Zevachim (; lit. "Sacrifices") is the first tractate of Seder Kodashim ("Holy Things") of the

Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; , from the verb ''šānā'', "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first written collection of the Jewish oral traditions that are known as the Oral Torah. Having been collected in the 3rd century CE, it is ...

, the

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

and the

Tosefta The Tosefta ( "supplement, addition") is a compilation of Jewish Oral Law from the late second century, the period of the Mishnah and the Jewish sages known as the '' Tannaim''. Background Jewish teachings of the Tannaitic period were cha ...

. This tractate discusses the topics related to the sacrificial system of the

Temple in Jerusalem The Temple in Jerusalem, or alternatively the Holy Temple (; , ), refers to the two religious structures that served as the central places of worship for Israelites and Jews on the modern-day Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Accord ...

, namely the laws for animal and bird offerings, and the conditions which make them acceptable or not, as specified in the

Torah The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...

, primarily in the book of Leviticus ( and on). The tractate has fourteen chapters divided into 101 mishnayot, or paragraphs. There is a

Gemara The Gemara (also transliterated Gemarah, or in Yiddish Gemore) is an essential component of the Talmud, comprising a collection of rabbinical analyses and commentaries on the Mishnah and presented in 63 books. The term is derived from the Aram ...

– rabbinical commentary and analysis – for this tractate in the

Babylonian Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewi ...

, and no Gemara in the

Jerusalem Talmud The Jerusalem Talmud (, often for short) or Palestinian Talmud, also known as the Talmud of the Land of Israel, is a collection of rabbinic notes on the second-century Jewish oral tradition known as the Mishnah. Naming this version of the Talm ...

. The fifth chapter of

''Zevachim'' Chapter 5 of ''Zevachim'' is recited in the daily morning prayer service. (It was included in the ''

siddur A siddur ( ''sīddūr'', ; plural siddurim ) is a Jewish prayer book containing a set order of daily prayers. The word comes from the Hebrew root , meaning 'order.' Other terms for prayer books are ''tefillot'' () among Sephardi Jews, ''tef ...

'' at this stage because it discusses all the sacrifices and the sages do not dispute within it.) It goes as follows: *A. ''Eizehu mekoman shel z'vachim'' Places for the ''zevachim korbanot'' to be offered: "...The slaughter of the bull and the he-goat of

Yom Kippur Yom Kippur ( ; , ) is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, corresponding to a date in late September or early October. For traditional Jewish people, it is primarily centered on atonement and ...

is in the north f the altar.." *B. ''Parim hanisrafim''

Bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not Castration, castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e. cows proper), bulls have long been an important symbol cattle in r ...

s that are completely burned: "...These are burned in the place where the ltarashes are deposited." *C. ''Chatot hatzibur v'hayachid'' Sin offerings of the community and the individual: "...The he-goats...are eaten within the emple courtyardcurtains by male priests...until midnight." *D. ''Ha'olah qodesh qodashim'' The elevation offering is among the offerings with a major-degree-of-holiness: "...it is entirely consumed by fire." *E. ''Zivchei shalmei tzibur v'ashamot'' Communal peace offerings and guilt offerings: "...are eaten within the emple courtyardby males of the priesthood...until midnight." *F. ''Hatodah v'eil nazir qodashim kalim'' The thanksgiving offering and the ram of a

Nazirite In the Hebrew Bible, a nazirite or a nazarite ( ''Nāzīr'') is an Israelite (i.e. Jewish) man or woman who voluntarily took a vow which is described in . This vow required the nazirite to: * Abstain from wine and strong drink as well as all oth ...

are offerings of a minor-degree holiness: "They are eaten throughout the city f Jerusalemby anyone, prepared in any manner...until midnight..." *G. ''Sh'lamim qodashim kalim'' The peace offerings are of lesser (lighter) holiness: "...Is eaten by the ''kohanim''...throughout the city f Jerusalemby anyone..." *H. ''Hab'chor vehama'aser vehapesach qodashim kalim'' The firstborn and tithe of animals and the Passover offering are offerings of lesser (lighter) holiness: "...The Passover offering is eaten only at night...only if roasted."

References

External links

Full text of the Mishnah for tractate Zevahim (Hebrew)
Jewish animal sacrifice Land of Israel laws in Judaism Mishnah Oral Torah Tabernacle and Temples in Jerusalem Tractates of the Talmud {{Judaism-book-stub

References

Further reading

External links