Gemara Clarity

Yoma 36a

יומא ל״ו ע״א

Learn Yoma 36a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Yoma 36a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Where the כהן גדול's bull stands on יום כיפור, which views count that spot as צפון, how סמיכה is done, and what an עולה atones for

Overview

The משנה placed the כהן גדול's bull between the אולם and the מזבח for his וידוי, and the bull is slaughtered at that spot. A קרבן of this level must be slaughtered in the צפון, so the גמרא asks who counts this spot as צפון. It answers רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון and brings a ברייתא with three widening views of צפון: רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה, רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון, and רבי. The גמרא then asks whether the משנה could also follow רבי. It concludes that it can, because the specific spot was chosen to spare the weak, fasting כהן גדול extra walking. Next it explains how the bull's head can point south while its face points west: the bull stands north to south and turns its head. It does not stand straight east to west, so that it will not drop dung facing the מזבח. A ברייתא then describes how סמיכה and וידוי are done. רבי יוסי הגלילי and רבי עקיבא disagree about which sins an עולה atones for. The amud ends as רבי ירמיה begins to explain the root of their disagreement, and his answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

גְּמָ׳ מַאן שָׁמְעַתְּ לֵיהּ

Gemara: Whom have you heard

דְּאָמַר בֵּין הָאוּלָם וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ צָפוֹן —

who says that the area between the Ulam and the altar is north?

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הִיא.

It is Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon.

דְּתַנְיָא: אֵיזֶהוּ צָפוֹן —

As it was taught: What is the north?

The steps (16)

  1. QuestionWho holds that the area between the אולם and the מזבח counts as צפון?
  2. ResponseThe answer: it is the view of רבי אלעזר son of רבי שמעון
  3. ProofA ברייתא with three views on how far צפון extends
  4. QuestionSuggestion: the משנה follows רבי אלעזר son of רבי שמעון and not רבי
  5. RejectionRejection: רבי includes everything רבי אלעזר includes
  6. ChallengeClarified challenge: according to רבי, the bull could stand anywhere in the courtyard
  7. RejectionCounter: the same problem exists for רבי אלעזר son of רבי שמעון
  8. ResolutionThe real reason: the weakness of the כהן גדול
  9. QuestionHow can the head face one way and the face another?
  10. Responseרב: the bull turns its head
  11. ChallengeWhy not just stand it facing west?
  12. Resolutionאביי: to keep dung away from the altar
  13. StatementHow סמיכה is done on an offering
  14. StatementWhat is confessed over each offering: רבי יוסי הגלילי
  15. Statementרבי עקיבא: an עולה covers positive commands
  16. QuestionWhat is the root of their disagreement?