Zevachim 27 – If the Blood was Applied in the Wrong Place

If the blood of a sacrifice was applied in the wrong place, for example, blood that was supposed to be on the upper part of the Altar was applied to the lower part, or vice versa, or if the blood that was supposed to be sprinkled within the Hall of the Temple was applied outside, that is, in the Courtyard, or vice versa, the sacrifice is invalid, but eating its meat does not bear the penalty of being cut off from the people.

There are many ways to understand this rule. Shmuel said that although the sacrifice is invalid, its owners still receive atonement, based on the phrase, “And I gave you and Altar for atonement”, implying all of the Altar. But one may ask that if so, the meat should also be eaten! - Shmuel understands “For atonement” only, not for other purposes.

Resh Lakish agrees with Shmuel if the Kohen applied the blood silently, but if he announced a wrong intent, it is completely invalid. Still, it does not qualify for being cut off.

Rabbi Yochanan says that applying the blood in the wrong place does not count at all.

Art: Zbigniew Tymoszewski - Still Life with a Piece of Meat

Zevachim 26 – Position of Sacrifices

Each sacrifice had its prescribed place of slaughter. For example, the most holy offerings were slaughtered in the northern part of the Temple courtyard. If the Kohen stood in the southern part, stretched his arm into the northern part and performed the slaughter, it is valid. On the other hand, if he received the blood while standing in the southern part, the sacrifice is invalid.

The father of Shmuel asked his son a question, “If one suspended an offering in the air and slaughtered it, what is the law?” Shmuel said that it was valid. “Wrong!” - said the father, since the slaughter has to be “At the side” of the Altar, not above. Next question, “What if the slaughterer was suspended in the air?” “It is invalid!” - answered Shmuel. “Wrong!” - said the father, slaughter should be “At the side,” not that the slaughterer should be “at the side.”

The Altar was 10 cubits (20 feet) high, and a red line marked the separation between the upper and the lower halves. The blood of most offerings was applied to the lower half; only the blood of the sin-offering and of the bird burnt-offering was applied at the upper half – ideally at the “horns” on top.

Art: Giovanni Martinelli - The Sacrifice Of Noah

Zevachim 25 – Receiving the Blood of the Sacrifice

The phrase “The anointed Kohen shall take from the blood of the bull”  teaches that the kohen must receive from the lifeblood, and not from the blood of the skin, nor from the remnant blood. The term “the bull” implies that the blood of the very essence of the bull, that is, its lifeblood, should be received.

The blood of the skin is that blood which is drawn from the animal's body with the initial cutting of the skin, before the inner organs are severed. The remnant blood is the blood that trickles out before and after the lifeblood. Neither can be used for sacrificial service.

The Kohen should receive the blood in a service vessel directly from the bull's neck. If the blood first spilled on the floor, and afterwards the Kohen gathered it up, it is invalid.

Rabbi Assi asked Rabbi Yochanan a question, “If one was receiving blood, and the bottom of the bowl gave way before the blood reached the airspace of the bowl, is it valid?” Rabbi Yochanan explained that if the bowl was defective and destined to fall apart, the blood is not considered resting in it, but if it was good – then the blood is considered received even before it reached the space inside the bowl.

Art: James Ward - Study of a Bull

Zevachim 24 – How Do the Kohanim Stand on the Floor

If a Kohen was standing on a utensil, on an animal, or on his colleague’s feet while receiving the blood, the sacrifice becomes invalid.

It was indeed necessary to give all three examples. If we only knew about a utensil, we could have thought that it invalidates the service because it is not flesh. And if we knew only about an animal, we could have said, that is because it is not human flesh. Therefore, the rule in fact taught all three prohibitions.

If the Kohen stood with one foot on a vessel and another one on the Temple floor – we analyze the situation: if the vessel can be removed and the Kohen would still remain standing, the service is valid.

Rabbi Ami asked, if one stone was removed and the Kohen stood in the hole, what is the law? Given that King David sanctified both the upper level of the floor and the lower, the soil can serve as the floor, but is it proper to do the service that way? The question remained unanswered.

Rabbi Shimon permits to receive blood even with the left hand.

Art: John Singer Sargent - Feet Of An Arab, - Tiberias

Zevachim 23 - Uncircumcised in Flesh and Uncircumcised in Heart

Any Kohen who is not circumcised, if he serves in the Temple, makes the sacrifices invalid. This is true even if he had a valid reason not to be circumcised, such as if his brothers had died on account of circumcision.

In addition, any Kohen who is "estranged from his Father in Heaven," that is, who turned away from Torah observance, should not serve in the Temple, and if he does, his sacrifices are invalid. This is learned from the phrase in Ezekiel, "Uncircumcised in flesh and uncircumcised in heart". A questions was asked - and before Ezekiel ben Buzi, did the estranged Kohanim serve in the Temple? Of course not! Then how can we learn a new law from a prophet? We know that Moses taught all the laws the Torah, and they were not changed! - Yes, Moses taught it, but it was an oral tradition, until Ezekiel came and wrote it down.

Any kohen who is ritually impure invalidates the service. This is true only of impurity caused by a dead dead animal, such as a rat, but the impurity of a human corpse, since it is permitted under some circumstances, does not invalidate the service. Additionally, a Kohen who performs service while sitting invalidates the sacrifices.

Art: Charles Emile Callande de Champmartin - Study of a Head of a Corpse

Zevachim 22 – The Water Cistern (Kiyor)

The Kiyor was a large copper vessel, from which the Kohanim would wash their hands and feet. It had twelve spouts to avoid lines. The water in the Kiyor could come from any source, according to one opinion, but according to another, it had to come from a spring.

If the water in the Kiyor remained there overnight, it become invalid and had to be replaced. Therefore, they used to lower the Kiyor into a mikvah, with the help of a wheel, just before daybreak, and according to other opinions, at more time periods during the night.

Any Temple vessel could also be used for sanctifying the Kohen's hands and feet, but a regular non-sacrificial vessel could not. Why? Let's try to prove this by comparison with the copper base, in which the Kiyor stood. Since this base could not be used for washing the Kohen's hands and feet, even though it was a Temple vessel, isn't it true that a regular vessel surely could not be used? - No! The base is not made for storing water at all! Rather, this is derived from the word that the Torah used - “from it” - and not from other vessels!

Art: Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin - The Copper Drinking Fountain

Zevachim 21 – Kohanim Dipping Their Hands and Feet

The standard procedure for the kohanim to sanctify their hands and feet in the morning is as follows: the kohen is standing in front of the vessel, he places his hands on his feet, and the water is spilled on them from a spout in the vessel.

Could they to instead dip their hands and feet into the vessel? Can we derive the answer from another rule: if a kohen dipped his hands and feet in a mikvah, he still needs to sanctify them from the vessel. Can we conclude that it is only after a mikvah that he needs another sanctification? - Not necessarily, maybe dipping in the vessel is also ineffective.

Then why not state this rule about the vessel, and we will deduce the rule about the mikvah? Because you might have thought that, since one can ritually bathe the whole body in the mikvah, how much more so he is allowed to dip just hands and feet! Therefore, the rule tells you otherwise.

Art: Edgar Degas - Study of hands