This Week's Article

The Top of the Mizbeach

Zevachim (6:1) | Yisrael Bankier | 4 days ago

One of the differences between the two categories of korbanot, kodshei kadashim and kodshei kalim is that kodeshi kadashim must be slaughtered in the north side of the azarah. Normally the slaughter would be performed on the floor of the azarah. The Mishnah (6:1) records the debate regarding a case where such a korban was slaughtered on top of the mizbeach. R' Yossi maintains that the entire top of the mizbeach is considered as if the korban was slaughtered in the north, whereas R' Yossi bar Yehuda maintains that only the north half of the mizbeach is considered the north.

The Bartenura cites the Gemara (58a) that explains that R' Yossi bases his position on the pasuk, "and you will slaughter upon it, your Olah and your Shelamim" (Shemot 20:21). Since the olah is kodshei kadashim and the pasuk implies that it can be slaughtered on the mizbeach, he understands that the entire mizbeach is considered the North. R' Yossi bar Yehuda however notes that since the pasuk also discusses the shelamim which is kodshei kalim, he understands the pasuk is teaching that half of the mizbeach may be used for kodshei kodshim and the rest for kodshei kalim. Note that this derivation is important, since the Gemara explains that according to R' Yossi bar Yehuda the entire mizbeach was situated in the south half of the Azara. Nonetheless the novelty is that half of the mizbeach is considered like the north. R' Yossi however explains that the necessity for including the shelamim in the pasuk is that one may have thought that only olot were allowed to be slaughtered on the mizbeach, since at times there may be many to offered and less space for them to slaughtered. The pasuk therefore teaches that even shelamim can be offered there.

According to R' Yossi however, the entire mizbeach was in the North half of the Azarah. The Shitah Mekubetzet asks, if that is case, why does R' Yossi even need a pesuk to support his position that the entire mizbeach is considered part of the north side of the azarah? The Shitah Mekubetzet answers that since the Torah teaches that the olah was offered at the foot (yerech) of the mizbeach, one might have thought that would exclude anywhere that was not in that location. The pasuk is then indeed necessary to teach that it would be valid if it was slaughtered on the mizbeach also.¹

It is clear from the Gemara that the law that the top of the mizbeach is considered the northside, is derived from the pasuk. The Griz² explains that there are two ways to understand the conclusion. The first is that the top of the mizbeach is also considered like the north side of the azarah. Alternatively, the pasuk is simply teaching that those korbanot that must be slaughtered on the north side, can also be slaughtered on the mizbeach. The practical difference between these two understandings is whether kabalat ha'dam (collecting the blood) can also be performed on the mizbeach. That is because collecting the blood from the korban must also be performed in the northside for kodshei kadashim. It is left as a question.

The Chazon Nachum however explains that kabalat ha'dam can also be performed for kodshei kadashim on the mizbeach. He explains that the requirement that it be performed in the northside is learnt from the reference in the pasuk -- "ve'lakach". In other words, the reason why it must also be performed in the northside is because the kabbalah must be performed in the same location as the shechitah. Consequently, if the shechita can be performed on the top, so can the kabbalah -- where ever the shechitah is performed. Note that this explanation does not resolve the doubt of the Griz regarding the conclusion of the Gemara. What it does do however, is explain why whether kabalat ha'dam can be performed there is not a practical difference between these two understandings.

Download

Calendar