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Zevachim 89a

זבחים פ״ט ע״א

Learn Zevachim 89a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The order of offerings: the more frequent (תדיר) comes first, and the holier (מקודש) comes first

Overview

The amud has two משניות about which offering is brought first. The first משנה teaches that the more frequent offering (תדיר) comes first: the תמיד before the מוספין, the מוסף of שבת before ראש חודש, and ראש חודש before ראש השנה. Its source is the פסוק 'מלבד עולת הבקר'. The גמרא explains that this פסוק only proves the תמיד comes before the מוספין, so it asks for a source that one מוסף comes before another. רבי אילעא learns it from the extra letter כ in 'כאלה תעשו ליום'. Through a back-and-forth, the גמרא shows the words 'ליום' and 'תעשו' already teach the plain meaning, so the כ is free for this lesson. אביי instead learns it from the extra words 'אשר לעולת התמיד'. The second משנה teaches that the holier offering comes first. It then ranks all the offerings, from חטאת and עולה down to birds and מנחות, giving a reason for each step.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳ כׇּל הַתָּדִיר מֵחֲבֵירוֹ –

MISHNA: Any offering that is more frequent than another

קוֹדֵם אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ.

comes before the other.

הַתְּמִידִין קוֹדְמִין לְמוּסָפִין.

The daily offerings come before the additional offerings.

מוּסְפֵי שַׁבָּת קוֹדְמִין לְמוּסְפֵי רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ.

The additional offerings of Shabbat come before the additional offerings of the New Moon.

The steps (16)

  1. StatementThe משנה: the more frequent offering goes first
  2. QuestionThe גמרא asks for the source
  3. ChallengeSurprise: the משנה already gave a source
  4. ResolutionThe real question: one מוסף before another
  5. Responseרבי אילעא: 'Like these' teaches the same order
  6. ChallengeChallenge: the verse is needed for its own meaning
  7. ResolutionAnswer: the extra 'like' teaches the extra lesson
  8. ChallengeMaybe the extra כ is needed to show the offerings repeat every day
  9. ResolutionThe word 'daily' already shows they repeat each day
  10. ChallengeMaybe the כ is needed to show the other days have the same amount
  11. ResolutionThe word 'you shall offer' shows all days are equal
  12. Responseאביי learns the rule from the words 'which is for the daily offering'
  13. StatementNew משנה: the holier offering comes first
  14. StatementSin offering, guilt offering, thanks offering, and peace offering in order
  15. StatementPeace offering before firstborn, firstborn before animal tithe
  16. StatementAnimal tithe, birds, meal offerings, and bird sin offering versus bird burnt offering