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Zevachim 18b

זבחים י״ח ע״ב

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

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Topic

בגדי כהונה: wrong-length garments, the יתר question through ציצית, and what ״בַּד״ teaches

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא: serving in dirty or torn בגדי כהונה makes the עבודה פסולה. שמואל rules that clothes that drag (מרושלין) are כשר, but clothes that are raised (מסולקין) are פסול. רמי בר חמא resolves a contradicting ברייתא: hitched up with the אבנט is כשר, while too short from the start is פסול. רב holds that both too long and too short are פסול, and רבי זירא explains that רב read the ברייתא as one case: long garments pulled up with the אבנט. רבי ירמיה מדיפתי tries to tie unraised long garments to a תנאים dispute about a five-cornered garment and ציצית, asking whether something extra counts. The גמרא rejects this: both תנאים hold that the extra counts, and they really argue about how to read ״אֲשֶׁר תְּכַסֶּה בָּהּ״. Next, a ברייתא lists what the word ״בַּד״ teaches, and רב יוסף explains that some of these features are only ideal while others are required. The גמרא then proves that ״בַּד״ means flax, and the amud ends with אביי's explanation of ״לֹא יַחְגְּרוּ בַּיָּזַע״ and a ברייתא about where the belt is tied, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מְטוּשְׁטָשִׁין אוֹ מְקוֹרָעִין –

If they were soiled or ripped

וְעָבַד; עֲבוֹדָתוֹ פְּסוּלָה.

and he performed the service, his service is disqualified.

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל:

Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says:

מְרוּשָּׁלִין – כְּשֵׁרִין,

If they are dragging on the ground, they are fit,

The steps (36)

  1. StatementDirty or torn priestly clothes disqualify the service
  2. Statementשמואל: dragging clothes are fine, raised clothes are not
  3. ChallengeA ברייתא says raised clothes are fit
  4. Resolutionרמי בר חמא: hitched up versus too short from the start
  5. Statementרב: both too long and too short are unfit
  6. ChallengeThe innkeeper's son challenges רב הונא
  7. Resolutionרב הונא: that one was already answered
  8. ChallengeThe ברייתא is a problem for רב
  9. Resolutionרב read the ברייתא as one single case
  10. StatementUnraised long garments depend on a תנאים dispute
  11. ProofFirst ברייתא: a five-cornered garment needs ציצית
  12. ProofSecond ברייתא: only exactly four corners
  13. ProofThe dispute: does something extra count as being there?
  14. RejectionEveryone agrees an extra part counts; the פסוק makes ציצית different
  15. QuestionHow does the other view use ״אֲשֶׁר תְּכַסֶּה בָּהּ״?
  16. ResponseHe uses it to include a blind person's garment
  17. QuestionWhy include the blind person and not the night garment?
  18. ResponseOthers can see the blind person's ציצית
  19. ResponseThe first view learns the blind person's garment from ״אֲשֶׁר״
  20. ConclusionThe other view does not learn from ״אֲשֶׁר״
  21. StatementA ברייתא lists what the word ״בַּד״ teaches about priestly garments
  22. Challengeאביי asks how ״new″ can be a requirement
  23. Challengeרב יוסף shows the same problem with ״six-ply thread″
  24. ResolutionThe real meaning: some features are ideal, some are required
  25. QuestionHow do we know ״בַּד״ is flax?
  26. ResponseFlax grows one stalk at a time
  27. ChallengeWhy not say the material is wool?
  28. ResolutionWool splits, so it is not 'single'
  29. ChallengeBut flax splits too
  30. ResolutionFlax splits only when it is beaten
  31. Statementרבינא's proof from יחזקאל
  32. ChallengeWhat was the source before יחזקאל?
  33. ResolutionA tradition that יחזקאל attached to a פסוק
  34. QuestionWhat does ״לֹא יַחְגְּרוּ בַּיָּזַע״ mean?
  35. Responseאביי: not where people sweat
  36. ProofA ברייתא about where the belt is tied