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Zevachim 18a

זבחים י״ח ע״א

Learn Zevachim 18a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Zevachim 18a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The sources that a כהן lacking or misusing his garments (מחוסר בגדים) or a כהן who drank wine (שתויי יין) disqualifies the עבודה, and which garment problems disqualify.

Overview

The גמרא is looking for the source that a כהן serving without his proper garments (מחוסר בגדים) ruins the עבודה. A ברייתא links מחוסר בגדים, שתויי יין and unwashed hands and feet through the shared word "חוקה", but that link alone would cover only rites for which a זר is חייב מיתה. So a separate פסוק is needed to cover every rite. שתויי יין then borrows that full rule back from מחוסר בגדים through the same link. The פסוק "ולהבדיל" was the source only before the link was set up. Its lasting job is to teach that someone who drank wine should not give rulings, as רב practiced on יום טוב. The גמרא then shows why two more פסוקים are still needed. "ונתנו" adds rites that are not required for כפרה, and "וערכו" adds wearing extra garments, not just missing ones. Finally a ברייתא lists practical garment problems: garments that drag, are too short or are frayed are still כשר. A second list of cases begins, and its ruling comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״חוּקָּה״–״חוּקָּה״

The verse states: "statute" and "statute"

לִגְזֵירָה שָׁוָה.

for a verbal analogy.

אִי מֵהָתָם, הֲוָה אָמֵינָא:

If from there, I would say:

הָנֵי מִילֵּי עֲבוֹדָה

this applies only to a rite

The steps (15)

  1. ChallengeThe ברייתא's link through the word "statute"
  2. ResolutionThe analogy alone would be too narrow
  3. QuestionWhat about the wine drinker for all rites?
  4. ResponseBorrowing back from the garments
  5. ChallengeBut the ברייתא uses a different verse
  6. ResolutionThat was before the analogy was set up
  7. ChallengeThe ברייתא seems to learn in the opposite direction
  8. ResolutionRereading the ברייתא: all three cases are equal
  9. QuestionSo why do we need 'ולהבדיל'?
  10. Response'ולהבדיל' teaches רב's practice about drinking and teaching
  11. Challengeמחוסר בגדים is already learned from another פסוק
  12. ResolutionWhy 'ונתנו' is still needed: rites not required for atonement
  13. ChallengeAnother verse already teaches the garment rule
  14. ResolutionThe earlier sources alone would cover only missing garments
  15. StatementA ברייתא lists garment problems that do and do not disqualify