Siman - Pesachim Daf 16
- Mashkin in the Beis HaMikdash butchering place
A Mishnah is brought on this Daf that states that Yosef ben Yoezer Ish Tzereidah testified, על משקין בית מטבחיא דכן – about the mashkin of the Beis HaMikdash butchering place , that they are tahor. Rashi says that this means that they do not become tamei and explains that the mashkin mentioned are blood that would escape from the offering during slaughtering, and water with which the meat would be washed after the butchering. Rav and Shmuel disagree on what Yosef ben Yoezer meant in his testimony. Rav said, דכן ממש – that the blood and water of the place of butchering are literally tahor and are not mekabel tumah at all. The Gemara explains that Rav said that Yosef ben Yoezer holds that tumas mashkin is a d’Rabbanon, and the Rabbis were gozeir tumah on mashkin outside the Beis HaMikdash, but in the butchering place they did not enact this decree.
Shmuel said, דכן מלטמא טומאת אחרים – It means they are tahor in the sense that they are not metamei other things, אבל טומאת עצמן יש להן – but they are subject to acquiring tumah themselves. According to Shmuel, Yosef ben Yoezer holds that tumas mashkin is a d’Oraysa in that the mashkin itself can become tamei but being able to metamei something else is only a d’Rabbanon. This d’Rabbanon was a decree on mashkin outside the Beis HaMikdash, not inside.
- The Tzitz being meratzeh for tamei blood
The Gemara brings several challenges to Rav’s opinion that mashkin are not mekabel tumah at all mid’Oraysa. A Baraisa states, על מה הציץ מרצה – For what does the tztiz effect acceptance? על הדם ועל הבשר ועל החלב שנטמא – for the blood, meat or cheilev of a korban that became tamei, בין בשוגג בין במזיד – whether inadvertently or deliberately, בין באונס בין ברצון – whether through a mishap or willingly, בין ביחיד בין בצבור – and whether the offering was brought by an individual or by the community. This Baraisa says that the blood of a korban is mekabel tumah. Clearly, then, Yosef ben Yoezer meant to exclude the mashkin in the butchering place only from contaminating other things, for only this law is d’Rabbanon, but mashkin are mekabel tumah mid’Oraysa?
The Gemara answers that mashkin are only mekabel tumah mid’Rabbanon, and this Baraisa, which holds that the Rabbanon imposed tumah susceptibility even upon the butchering place mashkin, does not accord with the opinion of Yosef ben Yoezer.
- Kodshim blood is not machshir
As part of a challenge to Rav, the Gemara brings a statement from Rebbe Chiya bar Abba who said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan, מנין לדם קדשים שאינו מכשיר – From where do we derive that the blood of kodshim is not machshir? From the passuk regarding the blood of an animal that states, על הארץ תשפכנו כמים – you shall spill it on the ground like water. This teaches that blood which may be spilled on the ground like water is machshir like water does, but blood that may not be spilled on the ground like water, such as the blood of a korban which must be received in a kli and applied to the mizbeyach, is not machshir.
