The Eddie B. Sitt edition, an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, specifically Masechet Zevachim, has been dedicated by our good friend and student of the Shiur Daf Yomi, Binyamin HaCohen, affectionately known as Benny C. He has dedicated this masechte with the hope that, Bezrat Hashem, he will achieve Hatzlacha and harvacha. As a Cohen, we pray that when Mashiach comes, he will serve in the Beit HaMikdash alongside the other Kohanim who will perform the sacred avodah related to the korbanot. Today’s daf, Daf Yud Aleph, is being studied in memory of Avraham ben Esther, and may his soul be granted rest in Gan Eden, and for the complete recovery of Miki ben Jamie and Einat bat Mazal. We also seek health and success for the entire Chavura. May it be ken yehi ratzon and we say amen.
We begin today’s daf on Yud-Aleph Amud Bet, starting from tenan hatam. This reference will be found five lines from the bottom, at the last word of the line. We previously learned that Rabbi Eliezer stated that asham is treated similarly to chatat. Just as chatat is brought for kapara, and if it is done shelo lishma it is pasul, so too asham that is brought for kapara is pasul if slaughtered shelo lishma. This is the position of Rabbi Eliezer.
Later in tenan hatam, there is a Mishna which states that Rabbi Akiva said, “Any blood of a korban that enters the heichal to atone is pasul.” This indicates that if blood, which is meant to remain outside the heichal, inadvertently enters, it is rendered pasul. They derive this from a pasuk: “And any chatat that is brought from its blood into the Ohel Moed to atone in the sacred place shall not be eaten.” Therefore, if the blood of the chatat enters the heichal, it causes the korban to become pasul.
The sages, however, contend that this ruling applies only to chatat. The sages assert that only chatat is affected in this way, while Rabbi Eliezer argues that both chatat and asham are included, as the pasuk states “kachatat kasham” to indicate that they share this ruling. Thus, we have three opinions: the first asserts that all korbanot are pasul if their blood enters; the second states that only chatat is affected; and the third, represented by Rabbi Eliezer, includes asham as well.
Rabbi Eliezer provides the rationale that just as chatat is pasul if it enters, so too asham follows suit. However, the sages question this reasoning. They ask, “What is the rationale for the sages?” They do not accept the pasuk “kachatat kasham” as a basis for including asham because they maintain that only chatat requires this condition.
Rava responds that one cannot assert that asham is pasul if its blood enters the heichal. He argues that we can derive a kal vachomer from korban olah: since olah, which is fully burnt on the mizbeach, is still kasher if its blood enters the heichal, then asham, which is not entirely burnt, should certainly be kasher under the same circumstances.
The Gemara challenges this reasoning: “What about olah, which does not atone?” This indicates that olah has a leniency that asham may not share. The Gemara counters with the example of minchat choteh, a meal offering brought by a poor person who cannot afford a korban. This offering does provide kapara, yet if the mincha enters the heichal, it remains kasher.
Next, the Gemara introduces a question about chatat ha'of, a bird offering. Why not use this example instead of minchat choteh? The Gemara explains that chatat ha'of is a matter of uncertainty, hence the Gemara prefers to cite minchat choteh to avoid ambiguity.
Then, the Gemara poses a challenge: if minchat choteh is not a sacrificial item, perhaps asham is different and could be pasul if its blood enters. The Gemara responds by citing olah, which is a sacrificial item and still remains kasher if its blood enters.
The Gemara then clarifies that olah is not for kapara, and thus cannot be compared to asham. The Gemara concludes that the pasuk “damah” refers specifically to the blood of the chatat, excluding asham. This leads to the understanding that only the blood of the chatat renders the korban pasul, while the meat does not.
In further discussions, the Gemara examines various opinions regarding asham slaughtered shelo lishma and how it relates to mincha. The opinions of the sages indicate that asham can be kasher even if slaughtered with the wrong intention, as they liken it to the mincha and chatat.
Ultimately, the Gemara concludes that the debate between Rabbi Eliezer and the sages centers on the specific laws governing asham and mincha, with each opinion providing insights into the complexities of the sacrificial system.