Zevachim 44a

זבחים מ״ד ע״א

Learn Zevachim 44a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Zevachim 44a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Impurity and eating מעשר and תרומה, then the scope of פיגול: which items have מתירין, and whose view includes the מצורע's oil

Overview

The עמוד opens by challenging a reading of a ברייתא about eating מעשר and תרומה while impure. Because of the rule of דיו, a קל וחומר could never have led us to a death penalty. זעירי answers that 'lenient' means טומאת שרץ and 'stringent' means טומאת מת. The Torah mentioned טומאת מת so we would not think it brings death for eating מעשר. Then the גמרא turns to the משנה's rule that anything with מתירין can become פיגול. A ברייתא widens פיגול step by step from שלמים to every holy item, using a chain of word-links from טומאה to נותר to פיגול. It then uses שלמים as the model: only items that something else permits can become פיגול. רבי שמעון narrows this to items whose מתיר is on the outer מזבח. The גמרא then asks whose view the ברייתא follows. רבי מאיר fits its inclusion of the מצורע's oil but not its ending. רב יוסף answers that it follows רבי, for whom the oil's own sprinklings permit it and can make it פיגול. The עמוד ends with רבי ירמיה shocked at רב יוסף's answer, and his reason comes on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (33)

1. ChallengeWithout the stringent case, would we really have guessed death?
2. Resolutionזעירי redefines the lenient and stringent cases
3. ResolutionWhy the Torah had to mention טומאת מת
4. StatementThe משנה: anything with מתירין can become פיגול
5. StatementThe ברייתא suggests פיגול might apply only to offerings like peace offerings
6. QuestionWhat about offerings eaten for only one day and a night?
7. ResponseThe word 'מבשר' includes any offering whose leftover meat is eaten
8. QuestionWhat about an עולה, whose meat is not eaten at all?
9. ResponseThe word 'זבח' includes the עולה
10. QuestionWhat about birds, מנחות, and even the מצורע's oil?
11. Response'Which they consecrate to Me' includes everything sacred
12. ConclusionThe chain from טומאה to נותר to פיגול
13. QuestionIf everything is included, why does the verse mention peace offerings?
14. ResponsePeace offerings are the model: only items with a permitting factor
15. StatementExamples of offerings whose blood permits other parts
16. StatementItems left out because nothing else permits them
17. Statementרבי שמעון: the permitting factor must be on the outer altar
18. QuestionWhat does 'similar to peace offerings' mean?
19. ResponseIt is the firstborn offering
20. ChallengeA simple comparison to peace offerings fails
21. ResolutionLearn it from the wording 'אם האכל יאכל'
22. ChallengeThe two generalizations are side by side
23. Resolutionרבא: move the detail between the generalizations
24. QuestionWhose view includes the leper's oil?
25. ResponseIt follows רבי מאיר
26. ChallengeThe end of the ברייתא matches the רבנן
27. Proofרבי מאיר holds libations can become פיגול
28. ChallengeThe רבנן object: libations can come days later
29. Resolutionרבי מאיר: only libations brought with the offering
30. Resolutionרב יוסף: the ברייתא follows רבי
31. ProofSource: the oil's מעילה status before and after the blood
32. Proofרבי says the oil's own sprinklings end מעילה
33. Challengeרבי ירמיה is shocked by רב יוסף's explanation