Daf 99 — Zevachim 99 Summary

Zevachim 99 – Good Morning Raboisai Summary of Reb Eli Stefansky’s Shiur Who Gets a Portion of the Korban? — Ability to Do Zerikah The Mishnah states: A Kohen who cannot perform avodah does not receive a portion of the korban. Source: “ הַכֹּהֵן הַמְּחַטֵא אֹּת ָּה יֹּאכְּלֶנָה ” “ הַמְּחַטֵּא ” refers to Zerikas HaDam . Only a Kohen who is fit to perform zerikah may receive a chelek (portion). Important clarification: • This does not mean he must actually do the zerikah. • It means he must be eligible to do it. Eating vs. Receiving a Portion A critical distinction runs throughout the daf: • Eating ( אכילה ) = being fed a piece of meat • Receiving a portion ( חלוקה ) = ownership of a share of the korban Examples: • A katan may eat korban meat if given food, but may not receive a portion . • The Torah’s discussion here is about receiving a portion , not eating per se. Why Do Most Kohanim Get Portions if Only One Kohen Does Zerikah? Answer: • All Kohanim in the Azarah are ra’ui l’zerikah . • Only one performs it in practice, but eligibility is what matters. Excluded: • Tevul Yom • Mechusar Kippurim They are not fit for zerikah → no portion. Ba’al Mum — An Exception A Kohen with a blemish cannot perform avodah, yet: “ ָּה כָל זָכָר בַכֹּהֲנִים יֹּאכַל אֹּת ” This pasuk explicitly includes a Ba’al Mum . Why include him? • Because he is allowed to eat kodshim . • Since he may eat → he may also receive a portion. Why Not Include a Tevul Yom Instead? The Gemara asks: Why assume the pasuk includes a Ba’al Mum rather than a Tevul Yom ? Answer: • A Tevul Yom may not eat kodshim. • A Ba’al Mum may eat . • Portion rights depend on ability to eat , not future eligibility. Core Principle Emerges From the wording “ יֹּאכְּלֶנָה ” we learn: Only one who is fit to eat may receive a portion. What if the Ba’al Mum Is Tamei? Question: • A Ba’al Mum who is tamei cannot eat. • Does he still receive a portion? Answer: No. Even though: • He is permanently allowed to eat when tahor, • At this moment he cannot eat → no portion. Proof from the Kohen Gadol (Onen) The Kohen Gadol: • Performs avodah even when Onen • But does not eat , and does not receive a portion This proves: Performing avodah alone is insufficient — fitness to eat is essential . Tamei by Korban Tzibbur Case: • Kohen is tamei, • But Korban Tzibbur allows him to perform zerikah. Question: Does he receive a portion? Answer: No , because he cannot eat. Again: אין חלוקה בלא אכילה Onen — Touching vs. Eating Kodshim The Mishnah says: • An Onen may touch kodshim, • But may not eat . Clarification: • If he was mesiach da’as (not careful about tumah), he must go to the mikveh. • If he was careful, he may touch without immersion. This introduces a broader concept: One may guard against severe tumah but not lighter tumah. Eating vs. Touching — Rabbinic Distinction The Gemara proves: • Chazal distinguished between touching and eating . Example: • A Kohen who became shlishi l’tumah : o May touch terumah, o May not eat it. Thus: Touching and eating operate on different halachic thresholds . Onen and Korban Pesach Seeming contradiction: • An Onen may eat Korban Pesach , • But generally may not eat kodshim. Resolution: • Depends when the death occurred : o If death occurred Erev Pesach → Onen derabbanan at night → allowed to eat Pesach. o If death occurred earlier → no aninus at night → permitted. Chachamim relaxed their issur: • To avoid karet for not eating Korban Pesach. Is Aninus at Night De’Oraisa or Derabbanan? Machlokes: • Rabbi Shimon : Aninus at night is derabbanan . • Therefore, Chachamim may override it for Pesach. This underpins the entire heter. Bringing Korbanos While Sad — Simcha Required A powerful concept: Shlomim require simcha — wholeness of spirit. Therefore: • One who is Onen may not bring: o Shlomim o Todah o Other voluntary korbanos Why? • A person in mourning is not “shalem” . Exception — Korban Pesach Korban Pesach is different: • It is obligatory • Failure carries k o re s • Therefore it overrides rabbinic aninus The Chagigah of the 14th (brought to ensure eating al ha’sova): • Is not overridden • An Onen may not bring it Takeaway – Zevachim 99 • Receiving a korban portion depends on fitness to eat , not merely to serve. • Eating and portion ownership are distinct halachic categories. • A Ba’al Mum receives a portion only when able to eat . • Tumah blocks portions even if avodah is permitted. • An Onen may touch kodshim but not eat or receive portions. • Korban Pesach overrides rabbinic aninus due to k o re s . • Simcha is a prerequisite for voluntary korbanos. לעילוי נשמת אמי מורתי רות בת הרב מנחם מנדל