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Zevachim 61b

זבחים ס״א ע״ב

Learn Zevachim 61b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Eating קדשים while the משכן travels, the stone or copper מזבח of שילה and the heavenly fire, and why the מזבח was enlarged in the second בית המקדש

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a ברייתא: sacrificial food may still be eaten after the לויים take apart the משכן, as long as the מזבח has not been moved. The פסוק 'ונסע אהל מועד' shows that the אהל מועד keeps its status even while traveling, so the food is not פסול as יוצא. Next, רב הונא says in the name of רב that the מזבח in שילה was made of stones, and a ברייתא of רבי אליעזר בן יעקב supports him. רב אחא בר אמי objects from a ברייתא that says the heavenly fire stayed on the copper מזבח until שלמה. The גמרא gives two answers. One follows רבי נתן: the מזבח of שילה was copper, filled with stones. The other says the fire never fully left, and it either sent sparks or moved like a guest between the two מזבחות. Then the גמרא asks why the returning exiles made the מזבח bigger. רב יוסף says they needed more room because the second בית המקדש had no fire from heaven. בר קפרא says they extended it over the שיתין, because the poured liquids must go on top of the מזבח, and he explains 'מזבח אדמה' as a מזבח attached to the ground.

Opening lines

וּלְאַחַר שֶׁיְּפָרְקוּ הַלְוִיִּם

And after the Levites take apart

אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן.

the Tabernacle.

מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא:

You might have said:

אִיפְּסִיל לְהוּ בְּיוֹצֵא;

they became disqualified as having gone out;

The steps (20)

  1. StatementFood is still allowed after the Tabernacle is taken down
  2. StatementWhy the ברייתא needed to say this
  3. ChallengeChallenge: maybe the food really is disqualified
  4. ResolutionThe verse shows the Tent keeps its status while traveling
  5. StatementThe altar in Shiloh was made of stone
  6. ProofThree times 'stones' means three stone altars
  7. ChallengeThe fire stayed on the copper altar until Shlomo
  8. Resolutionרב הונא follows Rabbi Natan: a copper altar filled with stones
  9. ResolutionThe fire never left in a way that it was gone for good
  10. QuestionWhat does 'not completely gone' mean?
  11. ResponseSparks or a visiting guest
  12. StatementThe returning exiles made the altar bigger
  13. QuestionWhy did they make it bigger?
  14. ResponseThe old size was not enough
  15. Challengeאביי challenges: fewer people, yet the מזבח was too small?
  16. Resolutionרב יוסף answers: the first Temple had fire from heaven
  17. ResponseRavin's report: they enlarged it to cover the שיתין
  18. StatementWhy they changed: from solid earth to 'drinking is like eating'
  19. QuestionSo what does 'altar of earth' mean now?
  20. ResponseNew meaning: the מזבח must be attached to the ground