Zevachim 14a

זבחים י״ד ע״א

Learn Zevachim 14a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Wrong thoughts during טבילה and הולכה of a חטאת's blood: when they disqualify, according to the רבנן and רבי שמעון, and whether a זר may carry the blood.

Overview

Two ברייתות seemed to argue about whether a wrong thought during dipping the finger in the blood (טבילה) can make a חטאת פיגול. The גמרא rejects the idea that one of them follows רבי שמעון. Instead it says both follow the רבנן: with inner חטאות dipping is a real step, because the Torah writes 'וטבל', but with outer חטאות it is not. The גמרא explains that the Torah wrote 'ולקח' for outer חטאות, which teaches two things at once. Next, ריש לקיש says רבי שמעון agrees that a wrong thought while carrying the blood of inner חטאות disqualifies, because that carrying can never be skipped. רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא explains that this makes them פסול, not פיגול, through a קל וחומר. The גמרא then finds a source for a wrong thought about place, either from שלא לשמה or from a הקש in the פסוק. רבא shows, through a chain of 'if he holds this' cases, how the carrying that truly counts can shrink to a doorway, a hand-stretch, or nothing at all. Finally אביי asks whether a זר may carry the blood, and רב חסדא says yes, citing a פסוק. רב ששת begins a challenge from a ברייתא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. Challengeרבי שמעון's rule blocks the suggested answer
2. ResolutionBoth follow the Rabbis: outer versus inner sin offerings
3. ChallengeIsn't the rule for outer sin offerings obvious?
4. ResolutionIt was needed: 'And he shall take' might count like dipping
5. ResolutionWhy the Torah wrote 'take' and not 'dip'
6. Statementרבי שמעון agrees about carrying the blood of inner חטאות
7. ChallengeBut inner offerings have no פיגול for רבי שמעון
8. ResolutionNot פיגול, but still disqualified, through a קל וחומר
9. QuestionWhere do we learn that a wrong thought about place ruins an inner חטאת?
10. RejectionWe cannot learn it from the thought about time
11. RejectionWe also cannot learn it from the thought about a different offering
12. ResolutionThe objection fails: פסח and חטאת were never brought on a private altar
13. ResolutionA second source: a הקש linking time and place
14. StatementIf רבי שמעון follows his son, carrying counts only from the אולם inward
15. StatementIf רבי שמעון follows רבי יהודה, carrying the בזיכין counts only outside the היכל
16. StatementIf היכל and אולם are equally holy, only the אולם doorway counts
17. StatementIf the doorway counts as inside, only a hand-stretch is left
18. StatementIf carrying without walking is not carrying, no thought matters at all
19. Questionאביי asks whether a non-כהן may carry the blood
20. Responseרב חסדא: valid, and a פסוק supports it
21. Challengeרב ששת begins an objection from a ברייתא