Zevachim 52b

זבחים נ״ב ע״ב

Learn Zevachim 52b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Whether the leftover blood (שירים) is essential to an offering, and the start of the משנה on communal and individual חטאות

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a challenge about squeezing out bird-offering blood (מיצוי), and the גמרא answers that two תנאים reported רבי ישמעאל's view differently. רמי בר חמא then says that a certain תנא holds the leftover blood (שירים) is essential. He quotes a ברייתא that uses the word ״אוֹתָהּ״ to teach that a חטאת whose blood belongs above the red line is invalid if the blood was placed below. The ברייתא tries several logical proofs for this rule, rejects each one, and falls back on the פסוק. רמי בר חמא argues that the ברייתא's phrase 'the inner מזבח does not complete them' refers to the leftovers. רבא answers that if that were so, a simple קל וחומר would have proven the rule without a פסוק, so the phrase must mean the sprinklings on the פרוכת. Next comes a ברייתא in which רבי עקיבא and רבי יהודה read ״וְכִלָּה מִכַּפֵּר״ in opposite ways. רבי יוחנן and רבי יהושע בן לוי disagree about whether their dispute is only about how to read the פסוק or about whether שירים are essential. The attempt to prove which אמורא holds which view is rejected. Finally, a new משנה begins the laws of the communal and individual חטאות.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. ChallengeEnd of the challenge: if no blood remains, there is nothing to squeeze out
2. ResolutionTwo תנאים disagree about רבי ישמעאל's view
3. Statementרמי בר חמא: this תנא holds the leftover blood is essential
4. QuestionWhy would we think blood placed below still works?
5. ProofA logical argument: blood for above should not work below
6. RejectionThe logic from lower blood is rejected
7. ProofThe inner blood is brought as a new proof
8. RejectionThe inner blood proof is rejected
9. ConclusionThe word ״אוֹתָהּ״ settles it
10. ProofProof that the inner leftover blood is essential
11. ChallengeIf so, the ברייתא could have used a קל וחומר
12. RejectionThe phrase really refers to the פרוכת
13. Statementרבי עקיבא reads the verse: if he atoned, he finished
14. Challengeרבי יהודה flips the reading: if he finished, he atoned
15. QuestionWhat is the practical difference between them?
16. ResponseTwo answers: only how to read the verse, or whether the leftovers are essential
17. ProofProof that רבי יהושע בן לוי holds the leftovers view
18. RejectionBut רבי יוחנן also speaks about this view
19. RejectionBoth אמוראים Were Speaking Generally, So the Proof Fails
20. StatementThe New משנה: Communal Sin Offerings and Their Blood