Zevachim 51b
זבחים נ״א ע״ב
Learn Zevachim 51b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.
Open Zevachim 51b in Gemara Clarity
Topic
Why the פסוק about pouring the leftover blood of the נשיא's חטאת onto the base of the outer מזבח must be teaching something extra
Overview
This amud continues a דרשה on the פסוק about the חטאת of a נשיא (a king). That פסוק says the leftover blood (שירים) is poured at the base of the 'מזבח העולה.' The דרשה reads these words as 'give a יסוד to the מזבח of the עולה,' meaning the base for leftover blood belongs to the outer מזבח. The גמרא then proves the פסוק must be teaching this wider rule. Read plainly, it would only be teaching something obvious: the blood of this חטאת is already placed on the outer מזבח, so of course its leftovers go there too. The amud ends as the גמרא starts to suggest a reason the פסוק might still be needed for its own case: maybe one would think the כהן reverses the procedure. That suggestion is dealt with on the next amud.
Opening lines
תֵּן יְסוֹד לַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁל עוֹלָה.
Give a base to the altar of the burnt offering.
דְּאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ כְּדִכְתִיב;
Because if it enters your mind that it means just as it is written,
הָנֵי לְמָה לִי קְרָא – לְשִׁירַיִם?!
why do I need these verses? For the leftover blood?!
שִׁירַיִם הָא בָּרַאי עָבֵיד לְהוּ!
The leftover blood? But he does the placements outside, on the outer altar!
The steps (3)
- StatementThe teaching: the base belongs to the outer altar
- ProofProof that the verse is not needed for its plain meaning
- ResolutionA suggestion: maybe the כהן switches the order