Commentary for Zevachim 101:21

אל יסוד מזבח העולה

Our Rabbis taught: 'At the base of the altar of burnt-offering', but not at the base of the inner altar; 'at base of the altar of burnt-offering': the inner altar itself has no base; 'at the base of the altar of burnt-off apply [the laws of] the base to the altar of burnt-offering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Bible contains five sections dealing with the sin-offering (Lev. IV) , viz.: (i) The sin-offering of the anointed priest (vv. 1-12) ; (ii) that of the whole congregation (13-22) ; (iii) that of a ruler (22-26) ; (iv) the female goat of a common layman (27-32) ; and (v) the lamb of a common layman');">¹⁶</span> Yet perhaps that is not so; rather [it intimates]: there be a base to the altar of burnt-offering?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Perhaps it does not teach anything concerning the residue of the blood, but that the two sprinklings of the blood of the burnt-offering must be made over against that part of the altar which had a special base; this would exclude the south-east horn, which had no base (v. infra 53b) .');">¹⁷</span> Said R'Ishmael [This would follow] a fortiori: if the residue [of the blood of the sin-offering], which does not make atonement, requires the base; then surely the sprinkling itself of the [blood of the] burnt-offering,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the beginning of the burnt-offering'.');">¹⁸</span> which makes atonement, requires the base!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it must be sprinkled on the horns provided with a base, as in the preceding note. The rendering is not quite literal. Thus a special text would not be required, if its teaching were only as suggested.');">¹⁹</span> Said R'Akiba [too: This would follow] a fortiori: if the residue, which does not make atonement and does not come for atonement, requires the base; is it not logical that the sprinkling itself of the [blood of the] burnt-offer which makes atonement and comes for atonement, requires the base? If so, why does Scripture state, 'at the base of the altar of burnt-offering'? To teach: apply [the laws of] the base to the altar of burnt-offering. The Master said: 'At the base of the altar of burnt-offering, but not at the base of the inner altar.' Surel is required for its own purpose?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., that the residue is to be poured out at the base of the outer altar; nevertheless, if he wishes to pour it out at the base of the inner altar, he should certainly be permitted, since this is more sacred. Though it has been deduced that the inner altar had no special base at all, that is only on the assumption that all three are superfluous; but if the first is required for the purpose of stating the law, then the second is required for the present limitation, and the third as in the text, leaving nothing to shew that the inner altar was not provided with a base.');">²⁰</span> - That is learnt from, which is at the door of the tent of meeting.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which shews that the outer altar is meant; hence 'of burnt-offering' is superfluous.');">²¹</span> 'At the base of the altar of burnt-offering:

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