Zevachim 66b

זבחים ס״ו ע״ב

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

Open Zevachim 66b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which service was changed in each disqualified bird-offering case (מליקה, הזאה or מיצוי), and the new משנה on טומאה and מעילה for these birds.

Overview

The משנה listed bird offerings that become פסול when one kind is done the way of another. The גמרא asks what exactly was changed in each case: the מליקה (pinching) or the blood service. For a חטאת העוף done like an עולה, it first tries the pinching, then suggests the sprinkling and tries to prove it from the סיפא, but that proof is pushed away. For an עולת העוף done like a חטאת, pinching would clash with רבי יהושע, so the change must be in the מיצוי (squeezing out the blood). In the last clause, where רבי אליעזר and רבי יהושע argue, it must be pinching. So the גמרא accepts that the first and last clauses are about pinching while the middle clause is about squeezing. Then a new משנה teaches that all these birds are not טמא in the throat and have מעילה, except a חטאת העוף done properly. It records the מחלוקת between רבי אליעזר and רבי יהושע about an עולת העוף done fully as a חטאת, including רבי אליעזר's קל וחומר and רבי יהושע's rejection of it.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. QuestionWhat did the כהן change?
2. ChallengeIf it was the pinching, the משנה would contradict רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון
3. ResolutionSo what? We already said the earlier משנה does not follow him
4. ResolutionAnother answer: the change was in the sprinkling
5. ProofProof from the סיפא: above the line it can only mean the sprinkling
6. ConclusionThe רישא is about sprinkling too
7. RejectionThe two halves of the משנה can be about different things
8. QuestionWhat change disqualifies the bird עולה?
9. ChallengeIf the change was in the pinching, the next משנה would not match רבי יהושע
10. ResponseThe change must be in the squeezing of the blood
11. QuestionLooking at the last clause: which service was changed?
12. ChallengeThe last clause cannot be about squeezing
13. ChallengeCan the middle clause be different from both ends?
14. ResolutionYes, the משנה really is split that way
15. StatementThe general rule for all the bird offerings, with one exception
16. StatementThe argument about a burnt offering done like a sin offering
17. Proofרבי אליעזר's קל וחומר
18. Rejectionרבי יהושע rejects the קל וחומר