Zevachim 5b

זבחים ה׳ ע״ב

Learn Zevachim 5b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Why an אשם slaughtered שלא לשמו is כשר but not מרצה, and whether offerings brought after death atone for the heirs

Overview

The גמרא looks for a source that an אשם slaughtered שלא לשמו is still כשר but does not count for its owner. Proofs from תודה, and then a הצד השוה built from תודה, עולה and שלמים, are both knocked down. רבא finally brings a הקש from the פסוק 'זאת התורה', which places אשם next to שלמים. The word 'אותה' keeps the strict חטאת law from spreading to other offerings. Next, רב הונא, רב נחמן and רב ששת discuss ריש לקיש's difficulty. They explain that the word 'הוא' makes only a חטאת פסול שלא לשמה. For אשם, the same word teaches that it stays an אשם until it is ניתק לרעיה. A second group asks whether offerings brought after the owner's death could atone for the heirs. That question leads to a back-and-forth, which continues on the next amud, about whether the heirs own an inherited offering.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. RejectionRejecting the proof from a thanks offering
2. ResolutionBurnt and peace offerings show bread is not the reason
3. ProofCombined proof from what the offerings share
4. RejectionThe shared feature is not enough
5. Conclusionרבא's source: the verse links guilt offering to peace offerings
6. ChallengeWhy compare אשם to שלמים and not to חטאת?
7. ResolutionThe word 'אותה' keeps the חטאת law for חטאת alone
8. Resolutionרב הונא and רב נחמן suggest a reply to ריש לקיש: אשם also comes after death
9. Rejectionרב ששת: only the leftover of an אשם is offered, just like a חטאת
10. ResolutionA חטאת is singled out by the word 'הוא'
11. ChallengeBut the אשם also has the word 'הוא'
12. ResolutionThe אשם's 'הוא' is about burning the fats, which is not essential
13. QuestionWhat is the word 'It' for, then?
14. ResponseThe word teaches רב הונא's law about an אשם sent to graze
15. QuestionOnly once it was sent to graze; why?
16. Response'It' means it stays as it is
17. ChallengeWhy didn't ריש לקיש say offerings after death should atone for the heirs?
18. ResolutionThe heirs have nothing to atone for
19. Challengeרב אסי: the offering can atone for other sins too, so it can atone for the heirs
20. ChallengeDo the heirs own the offering? A ruling about a meal offering says no
21. ChallengeDo the heirs really not own it? A ruling about swapping an animal says they do