Zevachim 32b

זבחים ל״ב ע״ב

Learn Zevachim 32b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Zevachim 32b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Doing Temple service from outside the עזרה, whether partly entering the עזרה counts as entering, and היתר versus דחייה for impurity

Overview

The גמרא asks why סמיכה, which the פסוק also describes as 'לפני ה׳', can be done from outside the עזרה. The answer is that a person can reach his hands in. The גמרא pushes back that שחיטה could also be done from outside with a long knife. It answers that this view follows שמעון התימני, who requires the slaughterer himself to be inside, and it brings a ברייתא to prove it. Then עולא quotes ריש לקיש: a טמא who puts his hand into the עזרה gets מלקות, because partly entering counts as entering. רב הושעיא challenges this from a ברייתא about a טבול יום מצורע on ערב פסח who is allowed to put his thumb and toe into the עזרה. Along the way, רבי יוחנן comments that keeping a טבול יום out of the מחנה לויה is only a rabbinic rule. עולא answers that the מצורע is a special case: since the Torah allowed his partial entry despite his צרעת, it is allowed despite his קרי too. רב יוסף applies this idea to a community that is mostly impure on פסח, and the amud ends with a debate over whether a היתר or a דחייה is the broader idea.

Opening lines

The steps (17)

1. ChallengePlacing hands is also described as 'before the Lord'
2. ResolutionHe can reach his hands in to place them
3. ChallengeSlaughter could also be done with a long knife
4. ResolutionThis follows שמעון התימני
5. ProofThe ברייתא showing שמעון התימני's view
6. StatementA טמא who puts his hand inside gets lashes
7. Challengeרב הושעיא begins a challenge from a מצורע on ערב פסח
8. ProofThe Sages let this טבול יום enter because of קרבן פסח
9. Statementרבי יוחנן: by Torah law there is no restriction at all
10. ChallengeHow can the מצורע put his hand into the עזרה?
11. Resolutionעולא: a מצורע is a special case
12. Statementרב יוסף applies עולא's logic to a mostly-impure community
13. Challengeאביי says the cases are not alike
14. Questionאביי suggests the reverse order
15. Responseרב יוסף agrees
16. ChallengeFull permission versus only being pushed aside
17. Rejectionרבא flips the logic: a permission is narrow, an override is broad