Zevachim 91a

זבחים צ״א ע״א

Learn Zevachim 91a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Zevachim 91a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

When a more frequent (תדיר) item and a holier (מקודש) item clash, which comes first? The גמרא tries five proofs that תדיר wins, and rejects each one.

Overview

This amud deals with which קרבן or מצוה comes first. First the גמרא tries to prove that a frequent item (תדיר) beats a holier one (מקודש), using the order of offerings, the blessings of קידוש, and davening מנחה before מוסף. Each proof is rejected the same way: the holiness of the day spreads to the frequent item too, so the two are really equal. A proof the other way, from שלמים and חטאת, is rejected by רבא: שלמים are only common (מצוי), not truly frequent (תדיר). Next the גמרא asks what happens if the less frequent offering was slaughtered first. Every proof is pushed off, because each one turns out to be a case where both things were ready together. The גמרא then explains why כהנים may eat קדשים prepared any way they like, 'like kings.' Finally a new משנה opens: רבי שמעון explains where oil handed out in the עזרה or burned on the מזבח comes from, and רבי טרפון holds that oil may be donated.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. ProofDaily offerings go first even though the additional offerings seem holier
2. Rejectionשבת makes the daily offerings holy too
3. ProofThe מוספין of שבת come before those of ראש חודש
4. Rejectionראש חודש makes the שבת offerings holy too
5. Proofראש חודש offerings come before ראש השנה offerings
6. Rejectionראש השנה makes the ראש חודש offerings holy too
7. ProofThe wine blessing comes before the blessing of the day in קידוש
8. Rejectionשבת makes the wine blessing holy too
9. ProofProof from praying מנחה before מוסף
10. Rejectionשבת makes מנחה holy too
11. ProofProof from חטאת and אשם coming before שלמים
12. Rejectionרבא: common is not the same as frequent
13. Challengeרב הונא בר יהודה: a ברייתא calls a common מצוה frequent
14. ResolutionFrequent here means rich in מצוות
15. ResolutionCompared to פסח, מילה is like frequent
16. QuestionWhat if the less-frequent offering was slaughtered first?
17. ProofProof from yesterday's שלמים and today's חטאת
18. RejectionMaybe the משנה is about both offerings already slaughtered
19. ProofProof from the order of blessings in קידוש
20. RejectionIn קידוש, both obligations are present together
21. ProofProof from davening מנחה before מוסף
22. RejectionOnce it is time for מנחה, both prayers are due together
23. ProofProof from the קרבן פסח slaughtered before the afternoon תמיד
24. RejectionThe תמיד was already slaughtered first
25. ProofThe wording of the משנה supports this reading
26. QuestionWhy may כהנים prepare the offerings any way they like?
27. Response'למשחה': eating like kings
28. Statementרבי שמעון: the only oil shared out in the courtyard
29. StatementOil burned on the altar comes only from priests' meal offerings
30. Statementרבי טרפון says oil may be donated