Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Pesachim 65 - Passover sacrifice blood on the Temple floor

If the time to bring the Passover sacrifice fell on Shabbat, it proceeded as on weekdays - because the Torah said to bring it at "its appointed time" - even on Shabbat. The Kohanim priests would even wash the floor on Shabbat, but here the Sages disagreed with them - because washing the floor wasn't for the sacrifice's needs.

Since some blood would inevitably spill on the Courtyard's floor, Rabbi Yehudah recommended scooping a cup from the floor and throwing it on the Altar walls. Otherwise, that sacrifice for which the blood spilled would be invalid. The Sages disagreed because the minor amount of blood that spilled would be nullified in all other blood. Rabbi Yehudah answered that like does not get nullified in like.

Art:  The Floor Scrapers by Gustave Caillebotte


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