## Zevachim Daf 54a

###### Zevachim 54a:1
[Zevachim 54a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:1)

״חֹפֵף עָלָיו כׇּל הַיּוֹם״. לְפִיכָךְ זָכָה בִּנְיָמִין הַצַּדִּיק וְנַעֲשָׂה אוּשְׁפִּיזְכָן לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵן״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**“He covers it throughout the day,** and He dwells between his shoulders” (Deuteronomy 33:12). The term “covers it” is understood to mean that Benjamin is continually focused upon that site. **Therefore, Benjamin the righteous was privileged and became the host of the Holy One, Blessed be He,** as the Holy of Holies was built in his portion. **As it is stated: “And He dwells between his shoulders.”**


###### Zevachim 54a:2
[Zevachim 54a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:2)

מֵיתִיבִי: עוֹלַת הָעוֹף כֵּיצַד הָיְתָה נַעֲשֵׂית? הָיָה מוֹלֵק אֶת רֹאשָׁהּ מִמּוּל עוֹרְפָּהּ, וּמַבְדִּיל, וּמְמַצֶּה דָּמָהּ עַל קִיר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara **raises an objection** from a *baraita*: **How** was the rite of **a bird burnt offering performed?** The priest ascended the ramp and turned to the surrounding ledge. When he arrived at the southeast corner, the priest **would pinch** the bird’s **head** by pinching **at** its **nape** with his thumbnail **and sever** the bird’s head from its body, **and** would **squeeze out its blood on the wall of the altar.**


###### Zevachim 54a:3
[Zevachim 54a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:3)

וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ לֹא הָיָה לָהּ יְסוֹד – בְּאַוֵּירָא בְּעָלְמָא הוּא דְּקָא עָבֵיד! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: אֵימַר כָּךְ הִתְנוּ – אַוֵּירָא דְּבִנְיָמִין, קַרְקַע דִּיהוּדָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara states its objection: **And if you say** that the southeast corner of the altar **had no base, is he merely performing** the rite **in the air,** i.e., not within the domain of the altar? **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Say** that when Eretz Yisrael was apportioned, they **made this condition: The airspace** of what would become the southeast part of the altar is in the portion of the tribe **of Benjamin,** so the pinching of the bird offering was performed within the domain of the altar. But the **land** was in the portion of the tribe **of Judah.**


###### Zevachim 54a:4
[Zevachim 54a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:4)

מַאי לֹא (הֲוָה) [הָיָה] לָהּ יְסוֹד? רַב אָמַר: בְּבִנְיָן, לֵוִי אָמַר: בְּדָמִים. רַב מְתַרְגֵּם: ״בְּאַחְסָנְתֵּיהּ יִתְבְּנֵי מַדְבְּחָא״, לֵוִי מְתַרְגֵּם: ״בְּאַחְסָנְתֵּיהּ יִתְבְּנֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא״ – מְקוֹם מְקוּדָּשׁ לְדָמִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara asks: **What** does the *baraita* mean when it states that the southeast corner of the altar **had no base? Rav says:** It is **with regard to** the fact that it had no base **built** on those sides. **Levi says:** It is **with regard to** the fact that no **blood** was sprinkled on that side, as the blood was not permitted to be presented there, even though there was a physical base. Based on this dispute, each of them disagreed as to the correct Aramaic translation of the verse: “Benjamin is a wolf that tears apart; in the morning he devours the prey, and in the evening he divides the spoil” (Genesis 49:27). **Rav translates** this as: **In his portion will the altar be built. Levi translates** this as: **In his portion will the Sanctuary be built,** which means: **A place sanctified for blood.**


###### Zevachim 54a:5
[Zevachim 54a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:5)

תָּא שְׁמַע: הַיְסוֹד הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ עַל פְּנֵי כׇּל הַצָּפוֹן וְעַל פְּנֵי כׇּל הַמַּעֲרָב, אוֹכֵל בַּדָּרוֹם אַמָּה אַחַת וּבַמִּזְרָח אַמָּה אַחַת! מַאי ״אוֹכֵל״ נָמֵי – בְּדָמִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara brings proof for each opinion: **Come** and **hear** a proof for the explanation of Rav from a mishna (*Middot* 35b): **The base** of the altar **would extend along all of the northern** side **and along all of the western** side. It **consumed one cubit on the southern** side **and one cubit on the eastern** side. This indicates that there was no base on most of the southern or eastern sides of the altar. The Gemara comments: Levi would explain: **What** is the meaning of the term: **Consume?** The *baraita*, **as well,** is stated **with regard to** consuming **blood** of the offerings.


###### Zevachim 54a:6
[Zevachim 54a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:6)

תָּא שְׁמַע: הַמִּזְבֵּחַ הָיָה שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם עַל שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם! הָכָא בְּמַאי עָסְקִינַן – מִן הַצַּד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** a proof for the explanation of Levi from that same mishna: **The altar was thirty-two** cubits **by thirty-two** cubits. This indicates that there was a base on all four sides, in accordance with the opinion of Levi. Rav could answer: **Here we are dealing with** the measurement **from the side.** In other words, only the northern and western sides were thirty-two cubits in length.


###### Zevachim 54a:7
[Zevachim 54a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:7)

תָּא שְׁמַע: נִמְצָא פּוֹרֵחַ אַמָּה עַל יְסוֹד וְאַמָּה עַל סוֹבֵב! אֵימָא כְּנֶגֶד אַמָּה יְסוֹד, וְעַל אַמָּה סוֹבֵב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** a proof for the explanation of Levi from a *baraita*: **It turns out** the top of the ramp of the altar would **overhang** one **cubit** in the air **over** the **base** of the altar **and** one **cubit over** the **surrounding ledge.** This indicates that it had a base on all four sides, as the ramp was on the southern side. Rav could answer: **Say** that the *baraita* means it would overhang **toward** the place where the **base** of a **cubit** would have been, **and** one **cubit over** the **surrounding ledge.**


###### Zevachim 54a:8
[Zevachim 54a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:8)

תָּא שְׁמַע, דְּתָנֵי לֵוִי: כֵּיצַד בּוֹנִין אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ? מְבִיאִין מַלְבֵּן שֶׁהוּא שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם עַל שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם וְגוֹבְהוֹ אַמָּה, וּמֵבִיא חֲלוּקֵי אֲבָנִים מְפוּלָּמוֹת – בֵּין גְּדוֹלוֹת בֵּין קְטַנּוֹת, וּמֵבִיא סִיד וְקוּנְיָא וָזֶפֶת, וּמְמַחֶה וְשׁוֹפֵךְ. וְזֶה הוּא מְקוֹם יְסוֹד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** a proof, **as Levi teaches** in a *baraita*: **How does one build the altar?** He **brings a square** wooden frame, **which is thirty-two** cubits **by thirty-two** cubits, **and its height is one cubit. And he brings pieces of damp [*mefulamot*] stone, both large and small,** which are the main components of the altar, which is described as: “An altar of stone” (Exodus 20:22). **And he brings plaster and molten lead and tar, and melts** them **and pours** the mixture into the gaps between the stones. **And this is the place of** the **base** of the altar.


###### Zevachim 54a:9
[Zevachim 54a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:9)

וְחוֹזֵר וּמֵבִיא מַלְבֵּן שֶׁהוּא שְׁלֹשִׁים אַמָּה עַל שְׁלֹשִׁים אַמָּה וְגוֹבְהוֹ חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת, וּמֵבִיא חֲלוּקֵי אֲבָנִים כּוּ׳. וְחוֹזֵר וּמֵבִיא מַלְבֵּן שֶׁהוּא עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה עַל עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה אַמּוֹת וְגוֹבְהוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת, וּמֵבִיא חֲלוּקֵי כּוּ׳. וְהוּא מְקוֹם הַמַּעֲרָכָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And then he brings a square** wooden frame, **which is thirty cubits by thirty cubits, and its height is five cubits. And he brings pieces of** damp **stone,** both large and small. And he brings plaster and molten lead and tar, and melts them and pours the mixture into the gaps between the stones. **And then he brings a square** wooden frame, **which is twenty-eight** cubits **by twenty-eight cubits, and its height is three cubits. And he brings pieces of** damp stone, both large and small. And he brings plaster and molten lead and tar, and melts them and pours the mixture into the gaps between the stones. **And this is the place of the arrangement** of wood on the altar.


###### Zevachim 54a:10
[Zevachim 54a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:10)

וְחוֹזֵר וּמֵבִיא מַלְבֵּן שֶׁהוּא אַמָּה עַל אַמָּה, וּמֵבִיא חֲלוּקֵי אֲבָנִים מְפוּלָּמוֹת בֵּין גְּדוֹלוֹת בֵּין קְטַנּוֹת, וּמֵבִיא זֶפֶת וְקוּנְיָא, וּמְמַחֶה וְשׁוֹפֵךְ. וְזֶהוּ קֶרֶן. וְכֵן לְכׇל קֶרֶן וָקֶרֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And then he brings a square** wooden frame, **which is** one **cubit by** one **cubit. And he brings pieces of damp stone, both large and small. And he brings plaster and molten lead and tar, and melts** them **and pours** the mixture into the frame. **And this is** the **corner** of the altar. **And so** he does this **for each and every corner.** This *baraita* indicates that the altar had a base around all four sides.


###### Zevachim 54a:11
[Zevachim 54a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Zevachim/r/54a:11)

וְכִי תֵּימָא

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **And if you would say**