Zevachim

— [She meant that] they even lost their virility. And how did she know this? — Because, as a master said, There was no prince or ruler who had not possessed Rahab the harlot. It was said: She was ten years old when the Israelites departed from Egypt, and she played the harlot the whole of the forty years spent by the Israelites in the wilderness. At the age of fifty she became a proselyte. Said she: May I be forgiven as a reward for the cord, window, and flax.1 The master said: ‘And gentiles are permitted to do thus in these days’. How do we know it? — Because our Rabbis taught: Speak unto the children of Israel:2 the children of Israel are enjoined against [sacrifices] slaughtered without, but gentiles are not enjoined against [sacrifices] slaughtered without. Therefore each one may build himself a bamah and offer thereon whatever he desires. R. Jacob b. Aha said in R. Assi's name: It is forbidden to assist them or act as their agents.3 Raba observed: Yet we may instruct them.4 [This happened with] Ifra Hormiz, mother of King Shabur,5 who sent an offering to Raba, with the request, Offer it up in honour of Heaven. Said Raba to R. Safra and R. Aha b. Huna: Go, fetch two young men [non-Jews] of like age, seek a spot where the sea has thrown up alluvial mud,6 take new [unused] twigs,7 produce a fire with a new flint, and offer it up in honour of Heaven. Said Abaye to him: In accordance with whom [do you give these instructions]? In accordance with R. Eleazar b. Shammua’? For it was taught, R. Eleazar b. Shammua’ said: As the altar must not have been used by a layman [for secular purposes], so the wood must not have been used by a layman. But surely R. Eleazar b. Shammua’ admits in the case of a bamah?8 For it was taught: One text says, So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight;9 whereas it is written, So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver;10 how can these be reconciled? He collected fifty [shekels] from each tribe, which amounted to six hundred [in all]. Rabbi said on the authority of Abba Jose b. Dosethai: [He bought] the oxen, wood, and site of the altar for fifty, and [the site of] the whole Temple for six hundred. R. Eleazar b. Shammua’ said: [He bought] the oxen, wood, and site of the altar for fifty, and [the site of] the whole Temple for six hundred,11 for it is written, And Araunah said unto David: ‘Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him; behold the oxen for the burnt-offering, and the threshing instruments [morigim] and the furniture of the oxen for the wood’.12 And Raba? — He can answer you: There too they were new.13 What are morigim? — Said ‘Ulla: A bed of turbel. What is a bed of turbel? — Said Abaye: ‘A goat with hooks’, with which the threshers thresh.14 Abaye said: Which text [proves this meaning]? — Behold, I make thee a new threshing-sledge [morag] having sharp teeth; [thou shalt thresh the mountains etc.].15 Raba16 read out [Scripture] to his son, and opposed texts to each other: It is written: ‘So David gave to Ornan etc.’; whereas it is also written, ‘So David bought etc.’ How can these be reconciled? He collected fifty from each tribe, which totalled six hundred. Yet the texts are still contradictory, for there it was silver and here it was gold? — Say rather: He collected silver to the value [weight] of six hundred [shekels of] gold. LESSER SACRIFICES WERE EATEN ANYWHERE IN THE CAMP OF THE ISRAELITES. R. Huna said: [This means,] wherever the Israelites were, but there was no camp.17 R. Nahman refuted R. Huna: Were there no camps in the wilderness? Surely it was taught: Just as there were camps in the wilderness, so there was a camp in Jerusalem. From [the walls of] Jerusalem to the Temple Mount was the camp of the Israelites; from the Temple Mount to the Gate of Nicanor18 was the Levitical camp; beyond that was the camp of the Shechinah, and that corresponded to [the place within] the curtains in the wilderness! — Say rather, wherever the camp of the Israelites was.19 That is obvious? — You might say, it is disqualified through having gone out. Therefore he informs us [otherwise]. Yet say that it is indeed so? — Scripture saith, Then the tent of meeting shall set forward:20 even when it sets forward, it is still the ‘tent of meeting’. 21 It was taught, R. Simeon b. Yohai said: Yet another place was there, [viz.] the Women's Court,22 and no penalty was imposed on its account.23 But at Shiloh there were only two camps. Which was absent? — Said Abaye:24 It is logical that there was certainly the Levitical camp; for if you should think that there was no Levitical camp, fragments of utensils, and the flint etc. must likewise never have been used for secular purposes. Hence he told them to seek virgin soil caused by the drying of alluvial mud. — They would then instruct the young men how to offer the sacrifice. these be reconciled? (He bought) the site of the altar (only) for fifty, and (the site of) the whole Temple for six hundred. Rabbi said on the authority of Abba Jose b. Dostai: He collected fifty shekels . . . (in all). R. Eleazar b. Shammua’ said (continuing as in the text)’. — As the Temple was not built until the reign of Solomon, the altar erected here by David was simply a bamah. with sharp pieces of flint or with iron teeth (Jast.). eaten in the new site.