Zevachim 66a

זבחים ס״ו ע״א

Learn Zevachim 66a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Bird offerings: 'לא יבדיל' for a bird חטאת, squeezing blood of a bird עולה, and the new משנה on how place, method and intention affect bird חטאת and עולה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the גמרא's reading of 'לא יבדיל', said about a bird חטאת. The words mean the כהן does not have to separate the head, not that he is forbidden to. רב אחא בריה דרבא challenges this from the open pit, where 'ולא יכסנו' surely cannot mean covering is optional. The גמרא answers that the pit verse is followed by 'the owner of the pit shall pay', and that 'והקריבו' had already set the bird חטאת apart from the bird עולה. Next, a ברייתא teaches that a bird עולה is valid if the body's blood was squeezed out, but not if only the head's blood was. רבינא explains that this makes sense because most of the blood is in the body. Then פרק קדשי קדשים ends with הדרן. A new משנה lists when a bird חטאת and a bird עולה are valid or invalid, based on place (below or above the red line), method, and intention.

Opening lines

The steps (13)

1. StatementNot separating is allowed, not required
2. ChallengeChallenge from the uncovered pit
3. ResolutionThe pit verse and the bird verse are different
4. ConclusionWhy 'לא יבדיל' is needed: no duty to separate
5. ProofSqueezing only the body's blood is valid
6. StatementSqueezing only the head's blood is not enough
7. QuestionWhat is the source for the head-versus-body rule?
8. ResponseMost of the blood is in the body
9. Conclusionהדרן — Closing פרק קדשי קדשים
10. StatementA bird חטאת done the right way is valid
11. StatementWhen a bird חטאת becomes invalid
12. StatementA bird burnt offering done above the line in the burnt offering way is valid
13. StatementA bird burnt offering done in the sin offering way or below the line is invalid