Zevachim

one who is intoxicated and one who is [physically] blemished are unfit to receive [the blood], carry [it] and sprinkle [it], and the same applies to one who is sitting and to [the performance of these by] ‘the left hand. This is indeed a refutation! But R. Hisda quotes a text? — It means that he [the zar] served as a [mere] post.1 Rabbah and R. Joseph both maintained: Carriage by a zar is a [subject of] controversy between R. Simeon and the Rabbis. [According to] R. Simeon who says that a [Temple] service which can be dispensed with is not a service, [carriage] by a zar is valid. But according to the Rabbis it is invalid. Said Abaye to them: But slaughtering is a service which cannot be dispensed with, and yet it is valid [when done] by a zar? — Slaughtering is not a service, he replied.2 Is it not? Surely R. Zera said in Rab's name: The slaughtering of the [red] heifer by a zar is invalid; and R. Papa3 observed thereon: [The reason is because] ‘Eleazar’ and ‘Statute’ are written in connection with it.4 — The [red] heifer is different, because it is of the holy things of the Temple repair.5 But does it not follow a fortiori: it is a service in the case of the holy objects of the Temple repair, yet it is not a service in the case of holy objects dedicated to the altar!6 — Said R. Shisha the son of R. Idi: Let it be analogous to the inspection of [leprous] plagues, which is not a service, and yet requires the priesthood. 7 Yet the carrying of the limbs to the ascent8 is a service which can be dispensed with,9 and yet it is invalid [when done] by a zar, for it is written, And the priest shall offer [bring near] the whole, and make it smoke [burn it] upon the altar,10 and a Master said: This refers to the carrying of the limbs to the ascent? — Where [Scripture] has revealed [that a priest is required], it has revealed [it], but where [Scripture] has not revealed [it], it has not.11 But does not [the reverse] follow a fortiori: if the carrying of the limbs to the ascent requires the priesthood, though it is not indispensable to atonement,12 how much the more [does] the carrying of the blood [require a priest], seeing that it is indispensable to atonement!13 It was stated likewise: ‘Ulla said in R. Eleazar's name: Carriage by a zar is invalid even according to R. Simeon. It was asked: Is carriage without [moving] the foot14 called carriage15 or not? — Come and hear: And the same applies to one who is sitting and to [the performance of these by] the left hand, [which renders it] invalid. Hence standing similar to sitting16 is valid! — [No:] perhaps sitting means that he drags himself along, [and then] standing similar to sitting means that he moves slightly. Come and hear: A [lay-] Israelite slaughtered [the Passover-offering] and a priest received [the blood]; he handed it to his colleague, and his colleague to his colleague!17 — There too it means that they [the priests] moved slightly. Then what does he [the Tanna] inform us?18 — That in the multitude of people is the king's glory.19 Come and hear: If a fit person received [the blood] and handed it to an unfit one, the latter must return it to the fit one!20 — Say, the fit person must go round and take it.21 It was stated: ‘Ulla said in R. Johanan's name: Carriage without [moving] the foot is not called carriage. took it from him and carried it to the altar. Thus the zar did not carry it himself but was completely passive. Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer . . . and ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest . . . and he shall slaughter her (this is the literal translation, not as E.V.) before his face. Thus the text specifies that Eleazar, viz., a priest, must slaughter, and by referring to it as a ‘statute’ intimates that this is indispensable. This proves that slaughtering is a service. deemed in the category of Temple services, and the requirement of a priest is a special feature of the ritual connected therewith, the carrying of the limbs does, performed by a zar. another, until it reached the altar for sprinkling. Thus the blood was carried without the priests moving their feet. post on which the fit person had placed the blood, and it would not be necessary for the former to return it to the latter, but simply for another fit person to come and take it.