Pesachim 58a (נח.) — the Talmud in English

It is a positive mitzva to offer the Paschal offering on the fourteenth day of Nisan after midday, as it is stated: “And the entire congregation of the assembly of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight.” Its time is after the afternoon tamid offering.

The Paschal offering is brought from sheep or goats, a male in its first year, as it is stated: “A perfect male in its first year shall it be for you; from the sheep or from the goats shall you take it.”

One must also be designated for it before its slaughter, as it is stated: “Each man, according to what he eats, shall you apportion yourselves for the lamb”; and Onkelos translated: “You shall be designated for the lamb.” One who was not designated for it while it was still alive does not fulfill his obligation with it, and is also forbidden to eat from its meat.

It is a positive mitzva to eat the meat of the Paschal offering on the night of the fifteenth of Nisan, as it is stated: “And they shall eat the meat on this night, roasted over fire.”

The order of its offering, in brief:

A. It is slaughtered, and the slaughterer may be either a koen or a non-koen.

A koen receives its blood, and a koen conveys the blood to the altar. He gives one application of it opposite the base.

B. Its hide is removed, its sacrificial fats are taken out, and they are burned on the altar.

C. Its meat is then roasted, and at night one eats at least an olive-sized portion of the roasted meat.

These laws and the other related laws will be explained extensively in this chapter and in the chapters that follow.

Folio 50a–h

Mishna:

The

tamid

of the afternoon

is slaughtered

on an ordinary day of the year

at

the

eighth and a half hour [measured according to a count of hours beginning in the morning].

Noon is the end of the sixth hour, and the “eighth and a half hour” is two and a half hours after noon.

And it

is offered [that is, the completion of the offering of the tamid is]

at the ninth and a half hour.

This is because one must spend an hour attending to it: removing its hide, dismembering its limbs, washing its innards and legs, and burning its sacrificial fats on the altar.

However, on the fourteenth of Nisan, when the Paschal offering is brought, they would advance the time of slaughtering the tamid.

The reason is that the time of the Paschal offering is specifically after the afternoon tamid, as will be explained in the Gemara. Since the Paschal offerings of the entire people were numerous, and they had to complete the slaughtering and sprinkling of the blood of all the Paschal offerings by sunset, they required considerable time. Therefore, they advanced the slaughtering of the tamid, so that sufficient time would remain afterward to perform the Paschal offering.

Therefore,

on the eves of Passover

it is slaughtered

the tamid

at the seventh and a half hour, and it is offered at the eighth and a half hour, both

when the eve of Passover falls on a

weekday,

and

both

when the eve of Passover falls on

Shabbat.

From the eighth and a half hour, when the offering of the tamid was completed, the time for slaughtering the Paschal offering began.

And if

the eve of Passover falls on the eve of Shabbat,

they had to advance the time of slaughtering the tamid even further, because they also had to have enough time to roast its meat before sunset, since roasting the meat of the Paschal offering does not override Shabbat.

Therefore, the tamid

is slaughtered

then

at the sixth and a half hour, and it is offered at the seventh and a half hour.

And the Paschal offering follows it.

Gemara:

We raise an objection concerning this:

From where are these matters derived

that the time for slaughtering the tamid every day is at the eighth and a half hour?

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The verse states

with regard to the tamid offering:

“The one lamb you shall make in the morning,

and the second lamb you shall make at twilight.”

“Evening” is the period comprising the second half of the day, from noon until nightfall.

If the intent of the verse in saying “at twilight” were that the time for offering the tamid extends throughout this entire period, it should have written “in the evening.”

Since Scripture changed its wording and wrote “at twilight,” we derive:

Divide the evening

between

two

parts of

evenings—

Give

two and a half hours to this side,

the first part of the evening, before the time of the tamid offering.

And

give

two and a half hours to this side,

the second part of the evening, after the time of the tamid offering.

And

give

one hour for its performance,

the performance of the tamid offering, between them.

It follows that the time of the tamid begins two and a half hours after noon—that is, at the eighth and a half hour. And this time is mandated by Torah law!22

Rava objected

to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s statement that the time of the tamid at the eighth and a half hour is mandated by Torah law, from our Mishna, where we learned:

On the eves of Passover

the tamid

is slaughtered at the seventh and a half hour and is offered at the eighth and a half hour, both on a weekday and on Shabbat.

And if it enters your mind

that the time of the tamid

at

the

eighth and a half hour

is a law

of Torah origin,

how can we advance it

on the eves of Passover to the seventh and a half hour?!

Rather, Rava said: Both the time of the eighth and a half hour and the time of the sixth and a half hour are merely rabbinic enactments.

For by Torah law, initially

the mitzva of the tamid is from

the hour

when the evening shadows begin to incline

[from the hour when the shadow begins inclining eastward because of the sun’s movement westward], that is, from the sixth and a half hour.

What is the reason?

For the verse states

“at twilight”—

from the time when the sun begins to move westward,

the time when the sun begins inclining westward is the time of the tamid.

Therefore—

during the rest of the days of the year, when there are vows and freewill offerings,

which must be offered before the afternoon tamid,

since

the Merciful One said

concerning the daily morning burnt offering: “And he shall burn

upon it the fats of the peace offerings,”

and the master said

that from this verse we derive:

“Upon it”

[upon the morning tamid burnt offering]—

complete

the offering of

all the offerings!

That is: It is a mitzva to complete the service of all the offerings specifically after the morning tamid offering, and not to complete the service of offering them after the afternoon tamid. Rather, when the time comes to offer the afternoon tamid, the service of all the offerings must already have been completed!

The implication of this teaching is that it is forbidden to offer offerings after the afternoon tamid.

Therefore, although it would have been proper to slaughter the afternoon tamid immediately at the beginning of its time because of the principle that the zealous advance themselves to perform mitzvot, nevertheless the Sages enacted that this not be done. Rather,

we delay it

[the afternoon tamid]

two hours,

so that they would have enough time to offer all the offerings brought in fulfillment of vows and as freewill offerings before the tamid.

And we perform it

the tamid

at the eighth and a half hour.

They did not delay it any further, so that it would not be so close to sunset [Tosafot].

Therefore,

on the eves of Passover, when there is also

the offering of the

Paschal

offering, whose time is

after it,

the afternoon tamid [as will be explained below], and the Paschal offerings of the entire people are numerous, so they must complete the procedures of the Paschal offerings before sunset,

we advance it

the tamid

by one hour.

And we perform it at the seventh and a half hour.

And if

the eve of Passover falls on the eve of Shabbat, when there is also its roasting,

the roasting of the meat of the Paschal offering,

which does not override Shabbat [because it is not a need of the altar but a personal need, and it is possible to roast it during the day ], and they must have enough time to complete both the procedures of the Paschal offering and its roasting after the tamid and before sunset,

— we place

it, the tamid,

at its Torah-law time,

the beginning of whose time is for it to be slaughtered

at the sixth and a half hour.

The Sages taught: Just as its order of the tamid offering on a weekday, so is its order on Shabbat; this is the statement of Rabbi Yishmael.

whose time begins with its being slaughtered

at six and a half.

Rabbi Akiva says: Its order is as on the eve of Passover.

We raise an objection concerning this:

What is he saying?

Abaye said: This is what he is saying: Just as its order

of the tamid offering

on

a

weekday on the eve of Passover, when it is slaughtered at the seventh and a half hour,

so

also is

its order

of the tamid offering

on Shabbat on the eve of Passover.

Even then the tamid is slaughtered at the seventh and a half hour,

the statement of Rabbi Yishmael.

Rabbi Akiva says: Its order is as

the tamid offering

on the eve of Passover that falls on the eve of Shabbat, when it is slaughtered as early as possible, at the sixth and a half hour, so that they have enough time to offer the Paschal offering and roast its meat during the day—

so is its order

on the eve of Passover that falls

on Shabbat.

Even then the tamid is slaughtered at the sixth and a half hour.

Since vows and freewill offerings are not offered on Shabbat, there is no need to delay the tamid as on a weekday. And since a Paschal offering follows it, they advance it to the beginning of its time, at the sixth and a half hour.

so is its arrangement

And

according to this,

the Mishna, which teaches

that the tamid is slaughtered on the eves of Passover at the seventh and a half hour,

both on the eve of Passover that falls

on a weekday

and

both

on the eve of Passover that falls

on Shabbat—

it is Rabbi Yishmael’s opinion.

We raise an objection concerning this:

With regard to what do they disagree,

why does Rabbi Yishmael disagree with Rabbi Akiva? Rabbi Akiva is apparently correct: when Passover falls on Shabbat, the tamid should be advanced as much as possible because of the numerous Paschal offerings that must be offered afterward, since there is no need to delay it because of vows and freewill offerings?

And we explain: They disagree concerning

the additional offerings

of Shabbat: do they

precede

the service of the

spoons

of frankincense belonging to the showbread, or not?

Two arrangements of showbread were placed on the table, and on each arrangement there was a spoon containing frankincense. Every Shabbat they removed the two spoons and the bread that had been placed there during the week, and arranged new loaves and spoons of frankincense on it.

The frankincense in the spoons was burned on the altar, and burning the frankincense permitted the bread to the kohanim for eating, as it is written: “And it shall be for the bread as a memorial portion.” Immediately after the burning, they distributed the bread to the kohanim to eat. They required an hour to perform the burning of the frankincense in the spoons and the distribution of the bread to the kohanim.

Rabbi Yishmael holds that

the additional offerings precede

the removal of the

spoons

and their burning!

Whenever “morning” is stated, it indicates precedence, and the act should be performed at the beginning of the day.

But whenever “day” is stated, it means after the beginning of the day, at a later time.

Therefore, they were accustomed to offer the additional offerings at the sixth hour, since “day” is stated concerning them.

Regarding the additional offerings, “on the day” is written once, whereas concerning the spoons it is written twice: “on the day of Shabbat, on the day of Shabbat.” This indicates that they should be delayed until after the offerings concerning which “day” is written only once.

Therefore, they delay the burning of the frankincense of the spoons, concerning which “day” is written twice, until after the additional offerings, concerning which “on the day” is written once.

Therefore,

he performs the additional offerings at six,

concerning which “day” is stated, and not “morning,” indicating that they should be delayed. Consequently, they begin the service of the additional offerings at the beginning of the sixth hour, and the service continues throughout the sixth hour.

And the spoons,

concerning which “day” is stated twice, have their time after the additional offerings, and their service begins—the removal of the spoons, their burning, and the distribution of the bread—

at

the beginning of

seven, and the service continues throughout the seventh hour.

And he performs the tamid at the seventh and a half hour,

half an hour after the beginning of the eighth hour.

They did not perform the tamid immediately at the beginning of the eighth hour because the distribution of the showbread to the kohanim was completed only afterward. Moreover, they did not want to establish different times for the tamid, but only either at the beginning of its time, at the sixth and a half hour, or at the seventh and a half hour, as on a weekday.

And the bowls,

Rabbi Akiva holds that the spoons precede the additional offerings.

He derives this by means of the gezera shava “statute,” “statute,” from the meal offering of the High Priest. Its time precedes the additional offerings, as it is written, “burnt offering and meal offering,” indicating that the meal offering should be adjacent to the morning tamid burnt offering.

Therefore, the service of the

spoons—

the removal of the spoons, their burning, and the distribution of the bread to the kohanim—is

at five,

from the beginning of the fifth hour, and their service continues throughout that hour.

And the additional offerings are at six,

from the beginning of the sixth hour and throughout that hour. And he performs the tamid at the sixth and a half hour.

Rava challenged this: Is it so?

Did

Rabbi Akiva

teach, “Its order is on the eve of Passover that falls on the eve of Shabbat”?

He taught

“Its order is on the eve of Passover”

without qualification!

from the beginning of the sixth hour and throughout that hour.

And Rabbi Akiva holds that

we are not concerned that the meat will become preserved.

Therefore, they advanced the beginning of the time for slaughtering the Paschal offering even when Passover fell on Shabbat, so that they would have enough time to offer the numerous Paschal offerings there. Consequently, they also advanced the tamid.

N—H.

And we refute this:

If, according to Rabbi Akiva,

we are not concerned

that the meat will become preserved,

let us perform it

the tamid at the sixth and a half hour! After all, on Shabbat there is no need to delay it because of vows and freewill offerings, and it should be advanced because of the numerous Paschal offerings that must be offered afterward! We answer: He holds—Rabbi Akiva— that the additional offerings precede the spoons! Since the additional offerings cannot be advanced, therefore he performs the additional offerings at the sixth hour, and the service of the spoons at seven [throughout the entire seventh hour, and the kohanim are not available then for the service of the tamid], and he performs the tamid at the seventh and a half hour. Rabba bar Ulla challenged this: Rabbi Yishmael’s words also appear not to accord with Rava! For, is it so that he taught: “Just as its order is on a weekday, so is its order on Shabbat on the eve of Passover, the statement of Rabbi Yishmael,” [that is what] he taught? Rather, “So is its order on Shabbat” without qualification he taught, indicating that this does not refer specifically to the eve of Passover! Rather, Rabba bar Ulla said: Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva did not disagree at all concerning the time for slaughtering the tamid on the eve of Passover; they disagreed concerning an ordinary Shabbat. Accordingly, this is what he taught: Just as its order of the tamid on an ordinary weekday, of the ordinary weekdays of the year, when it is slaughtered at the eighth and a half hour, so is its order on an ordinary Shabbat, on all the Shabbatot of the year, when it too is slaughtered at the eighth and a half hour, the statement of Rabbi Yishmael. Although on Shabbat there is no need to delay it because of vows and freewill offerings, we enact a safeguard for Shabbat on account of the weekday: if they advance it on Shabbat to the sixth and a half hour, we are concerned that they may do the same on a weekday and thereby invalidate vows and freewill offerings that they offer afterward. Rabbi Akiva says: Just as its order of the tamid on the ordinary eve of Passover, on the eve of Passover that falls on a weekday, when it is slaughtered at the seventh and a half hour, so is its order on an ordinary Shabbat, in every Shabbat of the year, when it too is slaughtered at the seventh and a half hour. We do not enact a safeguard for Shabbat on account of the weekday. And according to this, the Mishna, which teaches that the tamid is slaughtered on the eve of Passover at the seventh and a half hour, both on the eve of Passover that falls on a weekday and both on the eve of Passover that falls on Shabbat— it is the statement of everyone. Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva disagree only concerning an ordinary Shabbat, but on the eve of Passover both agree that the tamid is advanced to the seventh and a half hour because of the numerous Paschal offerings that follow it, both when the eve of Passover falls on a weekday and when it falls on Shabbat. We raise an objection concerning this: With regard to what do they disagree? And we explain: They disagree concerning the safeguard regarding freewill offerings and offerings brought in fulfillment of vows— Rabbi Yishmael holds that we enact a safeguard for Shabbat on account of the weekday. [Passover.] And shortly Rabba bar Ulla will challenge that Rabbi Yishmael’s words also appear not to accord with Rava. Rashi.

Rather, Rava said: This is what it is saying:

According to the order

of the daily offering

on an ordinary weekday,

on an ordinary weekday of the year, when the daily offering was slaughtered at the eighth and a half hour

so was the order

of the daily offering

on Shabbat eve of Passover,

when Passover eve falls on Shabbat, for even then the daily offering was slaughtered at the eighth and a half hour and offered at the ninth and a half hour,

the statement of Rabbi Yishmael.

For he maintains that since roasting the meat of the Paschal offering does not override Shabbat, and it is impossible to roast it until nightfall, its slaughter should not be advanced to before the ninth and a half hour, lest the meat become warm and spoil. And since the Paschal offering is not brought earlier, there is consequently no need to advance the daily offering from its regular time.

Rabbi Akiva says: According to its order on Passover eve

that falls on a weekday—in which they advance the daily offering because of the many Paschal offerings that followed it, and it was slaughtered at the seventh and a half hour—so too, on Passover eve that falls on Shabbat, they advanced the daily offering to the seventh and a half hour.

For even when the fourteenth of Nisan fell on Shabbat, they advanced the beginning of the time for slaughtering the Paschal offering as on a weekday, so that there would be sufficient time to offer the many Paschal offerings.

And

accordingly,

the Mishna that teaches:

On the eves of Passover, it was slaughtered at the seventh and a half hour,

whether

on Passover eve that falls

on a weekday

or

whether

on Passover eve that falls

on Shabbat—

it is the opinion of Rabbi Akiva.

And we raised the following question:

With regard to what do

Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva disagree?

And we explain:

With regard to

the concern about

the warming of the meat,

the meat becoming warm—

they disagree.

Rabbi Yishmael maintains: We are concerned about the warming of the meat.

Lest the meat become warm and spoil if it is not roasted until nightfall. Therefore, they did not want to begin the time for slaughtering the Paschal offerings before the ninth and a half hour when it fell on Shabbat, since it was impossible to roast it until nightfall. And therefore they also did not advance the time of the daily offering.

And Rabbi Akiva maintains: We are not concerned about the warming of the meat.

Therefore, they advanced the beginning of the time for slaughtering the Paschal offering even when Passover eve fell on Shabbat, so that they would have enough time to offer the many Paschal offerings that were there. And therefore, they also advanced the daily offering.