Zevachim 120b — the Talmud in English

Just as birds, in which a blemish does not invalidate,

nevertheless

time invalidates them.

The offerings of a small bamah, in which a blemish invalidates,

and

is it not an inference that time invalidates them?

And if you will argue to refute the kal va-chomer:

What is true of birds

in which time invalidates,

since

they have another stringency, for

a non-priest is not fit for them; can you say the same concerning a small bamah, for which a non-priest is fit,

and

since a non-priest is fit for it, will time not invalidate it?

Scripture says: “And this is the law of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings.”

And we expound: one law for all the peace-offerings, even for peace-offerings sacrificed on a small bamah,

to make

the laws of

time

that were stated in that passage—that a thanksgiving-offering is eaten for a day and a night, and peace-offerings for two days and a night—apply also on a

small bamah as

the laws of

time

of a

large bamah.

And from here it can also be learned concerning the other invalidations stated in our Mishna, namely pigul and impurity, that they apply on a small bamah, for all of them are stated in this passage concerning peace-offerings.

We shall return to you, chapter “The Red Heifer,” and the tractate Zevahim is concluded.

Appendix - Laws of Private Altars Original chapter

Appendix - Laws of Private Altars

Types of Private Altars "

"A large private altar"

is the altar that stood before the Tabernacle.

When the Ark was in the Tabernacle, the large private altar was considered an “altar.” And when the Ark departed, it was considered a “public altar.” "

"A small private altar"

is an elevated place, which each person could make for himself, wherever he wished, and offer a sacrifice upon it. However, it was permitted to offer on a small private altar only during the periods listed below.

Periods of Permission and Prohibition

From the days of Adam, until the establishment of the Tabernacle, offerings were brought on private altars. On the day the Tabernacle was established, private altars became prohibited and this prohibition also applied while the Tabernacle was traveling, even when the Ark was not inside it .

When they entered the Land and came to Gilgal, private altars became permitted for all fourteen years that they were there. These were the years during which they conquered and divided the Land.

When they later came to Shiloh, private altars again became prohibited for all the 369 years that they were there and the Jerusalem Talmud discusses whether they became permitted during the time when the Ark was removed from there.

When Shiloh was destroyed and they came to Nob, and afterward to Gibeon, private altars were permitted for all the 57 years that they were there .

When they came to Jerusalem, private altars became prohibited forever, and this prohibition remains in force even after its destruction .

Laws Governing the Construction of a Small Private Altar

The tannaitic sages disputed [108b] whether a small private altar must be built like an altar, or whether it is sufficient to designate a stone or any elevated object for it .

According to all opinions, the form of a private altar differs from that of the Temple altar in five respects: a private altar does not require a horn, a base, a ramp, a square shape, or a basin and its stand .

A small private altar may be made from something that has been used by an ordinary person, unlike the altar .

Later authorities discussed whether the private altar must be attached to the ground like the altar , whether it may be built from hewn stones , and whether it may be built at night .

Laws Governing Offering on a Private Altar

The laws of sacrifices offered on a small private altar differ from those of other sacrifices in several respects.

A.

They do not require the laying of hands.

B.

Offerings of the highest degree of sanctity need not be slaughtered specifically on the north side.

C.

They do not require the blood to be applied around the altar.

D.

Meal-offerings do not require waving or presentation at the altar.

E.

It is permitted to roast the limbs of the sacrifices before burning them on the private altar, because they need not be offered [and one need not have the intention concerning them] for the sake of a pleasing fragrance.

F.

There is no distinction between blood that is applied above and blood that is applied below; rather, all of it may be applied anywhere on the altar .

G.

On a private altar, the breast and thigh, and the portion separated from the loaves of the thanksgiving-offering, do not require waving.

H.

The hide of a burnt-offering offered on a private altar is not given to the priests .

I.

Their service does not specifically require sacred service vessels .

J.

Their service does not require priesthood. Therefore, all those disqualified because they are non-priests are fit for it, as follows.

XI.

The disqualification of an offering that leaves its permitted area does not apply on a small private altar .

Regarding several laws, we find a dispute.

XII.

whether sacrifices offered on a private altar require accompanying libations [and whether an individual brought libations in the wilderness] .

XIII.

whether a burnt-offering offered upon it requires flaying and cutting into pieces .

XIV.

whether slaughtering at night is valid upon it .

Whether slaughtering at night is valid upon it.

XV.

whether sacrifices offered upon it require salting .

Whether sacrifices offered upon it require salting.

XVI.

whether it is permitted to allow the remainder of a meal-offering offered upon it to become leavened .

Whether it is permitted to cause the remainder of a meal-offering offered upon it to become leavened.

XVII.

whether offering upon it requires wood and fire .

All these laws apply only to a sacrifice that was consecrated to be offered on a small private altar and was not brought inside. However, regarding a sacrifice that was brought inside [according to Tosafot, while according to Rashi specifically one that was slaughtered], the amoraic sages—sages of the Gemara era—disputed whether the laws of sacrifices offered on the altar apply to it .

Those Who Perform the Service and Offer Sacrifices on a Private Altar

A person with a physical defect and an impure person do not perform the service on a private altar. A non-priest, a woman, a slave, perform the service on a private altar. Likewise, other people disqualified from priestly service, such as a mourner, one who is sitting, one who has not washed his hands and feet, one who has drunk wine, and one lacking the priestly garments, are fit to perform the service on a private altar. Until the giving of the Torah, only the firstborn performed the service on private altars. From the giving of the Torah until the establishment of the Tabernacle, the tannaitic sages disputed whether the service had then been entrusted to the priests. From the giving of the Torah onward, the service is performed only by priests. Non-Jews offer sacrifices on private altars before and after the giving of the Torah, from any pure species they wish, even animals with physical defects except for an animal lacking a limb and an animal with a fatal condition, but the laws of a private altar apply to them: they must build one and may not offer upon a rock .

The prohibition against offering on a bama

One who consecrates his offering at a time when the bamot are prohibited, and offers it at a time when the bamot are prohibited, transgresses a positive commandment and a prohibition and is liable to karet. One who consecrates at a time when the bamot are permitted and offers at a time when they are prohibited transgresses a positive commandment and a prohibition, but is not liable to karet . If he consecrated at a time when the bamot were prohibited and raised it up outside at a time when the bamot were permitted, he transgresses a positive commandment but there is no prohibition or karet upon him, for they were stated only concerning the time of offering.

If he consecrated and raised it up at a time when the bamot were permitted—even if he consecrated them in order to raise them up on a large bama, and they entered inside before their slaughter—he is exempt from everything .

One who offers the Paschal offering on a small bama transgresses a prohibition: “You may not sacrifice the Paschal offering in any of your gates.” And the early authorities disagreed whether this prohibition was stated only at a time when the bamot were permitted, or also at a time when they were prohibited .

Species Offered on a Bama

Before the giving of the Torah, all pure animals of every species were offered on a bama: whether wild animals, domesticated animals, or birds. But after the giving of the Torah, only species that are offered on the altar are offered on a bama. And the tannaim disagreed whether birds are also offered on it .

The later authorities disagreed whether, after the giving of the Torah but before the erection of the Tabernacle, the laws of offerings of Israel had already taken effect, and only species that are offered on the altar were offered on a bama, or whether their law did not change until the erection of the Tabernacle .

A female animal is fit for a burnt offering on a small bama .

An offering with a blemish is invalid on a bama .

The fee of a prostitute and the price of a dog are fit on a bama .

An animal that has mated with a person and an animal used for bestiality are invalid on a bama .

Offerings Offered on a Large Bama

On a large bama they offered all the obligatory offerings of the community [including also the bull of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement and the High Priest’s daily meal offering, because their status is that of a communal offering, to override Shabbat and ritual impurity ]. And Rabbi Shimon disagrees and maintains that on it they offered only obligatory offerings that have a fixed time and for which there is an equivalent that comes as a freewill offering, namely the daily offerings and the additional offerings, which are burnt offerings, and the Paschal offering, which throughout the year comes under the category of peace offerings. The freewill offerings of the community and the meal offerings of the community are offered, according to everyone, on a large bama. According to the Rabbis, the obligatory offerings of an individual, even if they have a fixed time, were not offered on a large bama. And according to Rabbi Yehuda, even obligatory offerings of an individual that do not have a fixed time are offered on a large bama .

And Rabbi Shimon also distinguishes among the offerings of an individual between obligatory offerings that have a fixed time, which are offered on a bama, and those that do not have a fixed time, which are not offered .

Meal offerings and birds of an individual that he brought as a vow or freewill offering, according to the Rabbis and Rabbi Yehuda, were excluded by a verse and are not offered on a bama [large or small]. And according to Rabbi Meir they are offered, because they are included among vows and freewill offerings.

Offerings Offered on a Small Bama

The individual offerings that come as a vow or freewill offering were offered on a small bama; [and concerning meal offerings and birds, the tannaim disagreed, as mentioned concerning the large bama].

The obligatory offerings of an individual and all communal offerings were not offered on a small bama, according to everyone. And if he transgressed and brought them on it, according to the Rabbis he transgresses a prohibition derived from a positive commandment , and according to Rabbi Shimon he receives lashes .

The tannaim disagreed whether an individual offering on a small bama required libations. But on a large bama, according to everyone, an obligatory offering of an individual requires libations [but concerning the communal bama in the wilderness they disagreed as they did concerning an individual bama ].

The Place for Eating Sacred Offerings on Bamot

From the day the Tabernacle was erected, the most holy offerings were eaten only in the courtyard of the Tabernacle, between the curtains , while lesser sacred offerings were eaten throughout the camp of Israel. When they came to Gilgal and the bamot were permitted, the place for the most holy offerings remained according to its law, but lesser sacred offerings [even those offered on a large bama ] were eaten everywhere. When they came to Shiloh and the bamot were prohibited, the place for the most holy offerings remained according to its law, but lesser sacred offerings [that were offered on a small bama ] were eaten within all that is in view . When they came to Nob and Gibeon and the bamot were again permitted, the place for the most holy offerings remained according to its law, but lesser sacred offerings were eaten in all the cities of Israel. [The time for eating offerings of a bama is the same as for offerings of the altar, but there are those who say that there is no prohibition against leaving them past the time .]