Zevachim 119

אמה אל הכתף ומה ת"ל (שמות כז, א) ה' אמות משפת מזבח ולמעלה

What then is the meaning of 'And the height five cubits'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVII, 18.');">¹</span> From the [upper] edge of the altar to the top [of the hangings].

ומה ת"ל (שמות כז, א) ושלש אמות קומתו משפת סובב ולמעלה

And what does 'and the height thereof shall be three cubits' mean? From the edge of the terrace to the top [of the altar].

ור' יהודה כי גמיר גזירת שוה ברחבה הוא דגמיר

And R'Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How does he rebut this?');">²</span> - He relates the gezerah shawah to the breadth.

ולרבי יהודה הא קא מיתחזי כהן נהי דכהן מיתחזי עבודה דבידו לא מיתחזי

Now according to R'Judah, surely the priest could be seen? - Granted that the priest could be seen, the service [sacrifice] in his hand could not be seen. As for R'Judah.

בשלמא לרבי יהודה היינו דכתיב (מלכים א ח, סד) קידש אלא לרבי יוסי מאי קידש להעמיד בה מזבח

it is well: hence it is written, [did the king] hallow.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He hallowed the pavement to serve as an altar.');">³</span> But according to R'Jose, what is the meaning of 'did hallow [the middle of the court]? '<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which respect did he hallow it?');">⁴</span>

בשלמא לרבי יוסי היינו דכתיב קטן אלא לרבי יהודה מאי קטן הכי קאמר מזבח אבנים שעשה שלמה תחת מזבח הנחשת קטן הוה

- [He hallowed it] to set up the altar therein.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For this purpose itself the pavement had to be hallowed.');">⁵</span> As for R'Jose, it is well: hence it is written, '[was] little'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not, 'was too little', as E.V. R. Jose understands the verse (I Kings VIII, 64) to mean that Solomon set up an altar of stones, because the brazen altar was unfit, and euphemistically called 'small'.');">⁶</span>

במאי פליגי מר סבר דנין חוץ מחוץ ואין דנין חוץ מפנים

But according to R'Judah, what is meant by 'little'? - This is what it means: The altar of stones which Solomon made instead of the brazen altar was too small. Wherein do they differ?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. R. Jose who learns the gezerah shawah of 'square' from the golden altar, and R. Judah who learns it from Ezekiel.');">⁸</span>

ומר סבר דנין כלי מכלי ואין דנין כלי מבנין

- One master holds: You learn without from without,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The brazen altar and the Temple court were both 'without', i.e., not in the inner sanctum.');">⁹</span> but you do not learn without from within.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., from the golden altar, which was in the inner sanctum.');">¹⁰</span>

אמר רבא מודה רבי יהודה בדמים דתניא רבי יהודה אומר כוס אחד היה ממלא מדם התערובות ושופכו על גבי מזבח שאם ישפך דמו של אחת מהן נמצא זה מכשירו

While the other master holds: You learn a utensil from a utensil, but you do not learn a vessel from an edifice.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Both the brazen altar and the golden altar were technically utensils, whereas Ezekiel's stone altar was a constructed edifice.');">¹¹</span> Raba said: R'Judah admits in respect of the blood.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the blood could not be sprinkled on the pavement. He sanctified the pavement only in respect of the burning of the fats and the limbs.');">¹²</span>

ואי סלקא דעתך סבר רבי יהודה כולה עזרה מיקדשא הא איתעבידא ליה מצוותיה

For it was taught. R'Judah said: He used to fill a goblet with the mingled blood, so that should the blood of one of them be spilt, it is found that this renders it fit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He hallowed the pavement to serve as an altar.');">³</span>

ודלמא משום דקסבר שפיכה מכח האדם בעינן אם כן נשקליה ונשפיך ליה אדוכתיה

But if you think that R'Judah holds that the whole of the Temple court was sanctified,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even for the sprinkling of the blood.');">¹⁴</span> the precept has been already performed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The very act of spilling constitutes sprinkling.');">¹⁵</span>

ודלמא משום דבעינן מצוה מן המובחר

- [No:] perhaps that is because he holds that we require pouring out with man's force?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., intentionally done, and not accidentally spilt.');">¹⁶</span> - If so, let us take it and pour it out in its place.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As soon as the blood is received in a vessel, let it be poured out there and then.');">¹⁷</span>

אמר רבי אלעזר מזבח שנפגם אין אוכלין בגינו שירי מנחה שנאמר (ויקרא י, יב) ואכלוה מצות אצל המזבח וכי אצל המזבח אכלוה אלא בזמן שהוא שלם ולא בזמן שהוא חסר

[No:] perhaps [that cannot be done] because he holds that the precept must be performed in the most fitting way.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is to sprinkle the blood actually on the altar. Yet possibly, if he did intentionally pour it out on the ground, the rite would be valid.');">¹⁸</span> R'Eleazar said: If the altar was damaged, you cannot eat the remainder of the meal-offering on account of it, because it is said, And eat it without leaven beside the altar.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. X, 12.');">¹⁹</span>

אשכחן שירי מנחה קדשי קדשים מנלן ת"ל קדש קדשים

Now did they eat it then beside the altar?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It might be eaten anywhere in the Temple court.');">²⁰</span> Rather [it means]: when it is whole, and not when it is damaged.

קדשים קלים מנין אמר אביי אתיא מדרשא דר' יוסי דתניא ר' יוסי אומר ג' דברים משום

We have found [it true of] the residue of the meal-offering. How do we know [it of] sacrifices of higher sanctity? - The implication of 'holy' [kodesh] is learnt by a gezerah shawah.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., we learn 'holy', 'holy' (Emended text-Sh. M.) . - The present text states, for it is most holy, and so the same law is applied to sacrifices of higher sanctity, which are likewise so designated. e.g.. Lev. VI. 18.');">²¹</span> Whence do we know [it of] sacrifices of lesser sanctity? - Said Abaye: It is derived by R'Jose's exegesis. For it was taught: R'Jose sta three laws on the authority of