The Eddie and B-Sit edition of the Talmud Bavli has dedicated the Masechet Zevachim to our good friend and student of the Shiur Daf Yomi, Binyamin HaKohen, affectionately known as Benny C. May he find success and prosperity, and as a Kohen, may he serve in the Beit HaMikdash alongside the other Kohanim when the Moshiach comes. This Masechet particularly addresses the Avodah of the Kohanim in the Beit HaMikdash concerning the Korbanot. Today’s study focuses on Daf Tzadi Zayin and is dedicated to the memory of Avraham ben Esther. May his soul be at peace in Gan Eden, and may Miki bat Jamie have a complete healing, as well as Binyamin Mordechai ben Esther find success.
We begin our study on Vav Amud Bet at the bottom of the Mishnah: Rabbi Tarfon states, “In the case of cooking, one may cook with it throughout the holiday, while the sages say until the time of eating.” The halacha explained here by Rabbi Tarfon pertains to the laws of merika u'shtifa. If one cooks a Chatat in a Keli, before the duration of the eating time expires, one must perform Hag'ala on the Keli due to the bli'ah that has taken place within it from the Korban. Since a Chatat is consumed for a single day, the merika u'shtifa must be done right after that. However, on the holiday, one has the entire duration of the festival. The Mishnah implies that if one uses the Keli on the first day of the holiday, merika u'shtifa does not need to be performed until after the holiday concludes. This raises the question: why is the holiday treated differently?
The Mishnah continues: Rabbi Tarfon asserts that one may cook with it throughout the holiday, while the sages argue that one should only do so until the time of eating. The sages maintain the regular law, which leads us to the next halacha: merika u'shtifa is akin to rinsing a cup before making Birkat HaMazon. The halacha states that one must clean it from the inside and rinse it from the outside. Thus, merika u'shtifa requires both internal and external rinsing.
The Gemara explains that the Mishnah indicates that merika u'shtifa should be performed with cold water. This is significant since it is understood that hot water is necessary for Hag'ala. The Mishnah specifies that merika u'shtifa occurs after Hag'ala, requiring a cold rinse both inside and outside the Keli. The Gemara continues discussing the methods for purging utensils used for cooking, noting that a spit or grill can be purified through Hag'ala, even though they are used for roasting.
Next, the Gemara seeks to understand Rabbi Tarfon’s reasoning. It quotes, “You shall rise in the morning and go home,” indicating that the entire holiday is considered as one day. If the Torah refers to the holiday as one day, it suggests that the various prohibitions that apply to the holiday must also be considered as one continuous period. However, the Gemara challenges this notion by asking whether there are no laws of pigul or notar on the holiday. The Gemara acknowledges that these laws do exist during the holiday, thus questioning the validity of the earlier interpretation.
Rabbi Acha from the house of Bar Ami challenges this understanding, stating that if the holiday is treated as a single day, it would imply that there are no laws of pigul or notar. The Gemara clarifies that Rabbi Tarfon only referred to merika u'shtifa and not to the other prohibitions. The Gemara concludes that the holiday is not simply one day; rather, it is treated with unique leniencies due to the abundance of Korbanot that are offered during this time.
As the Gemara continues, it emphasizes that each day of the holiday serves as a purging opportunity for the previous day’s Korbanot. The Gemara explains that since many Korbanot are brought, the new offerings effectively purge the previous ones, allowing for the continued use of the same Keli throughout the holiday. The sages, however, maintain that one should wait until the time of eating expires before performing merika u'shtifa, adhering to the standard law that applies to Korbanot.
The Gemara then addresses the case of cooking sacred and non-sacred items together in a Keli. If the sacred items impart flavor into the non-sacred items, the latter must be treated with the same stringencies that apply to the sacred items. This means that if the flavor of a Chatat is absorbed into a shelamim, the shelamim must be treated as a Chatat with all its associated laws, including restrictions on who may consume it.
The Gemara elaborates that if the non-sacred items do not absorb flavor from the sacred items, they do not need to undergo the same stringent measures. If there is no flavor imparted, the less stringent items do not require merika u'shtifa and are not rendered impure by contact with other foods. The Gemara concludes that when two items touch each other, only the area of contact needs to be addressed, unlike in cases of cooking, where the flavor spreads throughout the entire pot.
In summary, the Gemara articulates the complexities of the laws surrounding Korbanot and the interactions between sacred and non-sacred items. The distinctions made by the sages and Rabbi Tarfon are crucial for understanding how to navigate the various laws of merika u'shtifa and the implications of cooking sacred items with non-sacred ones. Each ruling emphasizes the importance of maintaining the sanctity of Korbanot while also recognizing the practicalities of their consumption and preparation.