Parallel
זבחים 53:2
Soncino English Talmud · Berean Standard Bible
The school of R. Ishmael taught in R. Simeon b. Yohai's ruling: In both cases the western base is meant; and your token is: Men pulled a man. MISHNAH. THE BURNT-OFFERING IS A SACRIFICE OF HIGHER SANCTITY. IT IS SLAUGHTERED IN THE NORTH, AND ITS BLOOD IS RECEIVED IN A SERVICE VESSEL IN THE NORTH; AND ITS BLOOD REQUIRES TWO APPLICATIONS, WHICH ARE FOUR. IT HAD TO BE FLAYED, DISMEMBERED, AND COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY THE FIRE. GEMARA. Why does he teach that the burnt-offering is a sacrifice of higher sanctity? — Because ‘it is most holy’ is not written in its case. AND ITS BLOOD REQUIRES TWO APPLICATIONS [WHICH ARE FOUR]. How did he do it? — Rab said: He applied [the blood] and applied [it] again. Samuel said: He made a single application in the shape of a Greek Gamma. This is a controversy of Tannaim: [And the priests . . . shall dash the blood round about the altar]: You might think that he sprinkles it with a single sprinkling; therefore Scripture states, ‘round about’. If ‘round about’, you might think that he must encompass it [with blood] like a thread; therefore Scripture states, ‘And they shall dash’. How then [is it done]? Its blood requires two applications in the shape of a Greek Gamma, which constitute four. R. Ishmael said: ‘Round about’ is said here, and ‘round about’ is said elsewhere: as there it means four separate applications, so here too it means four separate applications. If so, just as there [it means] four applications on the four horns, so here too it means four applications on the four horns? — You can answer: The burnt-offering needs the base, whereas the south-east horn had no base. What was the reason? — Said R. Eleazar: Because it was not in the portion of the ‘ravener’. For R. Samuel son of R. Isaac said: The altar occupied a cubit in Judah's portion. R. Levi b. Hama said in R. Hama son of R. Hanina's name: A strip issued from Judah's portion and entered Benjamin's portion, whereat the righteous Benjamin grieved every day, wishing to possess it, as it is said
—