Zevachim 98b (צח:) — the Talmud in English

Rava said: It is obvious to me

that if sacrificial blood of a sin-offering spattered

first

onto the garment

below,

and sacrificial blood of an elevation-offering subsequently spattered

above

onto that same stain, that place

requires laundering,

for the blood of the sin-offering touches the garment and is absorbed into it.

And we raised this objection:

Rava asked:

If

blood of an elevation-offering fell below

onto the garment

and

blood of a sin-offering subsequently spattered

above,

onto that same stain,

what is the ruling?

Does that stain require laundering? Is the reason that it requires laundering

because it touches

the garment, as the blood of the sin-offering touches the garment,

and it does touch it,

for when the blood of the sin-offering fell upon it, it touched the garment?

Or perhaps

the obligation to launder it is

because it is absorbed,

as the blood of the sin-offering is absorbed into the garment,

but here it was not absorbed,

since the garment was already saturated with the absorption of the blood of the elevation-offering?

And we answer:

Rava subsequently resolved it

that

it does not require laundering,

since the blood of the sin-offering was not absorbed, and the reason for the mitzva of laundering is that the blood is absorbed.

And since the Gemara discusses purifying a garment from a stain onto which the blood of a sin-offering spattered, it teaches another law that Rava stated concerning the purification of a garment bearing stains.

Rava said: It is obvious to me

that a stain of

blood

found

on his garment

that had become impure

interposes

before immersion.

But if he is a slaughterer,

who does not object to blood on his garment,

it does not interpose,

since interposition depends on whether one objects to it.

And likewise, a stain of

grease,

any substance that melts, such as milk fat or wax, found

on his garment

that had become impure

interposes

before immersion.

But if he is a seller of grease

[meltable substances]

he,

who does not object to grease on his garment,

it does not interpose,

since interposition depends on whether one objects to it, and he does not object to it.

Rava asked:

What is the status of two stains, one of

blood and one of grease,

found

on his garment?

Do they interpose before immersion?

And we challenge this:

If he is a slaughterer, let it follow for me from the grease,

to which he objects, since he is unaccustomed to it, and it interposes;

and if he is a seller of grease, let it follow for me from the blood,

to which he objects, and it constitutes an interposition? And we explain:

It is necessary [to state this] only in a case where he does both:

he is both a slaughterer and a seller of grease.

And Rava deliberates: Shall we say that

with regard to one

stain he

does not object,

but

with regard to two he objects,

because although he is accustomed to both, it is degrading for him for both to be seen on his garment?

Or perhaps, with regard to two as well he does not object,

since he is accustomed to both, as this is his occupation, and he does not object?

And we conclude:

The matter remains unresolved!

We have completed the chapter “The Blood of a Sin-Offering.”

a. "

One who immersed that day," that is, one who immersed to purify himself from his ritual impurity, whose purification is completed at sunset, and likewise "

one lacking atonement," who must bring an atoning offering on the day after his immersion, are forbidden to eat sacrificial food.

b. An onen, one of whose seven close relatives has died, and the deceased was buried that same day ["the day of death"], is an onen by Torah law on that day, and is forbidden to eat sacrificial food on that day. But if the deceased was buried on another day ["the day of burial"], he is forbidden by rabbinic ordinance to eat sacrificial food throughout the entire day of burial, even after the deceased has been buried.

c.

On the night following the day of death, the onen is forbidden to eat sacrificial food, and the tannaim below [99b and 100b] disagree whether nighttime mourning is prohibited by Torah law or by rabbinic ordinance. On the night following the day of burial, the tannaim [below, 100b] disagree whether it is prohibited by rabbinic ordinance or whether there is no prohibition at all.

d.

The meat of offerings of the highest degree of sanctity, the remainder of the meal-offerings, and the breast and thigh of peace-offerings are divided among all the kohanim of the paternal division who serve on that day.

Mishna:

One who immersed that day

whose purification depends on sunset,

and one lacking atonement

who is obligated to bring an offering for his purification, such as a man or woman afflicted with a flux, since they are unfit to eat sacrificial food,

do not receive a portion of sacrificial food

that is divided among all the members of the paternal division serving on that day, in order

to eat it in the evening,

when they would be permitted to eat sacrificial food.

An onen,

on the day on which one of his close relatives died, and who is forbidden to eat sacrificial food, is nevertheless permitted to be

touching

sacrificial food [unlike one who immersed that day and one lacking atonement, who are forbidden even to touch sacrificial food],

and

however

he does not perform the sacrificial service,

and

even

does not receive a portion

of sacrificial food in order

to eat it in the evening,

when his mourning has ended.

Those with physical defects, whether those with permanent defects or those with temporary defects:

receive a portion

of sacrificial food

and eat it, but do not perform the service.

Anyone who is unfit for the service does not receive a portion of the meat

of sacrificial offerings.

And anyone who has no

share

in the meat,

also

has no

share

in the hides

that are divided among the kohanim.

Even

if he was

impure

only

at the time of the sprinkling of the blood

of the offering being divided,

and

was

pure at the time of the burning of the fats

of the offering—for example, his sun had set before the fats were burned in the evening—

he does not receive a portion of the meat.

As it is stated [Leviticus 7:14] concerning the teruma of the loaves of the thanksgiving-offering, "

to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace-offering

it shall belong

of the thanksgiving-offering;

to him it shall belong

the teruma," the Torah thereby established the right to a portion only for kohanim who are fit to sprinkle the blood.