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Zevachim 58a

זבחים נ״ח ע״א

Learn Zevachim 58a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Slaughtering קדשי קדשים on top of the מזבח: the views of רבי יוסי and רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה, and a משנה that supports רבי יוחנן

Overview

The משנה asks about קדשי קדשים that were slaughtered on top of the מזבח. רבי יוסי says this counts as the צפון. רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה says the northern half counts as צפון and the southern half counts as דרום. רבי יוחנן explains that for רבי יוסי the whole מזבח stands in the צפון. רבי זירא challenges this approach, and רב אסי answers that both תנאים learn their views from one פסוק, "וזבחת עליו את עולתיך ואת שלמיך". They argue over whether the whole מזבח, or only half of it, serves each kind of קרבן. The גמרא then works out what 'on the ground opposite them' means in רבי יוחנן's statement, and concludes that it is the spot where a shrunken מזבח used to stand. Finally, רבי זירא finds a משנה in תמיד about the second wood-pile that hints at רבי יוחנן's teaching. The גמרא begins to show that this משנה follows רבי יוסי, and the ברייתא it starts to quote continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳ קׇדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים

MISHNA: Offerings of the most sacred order

שֶׁשְּׁחָטָן בְּרֹאשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ –

that one slaughtered on top of the altar —

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: כְּאִילּוּ נִשְׁחֲטוּ בַּצָּפוֹן.

Rabbi Yosei says: it is as though they were slaughtered in the north.

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says:

The steps (17)

  1. StatementSlaughtering the holiest offerings on top of the altar
  2. Statementרבי יוסי holds the whole altar stands in the north
  3. QuestionWhy did רבי יוסי say 'as though'?
  4. ResponseThe word 'as though' answers the requirement of 'on the side'
  5. Challengeרבי זירא: then does the other opinion hold the altar is half north, half south?
  6. ChallengeBut רב אסי himself said the ground opposite is disqualified
  7. ResolutionBoth views come from one verse
  8. ProofWhy רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה says half and half
  9. ResolutionHow רבי יוסי explains the mention of שלמים
  10. StatementReturning to רב אסי's report from רבי יוחנן
  11. ChallengeWhat ground could be opposite the altar?
  12. ChallengeTunnels under the altar would not work either
  13. ResolutionThe case is an altar that was made smaller
  14. Questionרבי זירא: why don't we learn this in a משנה?
  15. Proofרבי זירא finds a משנה about the second wood-pile
  16. QuestionHow does this משנה hint at רבי יוחנן?
  17. ResponseThe משנה follows רבי יוסי