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Zevachim 15a

זבחים ט״ו ע״א

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

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Topic

Fixing a wrongly done הולכה, and the מחלוקת of רבי שמעון and the רבנן about wrong thoughts during הולכה

Overview

The גמרא asks whether a הולכה (carrying the blood to the מזבח) done the wrong way can be fixed by doing it again properly. A proof from the משנה about a כשר כהן handing blood to a פסול person is turned down. עולא then quotes רבי יוחנן that carrying without walking is פסול, which suggests it cannot be fixed. רב נחמן challenges this from the משנה about spilled blood that was gathered up and is כשר. The attempts to explain that משנה away fail, and עולא's rule is refuted: a bad הולכה can be fixed. Next comes a statement limiting the מחלוקת of רבי שמעון and the רבנן about wrong thoughts during הולכה. The scholars of ארץ ישראל laugh at it, and in the end the statement is flipped: everyone agrees about carrying by hand, and they argue only about carrying by walking. Finally, בני רבי חייא and רבי ינאי argue about a זר who carried the blood before a כהן carried it again. רב שימי בר אשי and רבא then discuss the reverse case, and רבא's reason continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

אֶפְשָׁר לְתַקּוֹנַהּ

Is it possible to fix it,

אוֹ לָא אֶפְשָׁר לְתַקּוֹנַהּ?

or is it not possible to fix it?

תָּא שְׁמַע:

Come and hear:

קִבֵּל הַכָּשֵׁר וְנָתַן לַפָּסוּל –

if the fit one received the blood and gave it to the unfit one,

The steps (20)

  1. QuestionCan a wrongly done carrying of the blood be fixed?
  2. ProofA proof from the משנה: give the blood back to the fit כהן
  3. ProofWhy taking the blood back proves it can be fixed
  4. RejectionThe unfit person was standing farther from the מזבח
  5. Statementרבי יוחנן: carrying the blood without walking ruins the קרבן
  6. Challengeרב נחמן challenges: spilled blood that was gathered up is כשר
  7. ResolutionThe blood spilled away from the מזבח
  8. ChallengeCan spilled blood flow only outward?
  9. ResolutionThree cases where the blood would not spread toward the מזבח
  10. ChallengeWould the משנה really teach such rare cases?
  11. Conclusionעולא's rule is refuted
  12. StatementThe מחלוקת is only about a short hand-carrying
  13. Challengeארץ ישראל mocks this with a bird חטאת
  14. ResolutionMaybe the thought counts while the blood is in the air
  15. ProofProof from a priest whose hand was cut off mid-sprinkling
  16. ChallengeThe real reason for the laughter: the dispute is about walking
  17. ResolutionThe corrected version: everyone agrees about carrying by hand
  18. StatementA non-priest carried the blood, and a priest brought it back and carried it again
  19. StatementThe reverse case: the כהן carries first, the זר carries second
  20. Rejectionרבא says even the strict opinion rules it unfit