Tamid 29a

תמיד כ״ט ע״א

Learn Tamid 29a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Building the fires on the מזבח, and the גמרא's discussion of exaggerated language in the תורה, the נביאים and the חכמים.

Overview

The משנה finishes describing the ash heap and says the כהן was never lazy about clearing the ashes. It then explains how the fire on the מזבח was built. Every kind of wood is allowed except vine and olive, but fig, nut and pine were the usual choices. The large מערכה sat on the east side, and a second, smaller מערכה of fine fig wood was built near the southwest corner for the קטורת coals. On שבת that second fire was larger, because the בזיכי לבונה of the לחם הפנים were burned there. Leftover limbs and fats were put back on the fire, both fires were lit, and the כהנים went to לשכת הגזית. The גמרא then quotes רבא, who says the משנה's 300 כור of ashes and the golden cup for the תמיד are exaggerations. רבי אמי adds that the תורה, the נביאים and the חכמים all sometimes speak this way. שמואל limits the חכמים' exaggerations to three cases (the ash heap, the vine and the פרכת) and holds that the golden cup was real, because there is no poverty in a place of wealth. The גמרא begins describing the golden vine, and that description continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. StatementThe כהן was never lazy about removing the ashes
2. StatementThe כהנים begin bringing up logs to build the wood pile
3. QuestionIs every kind of wood allowed for the pile?
4. ResponseAll wood is allowed except vine and olive, but certain woods were usual
5. StatementHow the large wood pile was built on the east side
6. StatementThe second wood pile for the קטורת
7. StatementHow big the second fire was, on weekdays and on Shabbat
8. StatementReturning leftovers, lighting both fires, and going down
9. Statementרבא: some descriptions in the משנה are exaggerations
10. Statementרבי אמי: the תורה, the נביאים and the חכמים all use exaggeration
11. ProofThe תורה's example: cities walled up to the heavens
12. ProofProof that the חכמים exaggerate
13. ProofProof that the נביאים exaggerate
14. Statementשמואל: the חכמים exaggerated in only three places
15. Rejectionשמואל's list rejects רבא about the golden cup
16. ConclusionNo poverty in a place of wealth
17. StatementThe ash heap is the case we already discussed
18. ProofThe source for the golden vine