Zevachim Daf 58 זבחים דַף 58

The sixth Perek begins: קדשי קדשים ששחטן בראש המזבח – if kodshei kodashim were shechted on top of the מזבח, Rebbe Yose says: כאילו נשחטו בצפון – it is (valid) as if they were shechted in the north of the עזרה. Rebbe Yose bar Rebbe Yehudah says the southern half of the מזבח is considered like דרום, and the northern half of the מזבח is considered like צפון. Rebbe Yochanan says that Rebbe Yose holds the entire מזבח actually stood in צפון. The Gemara proves that Rebbe Yose bar Rebbe Yehudah holds the entire מזבח was in דרום, and they argue how to interpret the passuk: וזבחת עליו את עולותיך ואת שלמיך – and you shall shecht on it your olos and your shelamim. Rebbe Yose interprets it: כולו לעולה וכולו לשלמים – all of [the מזבח] is fit for [shechting] an olah, and all of it is fit for [shechting] a shelamim. Rebbe Yose bar Rebbe Yehudah interprets it: חציו לעולה וחציו לשלמים – half of it is fit for olah, and half of it is fit for shelamim, because otherwise, after the Torah permitted shechting an עולה on it, why would it need to mention שלמים? Rebbe Yose would reply that one might have thought that the Torah only permitted shechting an עולה on top, דדחיק ליה מקום – because it is pressed for space (since it is limited to צפון), but not שלמים.

Rebbe Yochanan said that Rebbe Yose bar Rebbe Yehudah agrees שאם שחטן כנגדן בקרקע פסולות – that if he shechted [קדשי קדשים] on the ground opposite [the מזבח] (i.e., on the floorspace of the מזבח), it is invalid, because he holds this space is in דרום. Rav Acha miDifti asked Ravina where this shechitah took place: if it was on the יסוד – base or סובב – ledge, these are part of the מזבח itself and shechitah on them should be valid!? Furthermore, this would not be described as being “on the ground”!? It cannot refer to מחילות – tunnels under the מזבח, because a Baraisa darshens "מזבח אדמה תעשה לי" – “an altar of earth you shall make for Me” to teach שיהא מחובר מאדמה – that it must be attached to the earth, and cannot be built over tunnels or arches!? The Gemara answers that the case is דבצריה בצורי – where they reduced [the מזבח] to a smaller size, and one shechted in the מזבח’s former floorspace.

Rebbe Zeira sought to prove Rebbe Yochanan’s contention (that Rebbe Yose holds the מזבח was entirely in צפון) from a Mishnah, which states that the מערכה שניה – second pyre on the מזבח, whose coals were used for burning the קטורת, was located four amos to the north of the מזבח’s southeastern corner. This is because of Rebbe Yose’s rule requiring taking the coals for קטורת from the place on the מזבח closest to the היכל entrance. Since the היכל entrance was ten amos wide, in the center of the עזרה, then whether Rebbe Yose held the מזבח was completely in דרום, or in the center of the עזרה, the מערכה would need to be further north to be parallel to the היכל entrance!? Even if the אולם and היכל are a single kedushah (allowing the מערכה to be parallel to the אולם, which extends five amos further south), more than four amos would still be necessary!? Rather, he holds the entire מזבח was in צפון, and the four amos of distance were for the יסוד, the סובב, the קרן, and another אמה for the Kohanim’s walking space. Moving it further north would draw the מערכה beyond the היכל entrance. Rav Adda bar Ahava explains how the Mishnah can follow Rebbe Yehudah, who held the מזבח stood in the center of the עזרה.