Commentary for Zevachim 225:17

מדקאמר הכי לאו למימרא דלא הוו ולטעמיך הרוגי נבוכדנצר הכי נמי דלא הוו אלא הוו ופנינהו הכא נמי הוו ופנינהו ואי אפנו

And they brought oxen with doors on their backs;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These doors likewise interposed between the defilement of a possible lost grave and the children who sat on them. This was done when they left the courtyards and went to the Pool of Siloam to draw water for mixing with the ashes of the Red Heifer.');">²¹</span> the children sat on them and carried stone goblets,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A vessel of stone cannot become unclean.');">²²</span> which they filled [with water] and then returned to their place!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This proves that Eretz Israel was not regarded as clear of lost graves.');">²³</span> - Said R'Huna, the son of R'Joshua: They were especially strict in the case of the [Red] Heifer. R'Johanan refuted Resh Lakish: On one occasion they found [human] bones in the Wood Chamber,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the wood was kept for the altar.');">²⁴</span> and they desired to declare Jerusalem unclean. Whereupon R'Joshua rose to his feet and exclaimed: Is it not a shame and disgrace to us that we declare the city of our fathers unclean! Where are the dead of the Flood, and where are the dead of Nebuchadnezzar?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They are found elsewhere, but not here.');">²⁵</span> Since he said, 'Where are the dead of the Flood? ' he surely meant that they had not been there [in Jerusalem]? - Then on your reasoning, had there been none of the slain of Nebuchadnezzar [there]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of course there were, as many were slain when he captured Jerusalem.');">²⁶</span> Rather, they had been, but were removed; so here too<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In respect of the dead of the Flood.');">²⁷</span> they had been [in Eretz Israel], but were cleared away. But if they were removed,

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