַפֵּר.

Blood with which the life does not go out — does not atone.

אֶלָּא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לְטַעְמֵיהּ,

Rather, Rabbi Yehuda follows his own reasoning,

דְּאָמַר: אֵין דָּם מְבַטֵּל דָּם.

for he said: blood does not nullify blood.

The steps (27)

  1. ChallengeOnly the life-blood atones, so the floor blood is a problem for רבי יהודה
  2. ResolutionBlood does not cancel out blood
  3. ChallengeWhy plug the courtyard drains according to the חכמים
  4. ResolutionIt honors the כהנים to walk in blood
  5. ChallengeThe blood should create a barrier
  6. ResolutionWet blood is not a barrier
  7. ProofA ברייתא proves wet substances do not interpose
  8. ChallengeThe priestly garments would get soiled
  9. RejectionThey cannot lift their garments, because these must fit exactly
  10. ResolutionThey walked in blood while carrying limbs, which is not a true עבודה
  11. ChallengeCarrying limbs to the ramp is a real Temple service
  12. ResolutionThe walking in blood happened while carrying wood
  13. QuestionHow did they walk during real services?
  14. ResponseThey walked on raised platforms
  15. StatementQuoting the משנה on preparing the sacrificial parts
  16. ChallengeDid that same person burn them himself?
  17. ResolutionReading it as 'to be burned on the altar'
  18. StatementHow each person carried his Paschal lamb home
  19. StatementLike Arab merchants
  20. ConclusionHadran — Closing the chapter תמיד נשחט
  21. StatementThe parts of the פסח service that override שבת, and the parts that do not
  22. StatementCarrying, bringing from outside the תחום, and cutting a wart: a dispute
  23. Proofרבי אליעזר's קל וחומר from slaughter
  24. Rejectionרבי יהושע: יום טוב breaks the קל וחומר
  25. Rejectionרבי אליעזר: optional acts cannot teach about a מצוה
  26. Rejectionרבי עקיבא: הזאה is a מצוה and a שבות, yet it does not override שבת
  27. Rejectionרבי אליעזר extends his logic to sprinkling too