## Zevachim Daf 54b

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

דְּגָיֵיז לֵיהּ, ״אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת״ כְּתִיב!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**that he cuts** the base on the southern and western sides after he has poured the mixture for the altar and it has dried, **it is written** concerning the altar: “You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of **unhewn stones;** and you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 27:6), so it cannot be cut.


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

דְּמַחֵית מִידֵּי מִתּוּתֵיהּ, וְשָׁקֵיל לֵיהּ. דְּאִי לָא תֵּימָא הָכִי, הָא דְּאָמַר רַב כָּהֲנָא: אֲבָנִים שֶׁל קְרָנוֹת חֲלוּלוֹת הָיוּ – דִּכְתִיב: ״וּמָלְאוּ כַּמִּזְרָק כְּזָוִיֹּת מִזְבֵּחַ״; הָכָא נָמֵי ״אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת״ אָמַר רַחֲמָנָא! אֶלָּא דְּמַחֵית מִידֵּי מִתּוּתֵיהּ וְשָׁקֵיל לֵיהּ; הָכָא נָמֵי, דְּמַחֵית מִידֵּי מִתּוּתֵיהּ וְשָׁקֵיל לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav could answer: This means **that he places something under** the frame, in the place where there is to be no base, **and** after the poured mixture has dried he **removes it,** leaving the space empty. **As if you do not say so,** how will you explain **that which Rav Kahana says: The stone** interiors **of the corners were hollow,** i.e., there were gaps between the stones, **as it is written: “And they shall be filled like the basins, like the corners of the altar”** (Zechariah 9:15)? The verse compares the corners to hollow basins. **Here too,** doesn’t **the Merciful One state** that the altar must be made of **“unhewn stones”?** If so, how could the corners be hollow? **Rather,** it must be **that he places something,** e.g., sticks and twigs, **under** the frame and pours the mixture for the corners over it, **and** when it has hardened, **removes** the sticks and twigs, leaving the corners somewhat hollow. **Here too, he places something under** the frame **and** later **removes it.**


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

דָּרֵשׁ רָבָא, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד וּשְׁמוּאֵל וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בְּנוֹיוֹת בָּרָמָה״? וְכִי מָה עִנְיַן נוֹיוֹת אֵצֶל רָמָה? אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין בָּרָמָה וְעוֹסְקִין בְּנוֹיוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Apropos the altar and the Temple, the Gemara relates that **Rava taught: What** is the meaning of that **which is written** concerning David: **“And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.** And it was told Saul, saying: Behold, David is at Naioth [*beNayot*] **in Ramah”** (I Samuel 19:18–19)? **But what does Naioth have to do with Ramah?** They are in two distinct places. **Rather,** this means **that they were sitting in Ramah and** were **involved in** discussing **the beauty [*benoyo*] of the world,** i.e., the Temple.


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

אָמְרִי, כְּתִיב: ״וְקַמְתָּ וְעָלִיתָ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם״ – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ גָּבוֹהַּ מִכׇּל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּבוֹהָה מִכׇּל אֲרָצוֹת. לָא הֲווֹ יָדְעִי דּוּכְתֵּיהּ הֵיכָא;

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
David and Samuel **said: It is written: “Then you shall arise, and get you up unto the place** which the Lord your God shall choose” (Deuteronomy 17:8). This **teaches that the Temple is higher than all** places in **Eretz Yisrael. And Eretz Yisrael is higher than all countries. They did not know where** the highest **place** in Eretz Yisrael was.


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

אַיְיתוֹ סֵפֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, בְּכוּלְּהוּ כְּתִיב: ״וְיָרַד (וְעָלָה) הַגְּבוּל״, ״וְתָאַר הַגְּבוּל״; בְּשֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִין ״וְעָלָה״ כְּתִיב, ״וְיָרַד״ לָא כְּתִיב. אָמְרִי, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: הָכָא הוּא מְקוֹמוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**They brought the book of Joshua. With regard to all of** the borders of the tribes **it is written: “And went down”** (see Joshua 15:10, 16:3, 17:9), and it is written: **“And the border went up** to Beth Hoglah.” (Joshua 15:6), and: **“And the border was drawn** from the top of the mountain to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah” (Joshua 15:9). The verse uses different terms to describe the borders of the portion of each tribe. And **with regard to** the borders of **the tribe of Benjamin it is written** only: **“And went up”** (Joshua 18:11), but it **is not written: “And went down.” They said: Conclude from** the verses that the Temple’s **place is here,** in the portion of Benjamin.


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

סְבוּר לְמִבְנְיֵיהּ בְּעֵין עֵיטָם – דְּמִדְּלֵי; אָמְרִי: נִיתַתֵּי בֵּיהּ קַלִּיל, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵן״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**They thought to build it at Ein Eitam, which is higher** than any other place in the portion of Benjamin. **They said: Let us lower it a bit, as it is written:** “He covers it throughout the day, **and He dwells between his shoulders”** (Deuteronomy 33:12). This indicates that the Temple is situated slightly lower, between two peaks.


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

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: גְּמִירִי דְּסַנְהֶדְרִין בְּחֶלְקוֹ דִּיהוּדָה וּשְׁכִינָה בְּחֶלְקוֹ דְּבִנְיָמִין, וְאִי מְדַלִּינַן לֵיהּ – מִתְפְּלֵיג טוּבָא; מוּטָב דְּנִיתַתֵּי בֵּיהּ פּוּרְתָּא, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵן״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if you wish, say** instead that **it is learned** as a tradition **that** the **Sanhedrin** is to be located **in the portion of Judah, and** the place of the **Divine Presence is** to be located **in the portion of Benjamin.** They said: **And if we raise it** and place it near Ein Eitam **it** will be **too distant** from the portion of Judah. They said: It is **preferable that we lower it a bit, as it is written:** “He covers it throughout the day, **and He dwells between his shoulders”** (Deuteronomy 33:12).


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

וְעַל דָּבָר זֶה נִתְקַנֵּא דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדוֹמִי בְּדָוִד, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״כִּי קִנְאַת בֵּיתְךָ אֲכָלָתְנִי״, וּכְתִיב: ״זְכוֹר ה׳ לְדָוִד אֵת כׇּל עֻנּוֹתוֹ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לַה׳ וְגוֹ׳, אִם אָבֹא בְּאֹהֶל בֵּיתִי וְגוֹ׳, אִם אֶתֵּן שְׁנַת לְעֵינָי לְעַפְעַפַּי תְּנוּמָה עַד אֶמְצָא מָקוֹם לַה׳ וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And with regard to this matter,** that David and Samuel discovered the location of the Temple, **Doeg the Edomite was jealous of David, as it is written: “Because jealousy for Your House has eaten me up”** (Psalms 69:10), **and it is written: “Lord, remember for David all his affliction; how he swore to the Lord,** and vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob: **I will not come into the tent of my house,** nor go up into the bed that is spread for me; **if I will give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids; until I find a place for the Lord,** a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob” (Psalms 132:1–5).


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

״הִנֵּה שְׁמַעֲנוּהָ בְאֶפְרָתָה מְצָאנוּהָ בִּשְׂדֵה יַעַר״; ״בְּאֶפְרָתָה״ – זֶה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, דְּקָאָתֵי מֵאֶפְרַיִם. ״מְצָאנוּהָ בִּשְׂדֵה יַעַר״ – זֶה בִּנְיָמִין, דִּכְתִיב: ״בִּנְיָמִין זְאֵב יִטְרָף״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The verse following those verses states: **“We heard of it as being in Ephrath; we found it in the field of the wood”** (Psalms 132:6). Rava explains the meaning of these words: **“In Ephrath”; this** is a reference to **Joshua, who came from** the tribe of **Ephraim.** This alludes to the fact that David and Samuel were able to locate the highest place in Eretz Yisrael based on the book of Joshua. **“We found it in the field of the wood”; this** is a reference to **Benjamin, as it is written** concerning him: **“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). A wolf is a wild animal living in the field, and David and Samuel found the location of the Temple in the portion of Benjamin.


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

**מַתְנִי׳** זִבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵי צִבּוּר וַאֲשָׁמוֹת; אֵלּוּ הֵן אֲשָׁמוֹת – אֲשַׁם גְּזֵילוֹת, אֲשַׁם מְעִילוֹת, אֲשַׁם שִׁפְחָה חֲרוּפָה, אֲשַׁם נָזִיר, אֲשַׁם מְצוֹרָע, אָשָׁם תָּלוּי;

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** These are the *halakhot* of **communal peace offerings and guilt offerings. These are guilt offerings: The guilt offering for robbery,** brought by one from whom another demanded payment of a debt and he denied it and took a false oath (see Leviticus 5:20–26); **the guilt offering for** unwitting **misuse** of consecrated property (see Leviticus 5:14–16); **the guilt offering of an espoused maidservant,** brought by one who engaged in sexual intercourse with a Canaanite maidservant betrothed to a Hebrew slave (see Leviticus 19:20–22); **the guilt offering of a nazirite** who became impure via contact with a corpse (see Numbers 6:12); **the guilt offering of a leper,** brought for his purification (see Leviticus 14:12); and **the provisional guilt offering,** brought by one who is uncertain as to whether he committed a sin that requires a sin offering (see Leviticus 5:17–18).


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

שְׁחִיטָתָן בַּצָּפוֹן וְקִיבּוּל דָּמָן בִּכְלֵי שָׁרֵת בַּצָּפוֹן, וְדָמָן טָעוּן שְׁתֵּי מַתָּנוֹת שֶׁהֵן אַרְבַּע, וְנֶאֱכָלִין לִפְנִים מִן הַקְּלָעִים – לְזִכְרֵי כְהוּנָּה, לְכׇל מַאֲכָל, לְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה עַד חֲצוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Concerning all of these, **their slaughter** is **in the north** of the Temple courtyard **and collection of their blood in a service vessel** is **in the north, and their blood requires two placements that are four. And** the meat portions of the offering **are eaten within the curtains,** i.e., in the Temple courtyard, **by male priests.** And they are eaten prepared **in any** manner of **food** preparation, **on** the **day** the offering was sacrificed **and** during the **night** that follows, **until midnight.**