Talking Talmud

Additional consideration of the rules about absorption and how they apply to the meal offering - and also the sin-offering, both of which are specified, when we might have thought only one would apply. Plus, the regulations of the sin-offering, including the kohen's using his right hand. Also, closing out the chapter - ending on a "teku" - when both blood and grease is absorbed by a...

A new mishnah! (on the bottom of 96) - with Rabbi Tarfon's perspective, perhaps especially nuanced because he himself was a kohen. See his disagreement with the sages. With delving into the purging and rinsing, including the Pesach sacrifice as an example. Note that pigul and notar are not the focus in the way they have been previously, but the purging of the pot takes center stage (also based...

More on how absorbed flavors are to be removed from earthenware - now recognizing that smashing the earthenware would be a problem in Jerusalem. That is, the holy city had certain cautions against garbage and trash piles, which meant that the debris from the Temple needed to be handled in specific ways, depending on its composition. Also, the learning style of Rami bar Hama and Rav Sheshet, as pre...

A new mishnah (from the bottom of 94) - a garment with blood that was sprayed from a sin-offering and that was later moved out of the Temple courtyard - should be brought back to the courtyard for its laundering process. Earthenware vessels would need to be destroyed... which repurifies them, essentially. Likewise, the garment might be torn, so that it could be returned the courtyard in purity. Bu...

Starting with an investigation into the word "beged," or garment, that would become impure and perhaps need laundering. With a discussion of that which is susceptible to impurity, with 3 scenarios to distinguish between what is "fit" for impurity and what is in fact becoming impure. Size is relevant, and so is how plain the garment is - if it's supposed to be embroidered an...

What if the garment that the blood from a sin-offering sprayed onto was an impure garment? With the phrasing of the question giving away the premise of the sage who asks it. Also, a new mishnah - a list of the animals from which blood would not require laundering if it were absorbed in the kohen's garment. Also, there's a need to have the "right" amount of blood consecrated - a m...

Chapter 11! With a new mishnah - on the absorption of the blood of a sin-offering into the kohen's garments, upon which it has sprayed, and the fact that it must be laundered. But if the sin-offering itself was disqualified, then the blood from that animal does not need this kind of washing. Plus, what about the blood from a bird-sin-offering? Does its neck constitute a receptacle, or a vessel...

More on the order of the sacrifices, when there's a conflict - this time, in the context of what should be eaten first. With "frequency" and "sacredness/sanctity" being the salient factors. Until "prevalence" is introduced as a factor as well. Also, a new mishnah: When oil is distributed in the Temple courtyard, it is easily identified as among the foodstuffs for...

Bird offerings precede grain offerings, when you have to choose. Even though there are communal grain offerings. They are, after all, living creatures. And they provide atonement. Though the grain offerings have details that argue for their precedence too. Also, an order of a list of offerings from the Torah, including a sin-offering, a burnt-offering, and tithings. Which raises questions about th...

Chapter 10! With a focus on mitzvot that conflict in their timing. A new mishnah... on establishing the order of offerings, given this kind of conflict. That which is most frequent comes first. And a second mishnah! Applying "sanctity" as the determining factor of precedence. Plus other rules of thumb - including, perhaps most importantly, biblical verses that establish the order, at lea...

Items are sanctified when they are put in holy vessels, but not all substances in all materials of vessels. So too, the priestly garments also atone. Note that the service needed to be done in new, pre-washed garments, for the sake of the glory (and wealth) of the Temple. Also, how the priestly garments are connected to the sacrifices from the Torah. And a quick catalogue of which garment atones f...

More on how the altar, the ramp, and the vessels sanctify that which reaches each of them respectively - including the sources for this sanctification, according to the sages. Also, is the "air space" of the altar considered to be like the altar itself or not?

A new mishnah! What items would be taken off the altar if they were brought there, even if by accident? Plus, what parts of an animal that was brought for an offering were not burned with he rest of the animal - for a burnt-offering, that is? Moreover, the Gemara addresses the principle of burning the offering in full. But is everything really burned in full? And... another new mishnah! With a foc...

Given the clear categorization and classification of all of the various factors for the sacrifices, Ullah addresses cases of "kodshim kalim" - when the parts of these offerings were on the offering before the sprinkling of the blood (which was usually necessary to make them suitable for the altar). Plus, a key distinction between animals that were already slaughtered as compared to those...

On the debate over what items can be taken down from the altar, and which must remain here - and then, against the backdrop of the several tannaitic views, the decision was made. With libations in a different category from the offerings themselves, apparently. Also, a new mishnah! Paying new attention to that which became invalidated before bringing them into the courtyard, let alone on the altar....

Finishing chapter 8: If the kohen brought the blood of the offering into the Sanctuary unintentionally, the offering remains valid - implying that if he had done so intentionally, it would have invalidated the offering, but it seems to remain acceptable anyway. Plus, the Gemara lines up the various opinions to clarify them. Also, beginning chapter 9, with a new mishnah! On how the altar sanctified...

An outer offering is invalid when its blood is brought into the Sanctuary - which seems to be the sin-offering. With Rabbi Akiva's exegesis. Also, a new chapter and a new mishnah! With cups in and out of the courtyard - again reviewing what invalidates the offering. Also, comparing offerings with a tenant vs. a scheduled release indenture - and why it doesn't quite work.

More on the question of blood that was mixed together - this time, if blood that should have been above the red line with that which should have been below the red line - and it is, of course, a matter of dispute. Also, sources for the blood needing to be where it is placed by which animal on the altar, though there's little practical application, despite the disputes.

A long mishnah that begins on daf 79b: More on mixtures of blood - first, that of an animal with no blemish with that of an animal with a blemish. Which necessitates spilling that mixture down the drain. But the cases here recognize the difference between what is ideal and what needs to be tolerated, or is considered acceptable once it has already been done. Which moves the discussion to the quest...

Even a mixture of liquid may depend on majority, though the appearance of the mixture may make the difference -- for example, if the color of the liquid is lighter than it would have been without being mixed with another liquid. With different treatment of spit as compared to urine. But the substance itself can't be nullified by the same kind of substance. Plus, an impure person's urine th...

A new mishnah! If the blood of an offering were mixed with blood... it is still acceptable as an offering. What if it were mixed with wine? Or if the bloods mingled.... The blood must appear to be blood, at the very least, rather than whatever other liquid it might have mingled with. Plus, the debate over what it means for the blood to be recognizable. And the question of which liquid becomes the...

Two new mishnayot for today's episode (and one for tomorrow's): 1. What happens if the limbs of already slaughtered animals for different offerings are mixed up? With several possible solutions to the mix-up to ensure that nothing is violating the honor and sanctity of the altar. 2. What if the limbs of a valid offering are mixed with the limbs of a blemished offering? And again, with asse...

Money from the sale of shevi'it produce cannot be used to purchase terumah produce, lest the permissible time to eat the produce be too limited. But Rabbi Shimon seems to allow terumah spices even when one might have thought the permitted time period is long over. With several cases of back and forth on his views. Also, when the stringencies of both guilt-offerings and peace-offerings - for ex...

When there's a mix-up of sacrifices and it's not clear who brought which offering, then the question of semihah - the laying on of hands on the animal - comes to the fore. Plus, what if the mix-up is between private ownership vs. public ownership? Or is the mix-up just the blood? And how - again - might it compare to the parah adumah? (Spoiler alert: It doesn't.) Also, all offerings ca...

More on mix-ups of prohibited animals together with permitted animals... with a tour back to Tractate Avodah Zarah, with a ring of idolatry that was intermingled with other non-prohibited rings. And then one is lost in the Mediterranean. How does that affect the decision about majority? And how does it inform the understanding of the animals...? Plus, the division to form majority - with the speci...