Zevachim

The school of R. Ishmael taught in R. Simeon b. Yohai's ruling: In both cases the western base is meant;1 and your token is:2 Men pulled a man.3 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.4 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?5 — Because ‘it is most holy’ is not written in its case. 6 AND ITS BLOOD REQUIRES TWO APPLICATIONS [WHICH ARE FOUR]. How did he do it? — Rab said: He applied [the blood] and applied [it] again.7 Samuel said: He made a single application in the shape of a Greek Gamma.8 This is a controversy of Tannaim: [And the priests . . . shall dash the blood round about the altar]:9 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’.10 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:11 as there it means four separate applications,12 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,13 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’.14 For R. Samuel son of R. Isaac said: The altar occupied a cubit in Judah's portion.15 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,16 whereat the righteous Benjamin grieved every day, wishing to possess it,17 as it is said master, R. Ishmael. spread further, so that all the four sides of the altar received some of it. altogether burnt. For those parts even of sacrifices of lesser sanctity which were burnt on the altar ranked as most holy. round the sides of the altar. horns. thereof. Hence the south-east horn was in Judah's portion and this was not provided with a base.