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Zevachim 54a

זבחים נ״ד ע״א

Learn Zevachim 54a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The missing יסוד at the southeast corner of the מזבח: the dispute between רב and לוי over what 'no יסוד' means, and the proofs for each side

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining why בנימין merited having the שכינה dwell in his portion. It then challenges the idea that the southeast corner of the מזבח had no יסוד: the כהן did the מליקה of a bird עולה there, so was he working in empty air? רב נחמן בר יצחק answers that the airspace belonged to בנימין while the ground belonged to יהודה. Next the גמרא asks what 'no יסוד' means. רב says no base was built there, and לוי says a base stood there but no blood was put on it. Each view matches how its author translates the פסוק about בנימין. The גמרא then tests both views against sources about the יסוד's length, the 32 by 32 size of the מזבח, and the overhanging ramp, and each proof is pushed away. Finally it quotes לוי's ברייתא on how the מזבח is built as stacked squares, which seems to show a יסוד on every side. It begins a response with 'וכי תימא' that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

״חֹפֵף עָלָיו כׇּל הַיּוֹם״.

"He hovers over it all day."

לְפִיכָךְ זָכָה בִּנְיָמִין הַצַּדִּיק

Therefore Binyamin the righteous merited

וְנַעֲשָׂה אוּשְׁפִּיזְכָן לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא,

and became the host of the Holy One, Blessed be He,

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵן״.

as it is said: "And He dwells between his shoulders."

The steps (17)

  1. Statementבנימין became the host of the הקדוש ברוך הוא
  2. ChallengeA ברייתא on how the bird burnt offering was done
  3. ChallengeWas the כהן working in empty air?
  4. ResolutionAir to בנימין, ground to יהודה
  5. QuestionWhat does 'no יסוד' mean?
  6. Responseרב: no building; לוי: no blood
  7. StatementEach one's view matches his translation
  8. ProofA source that seems to show the base was missing on the south and east
  9. RejectionThe word 'took up' is about blood
  10. ProofA source that seems to show the base was 32 by 32
  11. RejectionThe 32 is measured only along the sides
  12. ProofThe ramp hung over the base
  13. RejectionRead it as 'facing where the base would be'
  14. Proofלוי's teaching on how the altar was built
  15. ProofThe middle layers of the altar get smaller as they go up
  16. ProofThe corners are built the same way on every corner
  17. RejectionOpening a possible answer for רב's side