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Zevachim 65a

זבחים ס״ה ע״א

Learn Zevachim 65a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Mixed intentions in bird offerings, and how the bird עולה is offered: מליקה, draining the blood, and removing the crop

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה about bird offerings and then begins the גמרא on it. The משנה first explains that a bird חטאת with a שלא לשמה intention mixed in can never become פיגול. It then rules that mixing a wrong-place intention with a wrong-time intention makes the offering פסול without כרת. רבי יהודה says the first intention decides, and the חכמים say order does not matter. Half a כזית for eating and half for burning do not combine, so the offering stays כשר. The גמרא then reads the פסוקים of the bird עולה word by word: one bird is enough, a כהן must do the מליקה with his own body, the head is pinched from the back of the neck and fully separated, and the blood is drained on the upper wall from the סובב. רבי נחמיה and רבי אליעזר בן יעקב hold that the whole service must be at the top of the מזבח, and אביי and רבא explain the practical difference between the views. Finally, ברייתות explain how the crop is removed together with its feathers.

Opening lines

חַטַּאת הָעוֹף (שֶׁמְּלָקוֹ) [שֶׁמְּלָקָהּ] שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ,

A bird sin offering that he pinched not for its sake,

וּמִיצָּה הַדָּם חוּץ לִזְמַנּוֹ;

and squeezed out the blood with intent for beyond its time;

אוֹ שֶׁמָּלַק חוּץ לִזְמַנּוֹ,

or where he pinched with intent for beyond its time,

וּמִיצָּה דָּמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ;

and squeezed out its blood not for its sake;

The steps (37)

  1. StatementWhen the permitting act of a bird sin offering was not done properly
  2. StatementMixing an intention about place with an intention about time
  3. Statementרבי יהודה: the first intention decides
  4. StatementThe חכמים: both orders are only disqualified
  5. StatementEating and burning do not add up
  6. QuestionWhy does the verse say 'and he shall bring it'?
  7. ResponseEven a single bird may be donated
  8. QuestionWhy does the verse say 'the priest'?
  9. ChallengeA קל וחומר says a bird should not need a כהן
  10. ResolutionThe פסוק overrides the logic: a כהן is required
  11. ChallengeA קל וחומר suggests מליקה needs a knife
  12. ResolutionThe verse says 'כהן... ומלק'
  13. Questionרבי עקיבא asks why the verse needs to say 'כהן'
  14. ResponseThe pinching is done with the כהן's own body
  15. ChallengeMaybe the pinching can be done high or low on the altar
  16. ResolutionPinching is on top of the altar, like the burning
  17. StatementPinching is from the back of the neck
  18. QuestionMaybe it is from the front of the neck
  19. ResponseLearning from the bird חטאת
  20. ChallengeThen maybe the head is not separated either
  21. ResolutionThe head is fully separated, like the burning
  22. QuestionWhere do we learn that the head and body are burned separately?
  23. ResponseTwo mentions of burning, one for the body and one for the head
  24. StatementAll the blood, and only on the wall of the altar
  25. StatementWhich wall of the altar? The upper wall
  26. ChallengeLogic suggests the lower wall instead
  27. ResolutionThe order of the verse puts the draining at the top of the altar
  28. StatementHow the כהן actually did it
  29. StatementEven if done a bit lower, it is still valid
  30. StatementThe whole bird offering is done only at the top of the altar
  31. QuestionWhat is the difference between the two views?
  32. ResponseThe difference is setting up a wood-pile on the ledge
  33. StatementThe crop is removed: the verse about the body of the bird
  34. QuestionMight he just cut out the crop with a knife?
  35. ResponseThe crop is removed together with its feathers
  36. StatementThe gizzard is removed too
  37. StatementCutting a Window Around the Crop