Zevachim 33a (לג.) — the Talmud in English

The Gemara infers:

By inference

from the statements of Abaye and Rava one learns

that both of them hold that ritual impurity is “deferred” in the communal offering,

and not that it is “permitted” in the communal offering.

The Gemara now discusses Ulla’s statement:

Let us say that this supports him:

Can one say that there is support for Ulla’s view—that partial entry is considered entry—from what we learned in a beraita in the Tosefta:

With regard to all the placing of hands that took place there,

in the Temple service,

I apply to them the rule:

“Immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter,”

as there was no interruption between the placing of hands and the slaughter,

except for this one

of the guilt-offering of a metzora,

which

the placing of hands on his guilt-offering was performed

at the Nicanor Gate,

which was the eastern gate of the Temple courtyard. The space of this gate was not sanctified with the sanctity of the courtyard, so that the metzora could stand there and insert his hands into the courtyard in order to place blood on his thumbs and toes. The metzora did not enter farther into the courtyard to place his hands on his guilt-offering near the place of slaughter, because

a metzora cannot enter there,

the courtyard itself,

until blood has been sprinkled upon him,

that is, the blood is first sprinkled on his behalf upon the altar

from the blood of his sin-offering and from the blood of his guilt-offering [and likewise, blood of the guilt-offering and oil must be placed on the thumbs and toes of the metzora]. Therefore, the placing of hands was not performed immediately before the slaughter, since at the time of the placing of hands the guilt-offering stood at the Nicanor Gate, and only afterward was it brought into the courtyard to be slaughtered.

The Gemara infers from the beraita:

And if you say that partial entry is not considered entry,

why do we need to take the guilt-offering out to the Nicanor Gate?

Let him bring

the metzora

his hands

into the courtyard,

and let him place his hands

on the animal standing inside, and the rule of “immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter” would also be fulfilled with regard to the metzora!

Rav Yosef said:

This matter cannot prove Ulla’s statement, because one may say that

this,

this beraita,

whose view is it,

in accordance with whose approach is it stated? It is in accordance with the view of

Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, who says: “The north is distant.”

That is, according to him, the northern area of the courtyard suitable for slaughtering offerings that require “slaughter in the north” is only the area of the courtyard directly opposite the northern side of the altar wall itself, and it is “distant” from the entrance to the courtyard by more than twenty-two cubits. Accordingly, even if we say that partial entry is not considered entry, the metzora cannot place his hands on the guilt-offering near the place of slaughter, since it is very far from him, and bringing his hands into the courtyard would not help.

The Gemara raises an objection: Even according to Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, one can prove that partial entry is considered entry. For if it is not considered entry, then

let them make a small gate,

a small opening in the northern wall of the courtyard opposite the altar, and the metzora could stand in its opening, insert his hands, and place them on the animal standing in the area fit for slaughter.

The Gemara answers:

Abaye and Rava both said:

It is impossible to make an additional small gate in the courtyard, because David said to his son Solomon, when he gave him the plan for the construction of the Temple [I Chronicles 28]:

“All

[all the dimensions of the plan were given to me]

in writing from the hand of the Lord, who gave me understanding. All the work of the pattern.”

Since all the dimensions, the entrances, and the construction of the entire building were transmitted to David by the Lord in writing, it is not permitted to add to, subtract from, or alter the pattern of the Temple. Abaye and Rava hold that although partial entry is not considered entry, it is impossible to open an entrance in the north of the courtyard; therefore, the metzora could not place his hands near the place of slaughter.

Some say: Rav Yosef said,

the beraita can also be interpreted according to Rabbi, who holds that slaughter may be performed throughout the northern area of the courtyard, and nevertheless it cannot prove that partial entry is considered entry. The reason that the rule of immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter is not fulfilled in the case of the guilt-offering of a metzora is that

everyone who places his hands, his head

and most of his body he inserts

into the courtyard.

What is the reason? We require all his strength

for the service of placing hands.

Therefore, it is impossible

to place his hands by means of partial entry, and so he places them outside.

The Gemara raises a difficulty:

What does

the tanna of the beraita, who said that in the case of the guilt-offering of a metzora the rule of immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter is not fulfilled,

hold? If he holds that the placing of hands on the guilt-offering of a metzora

is an obligation

by Torah law, and

he likewise holds that the rule of

immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter

is also an obligation

by Torah law,

then

let the metzora enter

the courtyard

and place his hands

on his guilt-offering

explicitly,

since

the Torah has stated

that he may enter and place his hands! For he cannot fulfill both the requirement of placing hands and the requirement that immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter unless he enters inside and places his hands at the place of slaughter; necessarily, the Torah permitted him to enter for this purpose.

The Gemara answers:

Rav Adda bar Mattana said:

Although by Torah law the metzora is permitted to enter and place his hands, the tanna of the beraita holds that by rabbinic decree he may not enter for the purpose of placing hands, because of

a decree lest he take additional steps

beyond what was permitted to him for the placing of hands, and if after the placing of hands he takes a single step farther inside than necessary, he will be liable to karet.

Some say:

Thus

Rav Adda bar Mattana said

in explaining the beraita: By Torah law, the metzora was not permitted to enter and place his hands. Although

the placing of hands on the guilt-offering of a metzora

is an obligation

by Torah law, and

however the rule of

immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter

with all offerings

is not by Torah law,

therefore the metzora was not permitted to enter and place his hands, since he could fulfill the placing of hands outside.

Meytivi

against Rav Adda bar Mattana’s statement that the rule of immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter is not by Torah law: We learned in a beraita:

“And he shall place his hands and slaughter,”

and from this juxtaposition we learn:

Just as the placing of hands

is performed only

by those who are pure,

as the rule is immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter, and the slaughter is performed inside,

so too slaughter

is performed

by those who are pure.

And if you say

that the rule of immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter

is not by Torah law,

then

we can find placing of hands even among the impure:

an impure person could place his hands outside. From where, then, do we know that the placing of hands is performed only by those who are pure?

Rather, reverse

Rav Adda bar Mattana’s resolution, and explain that the tanna of the beraita holds that

the placing of hands on the guilt-offering of a metzora is not by Torah law,

and it is unlike other guilt-offerings, because the guilt-offering is brought to render the metzora fit, and not to atone for him. Only by rabbinic ordinance is the metzora obligated to place his hands on his guilt-offering.

But immediately after the placing of hands comes slaughter is by Torah law,

and since the metzora is not obligated to place his hands, he may not enter inside for this purpose.