Zevachim 6b

זבחים ו׳ ע״ב

Learn Zevachim 6b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Can a קרבן atone for a sin done after it was set aside? The מצורע's oil, the goats of שבועות, and the בית דין's silent condition

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the גמרא's reading of the ברייתא about סמיכה: a קרבן brought without סמיכה atoned for the person, but not fully before Heaven. The גמרא tries to support this from a משנה about the leftover oil of a מצורע, where רבי יוחנן בן נורי uses the same phrase, 'as though it did not atone.' The proof is pushed away, because there the phrase can mean that one oil placement was done and another was missed. Next the גמרא turns to the bigger question: can a קרבן atone for a sin done after it was set aside? It brings רבי שמעון's teaching that the second goat of שבועות atones for טומאה that happened between the two goats. One answer says the goats may have been set aside one after the other, but that reading of the פסוק seems forced. רב פפא answers differently: communal offerings are only finally designated at שחיטה, by the בית דין's silent condition. רב יוסף בריה דרב שמואל then asks whether רבי שמעון even holds this idea, and his source continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. ResolutionIt did not atone before Heaven
2. ProofThe משנה about the leftover oil of the מצורע
3. QuestionWhat does 'as though it did not atone' mean?
4. ChallengeIt can't mean he must bring another offering
5. ResponseIt atoned for the person, not before Heaven
6. ProofSo too with סמיכה
7. RejectionIn the oil case, it means two different placements
8. ProofA new proof from רבי שמעון about the offerings of שבועות
9. ChallengeThe lambs of שבועות are peace offerings
10. ResolutionFixing the wording: the question is about the goats
11. ResponseThe goats atone for טומאת מקדש וקדשיו
12. QuestionWhy is a second goat needed?
13. ResponseThe second goat atones for טומאה that happened in between
14. StatementBy this logic, offerings would be needed all the time, but the תורה spared us
15. ProofThe second goat seems to atone for a sin done after it was set aside
16. RejectionMaybe the goats were set aside one after the other
17. ChallengeIs the פסוק really only about goats set aside one after the other?
18. Rejectionרב פפא: communal offerings are different
19. Statementשמואל: the knife designates communal offerings
20. ChallengeDoes רבי שמעון even accept a silent stipulation by the court?