Gemara Clarity

Zevachim 88b

זבחים פ״ח ע״ב

Learn Zevachim 88b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Zevachim 88b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Washing and design of the בגדי כהונה, and how each garment atones for a specific sin

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא about washing the בגדי כהונה. Very dirty garments may not be washed at all, and a second view says they are never washed, because אין עניות במקום עשירות. Next, a ברייתא describes the כהן גדול's מעיל: it was all תכלת, with woven pomegranates and golden bells on its hem. One view counts 72 bells and the other counts 36, and רבי עינייני בר ששון points out that the same 36-versus-72 dispute appears about the shades of נגעים. He also teaches that the בגדי כהונה bring atonement just as קרבנות do. He then matches each of the eight garments to a specific sin. The גמרא challenges this from רבי יהושע בן לוי, who says bloodshed is atoned for by the עגלה ערופה and לשון הרע by the קטרת. The גמרא answers by splitting the cases. The כתונת atones for a known killer who acted on purpose without a warning, and the עגלה ערופה atones when the killer is unknown. The קטרת atones for private לשון הרע, and the מעיל atones for public לשון הרע. The amud ends with the הדרן closing פרק המזבח מקדש.

Opening lines

הוּגְּעוּ לְנֶתֶר וְאָהָל –

If they reached the point of needing natron and soap,

אַף בְּמַיִם אֵין מְכַבְּסִים.

one may not launder them, even with water.

וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים:

And some say:

אֵין מְכַבְּסִין אוֹתָן כׇּל עִיקָּר,

One may not launder them at all,

The steps (29)

  1. StatementVery dirty garments may not be washed
  2. StatementA stricter view: never wash them
  3. StatementThe robe was entirely sky-blue
  4. QuestionHow was the hem made?
  5. ResponseWoven pomegranates on the hem
  6. StatementSeventy-two bells on the hem
  7. StatementAnother view: only thirty-six bells
  8. StatementThe same numbers appear in a dispute about נגעים
  9. ProofThe משנה about the shades of נגעים
  10. StatementWhy offerings sit next to priestly garments in the Torah
  11. StatementThe tunic atones for bloodshed
  12. StatementThe trousers atone for forbidden relations
  13. QuestionThe turban atones for arrogance, and the גמרא asks for the source
  14. ResponseSomething high atones for being high
  15. StatementThe belt atones for sinful thoughts of the heart
  16. StatementThe breastplate atones for wrong judgments
  17. StatementThe ephod atones for idol worship
  18. QuestionThe robe atones for evil speech, and the גמרא asks for the source
  19. ResponseSomething that makes sound atones for evil sound
  20. StatementThe frontplate atones for brazenness
  21. ChallengeIs that so? רבי יהושע בן לוי says these two sins are atoned for in a different way
  22. ProofThe other atonements: עגלה ערופה for bloodshed and קטרת for evil speech
  23. Proofדבי רבי ישמעאל: the private incense atones for private evil speech
  24. ChallengeThe double contradiction: evil speech against evil speech, bloodshed against bloodshed
  25. ResolutionKnown killer versus unknown killer
  26. ChallengeA known killer should be executed
  27. ResolutionHe killed on purpose but was not warned
  28. ResolutionPrivate gossip versus public gossip
  29. ConclusionHadran — Closing פרק המזבח מקדש