Yoma 15a

יומא ט״ו ע״א

Learn Yoma 15a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The order of the morning קטורת and the הטבת הנרות, and how the תמיד's blood is sprinkled according to רבי שמעון איש המצפה

Overview

This amud opens in the middle of the גמרא's explanation of a מחלוקת between the רבנן and אבא שאול. The question is whether the morning קטורת comes before or after the הטבה, the cleaning of the מנורה's lamps. The רבנן prove from the afternoon פסוק, together with a ברייתא, that 'when he cleans the lamps' means 'at the time of', not 'after'. אבא שאול rejects that proof: the afternoon is a special case because of the word 'אותו'. רב פפא then resolves a contradiction between two משניות by assigning one to the רבנן and the other to אבא שאול. He accepts that this leaves one משנה split between the two opinions. The גמרא explains why אביי and רב פפא each chose their own answer. Next, with 'גופא', the גמרא turns to the sprinkling of blood. רבי שמעון איש המצפה says the תמיד's blood is given half like an עולה and half like a חטאת, based on a פסוק. The גמרא tests other possible methods and rejects them, and it is in the middle of answering a challenge from the word 'טהרו' when the amud ends.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. StatementThe רבנן's reading: burn the קטורת at the time of the הטבה
2. ProofProof from the afternoon verse about lighting the lamps
3. ProofA ברייתא shows lighting the מנורה is the last service of the day
4. ConclusionConclusion: 'when' means 'at the time of', in the afternoon and the morning
5. Rejectionאבא שאול's reply: the afternoon is different because of the word 'אותו'
6. Resolutionרב פפא: the two משניות follow different תנאים
7. QuestionRestating which משנה follows whom, as setup for a challenge
8. ChallengeThe last clause brings us back to the רבנן
9. Resolutionרב פפא accepts the split
10. QuestionWhy didn't רב פפא use אביי's answer?
11. ResponseThe two lamps come before the five
12. ResolutionThe first clause is only a training list
13. StatementHow the blood is sprinkled on the corners of the מזבח
14. QuestionWhat is רבי שמעון איש המצפה's reason?
15. ResponseA verse links the תמיד to a חטאת
16. ResponseHow to give the blood: half עולה, half חטאת
17. ChallengeWhy not do a full עולה and then a full חטאת?
18. ResolutionBlood cannot atone twice
19. ChallengeBut half-and-half has no precedent either
20. ResolutionSplitting the sprinklings is only a small change
21. ChallengeWhy not split by height instead?
22. ResolutionBlood is never split between above and below
23. ChallengeChallenge from the one-up, seven-down sprinkling
24. ResolutionIt was like a whip, all in one row
25. ChallengeChallenge from the seven sprinklings on the middle of the altar
26. Resolutionרבה בר שילא begins: No, that is not the meaning