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זבחים 58
Soncino English Talmud · Berean Standard Bible
MISHNAH. IF SACRIFICES OF HIGHER SANCTITY ARE SLAUGHTERED ON THE TOP OF THE ALTAR, R. JOSE SAID: [THEY ARE] AS THOUGH THEY WERE SLAUGHTERED IN THE NORTH; R. JOSE SON OF R. JUDAH SAID: FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ALTAR SOUTHWARD IS AS SOUTH, FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ALTAR NORTHWARD IS AS THE NORTH. GEMARA. R. Assi said in R. Johanan's name: R. Jose maintained that the whole of the altar stood in the north. What then does AS THOUGH [etc.] mean? You might think that we require [them to be slaughtered] on the side [of the altar]. which they were not. Hence he informs us [that it is not so]. Said R. Zera to R. Assi: If so, will you indeed say that R. Jose son of R. Judah holds that [the altar] is half in the north and half in the south? And should you answer, That indeed is so; surely it was you who said in R. Johanan's name: R. Jose son of R. Judah admits that if he slaughtered them in a corresponding position on the ground, they are unfit? — Said he to him, This is what R. Johanan said: Both of them inferred [their views] from the same text: And thou shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings: R. Jose holds: The whole of it [the altar] is fit for [the slaughtering of] the burnt-offering, and the whole of it is fit for peace-offerings. While R. Jose son of R. Judah holds: Divide it: half of it is for a burnt-offering, and half for a peace-offering. For if you think that the whole of it is fit for a burnt-offering, then seeing that the whole of it is fit for a burnt-offering, need it be said that the whole of it is fit for a peace-offering. And the other? — It is necessary: You might think that only a burnt-offering [is fit if slaughtered on the top of the altar]. since its room is cramped. But as for peace-offerings, whose room is not cramped, I would say that it is not so. Hence [the text] informs us [otherwise]. The [above] text [stated]: ‘R. Assi said in R. Johanan's name: R. Jose son of R. Judah admits that if he slaughtered them in a corresponding position on the ground, they are unfit.’ R. Aha of Difti asked Rabina: What does ‘in a corresponding position on the ground’ mean? Shall we say, on the cubit of the base or the cubit of the terrace: surely that is the altar itself? Moreover, what does ‘on the ground’ mean? And if you say that he made a cavity in the ground and slaughtered therein: would that be a [proper altar]? Surely it was taught: An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me: [this teaches] that it must be joined to the earth, that it must not be built over cavities or on rocks? — It means that he shortened it R. Zera said: Is it possible that this statement of R. Johanan is correct, and yet we have not learnt it in the Mishnah? So he went out, searched, and found it. For we learnt: They selected from there sound fig-tree wood to arrange the second pile for incense by the south-west horn at a distance of four cubits from it northward; [sufficient wood was taken to make] about five se'ahs of coals, and on the Sabbath, about eight se'ahs, because they placed there the two censers of frankincense for the shew-bread. And what is the token? — This agrees with R. Jose. For it was taught:
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R. Jose said: This is the token: whatever is taken [from] within to be placed without, is placed as near as possible [to the inner altar]; and whatever is taken from without to be placed within, is taken from as near as possible [to the inner altar]. ‘Whatever is taken [from] within to be placed without’: What is it? If we say, the residue [of the blood], surely it is distinctly written thereof, [And all the remaining blood of the bullock shall he pour out] at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting? Further, as to whatever is taken without to be placed within’, what is it? If we say, the coals of the Day of Atonement, surely it is explicitly written thereof, And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord? Rather, ‘whatever is taken within to be placed without’ means the two censers of the frankincense for the shewbread, which we infer from the residue [of the blood]; and ‘Whatever is taken without to be placed within’ is the coals of every day. which are inferred from the coals of the Day of Atonement. Now, what does he hold? If he holds [that] the whole altar is in the south, he would have to carry it twenty-seven [cubits from the horn]? And even if he holds that the sanctity of the hekal and that of the ulam are one, yet he would have to carry it down twenty-two cubits? And if he holds that it was half in the north and half in the south, he would have to bring it down eleven cubits? And even if he holds that the sanctity of the hekal and that of the ulam are one, he would have to bring it down six cubits? Hence it must surely be that he holds that the whole altar was in the north, and these four cubits are as follows: one cubit for the base, one for the terrace, one for the horns, and one for the feet of the priests; for should one go further than this, there would no more be the door. Said R. Adda b. Ahabah: This is in accordance with R. Judah. For it was taught. R. Judah said: The altar stood in the middle of the Temple court. Now, it was thirty-two cubits [square], [of which] ten cubits faced the door of the hekal, and [it extended] eleven cubits on either side [thereof]. Thus the altar was exactly opposite the hekal. Yet even so, according to R. Judah he would have to bring it down eleven cubits? And even if he held that the sanctity of the hekal and that of the ulam are one, he would still have to bring it down six cubits? — Do you think that these four cubits include the cubit of the base and the cubit of the terrace? [No:] they are exclusive of the cubit of the base and the cubit of the terrace. Now, let us make this agree with R. Jose, and [assume] that [he too holds that] it stood in the centre? — Because we know definitely that R. Judah holds that it stood in the middle. R. Sherabia said: This is in accordance with R. Jose the Galilean. For it was taught: R. Jose the Galilean said: Since it says. And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, while another verse states, [And thou shalt set]
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