The Eddie D. Sit edition, an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, Masechet Zevachim, has been dedicated by our good friend and student of the shiur Daf Yomi, Binyamin HaKohen, known as Benny C. He has dedicated this Masechet, and with the help of God, may he find success and prosperity. Being a Kohen, may he serve in the Beit HaMikdash alongside other Kohanim when the Mashiach arrives, in the merit of this Masechet, which specifically discusses the avoda of the Kohanim in the Beit HaMikdash regarding the korbanot.
Today's daf is Daf Tet Vav. We have studied the daf in memory of Avraham ben Esther, may his soul be at peace in the Garden of Eden, and for the complete healing of Mickey ben Jamie, and for the success of Binyamin ben Esther, that he may succeed in all his endeavors. We are currently in the Gemara, on Yud Dalet Amud Bet, and we should be at the phrase, “v'harei.” This will lead us to the discussion of “v'harei holachat evarim,” which we will find towards the middle of the page, next to the Tosfot Ha-gehah.
The Gemara now poses a question based on a teaching from the Mishna. According to Rabbi Shimon, he holds that the holachat hadam, the carrying of the blood to the Mizbe'ach, is not considered an avoda. Therefore, if a person had, for example, machshavat pigul during the holacha, it does not invalidate the korban. The reason Rabbi Shimon provides for this ruling is that it is efshar levatela, meaning it can be done without it. If the korban was slaughtered next to the Mizbe'ach, then the holacha is not necessary at all. Thus, since it is efshar levatela, machshavat pigul will not affect it.
The Gemara continues: “v'harei holachat evarim lakivash.” Let’s consider the act of bringing the bones of a korban olah to the ramp of the Mizbe'ach. This is an avoda that can be done without, as one could skin the animal right next to the Mizbe'ach, and therefore there would be no necessity to bring the animal close to the Mizbe'ach at all. Yet, it is still stated that a zar, a non-Kohen, is not allowed to perform this service. This is based on the verse: “v'hikriv hakohen et hakol v'hiktir hamizbeichah.” It is clearly stated that this particular holachat evarim must be performed by a Kohen.
This leads us to the conclusion that even an avoda that is not necessary still requires a Kohen to perform it. This raises a question regarding Rabbi Shimon's position. If he implies that the holacha is not considered an avoda, it would seem that it could be performed by a zar. However, the Gemara establishes that it is not so. The Gemara states: “hecha d'gallei gallei, v'hecha d'lo gallei lo gallei.” This means where there is a clear scriptural decree that requires a Kohen, as in the case of the korban olah, it is evident and therefore necessary.
However, in another case, such as the holachat hadam, it does not explicitly state that the blood must be brought specifically by a Kohen. It is possible that it could be acceptable if performed by a zar. Therefore, according to Rabbi Shimon, we might conclude that an avoda that is efshar levatela is not considered an avoda, and thus a zar could potentially perform it. If there is a place where a Kohen is required, we will refer to it as a gezerat hakatuv.
The Gemara then poses a rhetorical question: “v'lo kol she-ken hu?” This is to say, if the holachat evarim, which does not bring kaparah to the person, still requires kehuna, then certainly the holachat dam, which does bring kaparah, should require a Kohen as well. The Gemara continues to explore this distinction, stating that “holachat evarim” does not invalidate kaparah, yet it still requires a Kohen.
As we delve deeper, the Gemara introduces a new discussion regarding the holacha that is not done with a step, questioning whether it is still considered a holacha or not. This brings us to the question of whether a zar can perform it. If it is indeed considered a holacha, then a zar cannot perform it. But if it is not considered a holacha, perhaps it is only the act of reaching out that is needed, and thus it could be performed by a zar.
The Gemara brings forth a braita that states: “vechen yoshev vechen semol pasul.” A Kohen who is sitting during the avoda is invalid. The Gemara explains that a Kohen standing and putting the blood on the Mizbe'ach is considered valid, while sitting is not. This implies that standing next to the Mizbe'ach is considered a legitimate holacha. However, if one is sitting, it is invalid.
The Gemara further explores this concept, questioning whether the act of sitting might mean the Kohen is dragging himself towards the Mizbe'ach. Thus, it raises the possibility that movement is required for it to be considered a holacha. The Gemara concludes that there is no proof that a stationary position in this context is considered a holacha.
Next, the Gemara examines a scenario where a Yisrael slaughters a korban and the Kohen receives the blood. If the blood is passed from one Kohen to another, it raises the question of whether this is considered a holacha. The Gemara concludes that this does not require movement, as long as the blood is passed along the line of Kohanim. This indicates that a stationary holacha is still considered valid.
As the discussion continues, the Gemara addresses a case where a Kohen receives the blood and gives it to a pasul, and the halacha states that it should be returned to a valid Kohen. This demonstrates that even if there was a pasul in the process, it does not invalidate the entire halacha. The Gemara clarifies that the holacha performed by a pasul does not count as a valid holacha, thus allowing for a correction.
The Gemara then presents a question regarding whether a holacha that is not performed with a step is still considered valid. The Gemara concludes that without movement, it cannot be considered a holacha. This leads to a discussion of the differences between a Kohen performing a holacha and a zar performing it.
As the Gemara reaches its conclusion, it presents the final arguments regarding the necessity of a Kohen for a valid holacha. The distinctions made throughout the discussion highlight the intricacies of the avoda and the requirements for each role. In the end, the Gemara emphasizes that regardless of the nuances of holacha, the role of the Kohen remains central to the performance of these sacred duties.
The Gemara concludes with the statement: “Hadran alach Kol Hazevachim,” indicating that we have returned to the beginning of our study of Masechet Zevachim.