Zevachim 108

דגייז ליה אבנים שלמות כתיב

that he [subsequently] cut it away,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the base was built, a cubit was cut away on the south side.');">¹</span> [surely] 'unhewn [whole] stones' are prescribed!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVII, 6. Cutting away from the base would inevitably cut into the stones, so that they would not be whole.');">²</span> - They placed a plank there, and then removed it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the first mould planks were placed on the south and the east sides, a cubit from the edge, so that when the stones etc. were poured in, these strips would be left empty; subsequently they were removed.');">³</span> For if you will not say thus, when R'Kahana said: The horns<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So emended by Sh. M.');">⁴</span>

דמחית מידי מתותיה ושקיל ליה דאי לא תימא הכי הא דאמר רב כהנא אבנים של קרנות חלולות היו דכתיב (זכריה ט, טו) ומלאו כמזרק כזויות מזבח הכא נמי אבנים שלמות אמר רחמנא אלא דמחית מידי מתותיה ושקיל ליה ה"נ דמחית מידי מתותיה ושקיל ליה

were hollow, for it is written, And they shall be filled like the basins, like the horns of the altar,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zech. IX, 15. - That implies that the horns were hollowed out to form a receptacle.');">⁵</span> here too [you may object that] the Divine Law prescribed 'whole stones'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereas if the horns were hollowed or perforated after they were made, the stones would have to be cut into.');">⁶</span> But [you must answer] that something was [first] placed there<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thin laths formed the hollow or channels before the stones etc. were poured into it, and these were not filled in.');">⁷</span> and then removed; so here too, planks were [first] placed there and then removed.

דרש רבא מאי דכתיב (שמואל א יט, יח) וילך דוד ושמואל וישבו בנויות ברמה וכי מה ענין נויות אצל רמה אלא שהיו יושבין ברמה ועוסקין בנויו של עולם

Raba lectured: What is meant by the verse, [And he asked and said: 'Where are Samuel and David? '] And one said: 'Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah':<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam. XIX, 22.');">⁸</span> What connection then has Naioth with Ramah? It means, however, that they sat at Ramah and were engaged with the glory [beauty] of the world.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Connecting Naioth with na'eh, beautiful, glorious. The reference is to the Temple-they sought to determine its exact site.');">⁹</span> Said they, It is written, Then shalt thou arise, and ascend unto the place [which the Lord thy God shall choose]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XVII, 8.');">¹⁰</span>

אמרי כתיב (דברים יז, ח) וקמת ועלית אל המקום מלמד שבית המקדש גבוה מכל ארץ ישראל וארץ ישראל גבוהה מכל ארצות לא הוו ידעי דוכתיה היכא

this teaches that the Temple was higher than the whole of Eretz Israel,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since one had to 'ascend' to it from wherever he might be.');">¹¹</span> while Eretz Israel is higher than all othe countries. They did not know where that place was. Thereupon they brought the Book of Joshua.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To study the topography of Eretz Israel.');">¹²</span>

אייתו ספר יהושע בכולהו כתיב (יהושע יח, יד) וירד ועלה הגבול ותאר הגבול בשבט בנימין ועלה כתיב וירד לא כתיב אמרי ש"מ הכא הוא מקומו

In the case of all [tribal territories] it is written, 'And the border went down' 'and the border went up' 'and the border passed along',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Josh. XV-XVIII.');">¹³</span> whereas in reference to the tribe of Benjamin 'and it went up' is written, but not 'and it went down'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The border of other tribes ran in a southerly direction from the well of Etam, and the north as far as the well of Etam constituted Benjamin's boundary. Now, the boundaries of other tribes as they proceeded south from the well of Etam are described as going down, whereas the boundary of Benjamin as it proceeded to the well of Etam is described as going up. Hence the well of Etam must have been the highest spot of all. Rashi identifies the well of Etam with 'the waters of Nephtoah' (ibid. XVIII, 15.) V. also J.E. art. 'Etam'.');">¹⁴</span> Said they: This proves that this is its site. They intended building it at the well of Etam, which is raised, but [then] they said: Let us build it slightly lower,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. in Jerusalem.');">¹⁵</span>

סבור למבנייה בעין עיטם דמדלי אמרי ניתתי ביה קליל כדכתיב (דברים לג, יב) ובין כתפיו שכן

as it is written, And He dwelleth between his shoulders.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIII, 12. 'Shoulders' but not 'head' implies that it should not be at the very highest point.');">¹⁶</span> Alternatively,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An alternative reason why they did not build it at the well of Etam.');">¹⁷</span> there was a tradition that the Sanhedrin<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Supreme Court of seventy-one; v. Sanh. 2a. Its seat was in a special chamber ('Chamber of Hewn Stone') in the Temple court.');">¹⁸</span> should have its locale in Judah's portion, while the Divine Presence<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Temple.');">¹⁹</span>

ואיבעית אימא גמירי דסנהדרין בחלקו דיהודה ושכינה בחלקו דבנימין ואי מדלינן ליה מתפליג טובא מוטב דניתתי ביה פורתא כדכתיב ובין כתפיו שכן

was to be in Benjamin's portion. If then we build it in the highest spot,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'if we raise it'.');">²⁰</span> [said they,] there will be a considerable distance between them. Better then that we build it slightly lower, as it is written: 'And He dwelleth between his shoulders'.

ועל דבר זה נתקנא דואג האדומי בדוד כדכתיב (תהלים סט, י) כי קנאת ביתך אכלתני וכתיב (תהלים קלב, א) זכור ה' לדוד את כל ענותו אשר נשבע לה' וגו' אם אבא באהל ביתי אם אתן שנת לעיני לעפעפי תנומה עד אמצא מקום לה' וגו'

And for this Doeg the Edomite envied David,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., because David had thus decided the site of the Temple.');">²¹</span> as it is written, Because envy on account of Thy house hath eaten me up.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXIX, 10. E.V., 'zeal for Thy house etc.'');">²²</span> And it is written, Lord, remember unto David all his affliction; how he swore unto the Lord, and vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob: 'Surely I will not come into the tent of my house, nor go up into the bed that is spread for me; I wil not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine eyelids; until I find out a place for the Lord, a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob. Lo, we heard of it as being in Ephrath; we found it in the field of the forest.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXXXII, 2-6.');">²³</span>

הנה שמענוה באפרתה מצאנוה בשדה יער באפרתה זה יהושע דקאתי מאפרים מצאנוה בשדה יער זה בנימין דכתיב (בראשית מט, כז) בנימין זאב יטרף:

'In Ephrath' means in the Book of Joshua,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Emended text (Aruk) .');">²⁴</span> who [Joshua] was descended from Ephraim.' In the field of the forest' alludes to [the territory of] Benjamin, as it is written, Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLIX, 27. Being a 'wolf', he would naturally be found in the forest');">²⁵</span> <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>THE PEACE-OFFERINGS OF THE CONGREGATION<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The lambs offered on Pentecost, Lev. XXIII, 19.');">²⁶</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> זבחי שלמי צבור ואשמות אלו הן אשמות אשם גזילות אשם מעילות אשם שפחה חרופה אשם נזיר אשם מצורע אשם תלוי

AND THE GUILT-OFFERINGS (THESE ARE THE GUILT-OFFERINGS: THE GUILT-OFFERING FOR ROBBERY;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Lev. V, 20-25.');">²⁷</span> FOR TRESPASS;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 176, n. 10.; ibid 15f.');">²⁸</span> FOR A BETROTHED BONDMAID;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. ibid. XIX, 20 seq.');">²⁹</span> A NAZIRITE'S GUILT-OFFERING;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A nazirite who became defiled through a corpse, v. Num. VI, 9 seq.');">³⁰</span>

שחיטתן בצפון וקיבול דמן בכלי שרת בצפון ודמן טעון שתי מתנות שהן ארבע ונאכלין לפנים מן הקלעים לזכרי כהונה לכל מאכל ליום ולילה עד חצות:

A LEPER'S GUILT-OFFERING;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At his purification, v. Lev. XIV, 12.');">³¹</span> AND THE GUILT-OFFERING OF SUSPENSE)<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 240, n. 8.');">³²</span> ARE SLAUGHTERED IN THE NORTH, AND THEIR BLOOD IS RECEIVED IN A SERVICE VESSEL IN THE NORTH, AND THEIR BLOOD REQUIRES TWO SPRINKLINGS, WHICH CONSTITUTE FOUR'AND THEY ARE EATEN WITHIN THE HANGINGS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra ');">³³</span> BY MALE PRIESTS, PREPARED IN ANY MANNER, A DAY AND A NIGHT, UNTIL MIDNIGHT.