intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

A Tale of Two Kohanim!
TT reader from Ramot writes, "…You said (see TT May 14-15 '04) that the Asham Metzora (Guilt Offering of the "leper", note Vayikra 14:13,14) was unique among all Korbanot in that two Kohanim received the blood after slaughter (Kabalat HaDam). One Kohein caught the blood (that gushed from the neck of the slaughtered animal) in a Kli Shareit (a sacred "service" vessel) in the usual manner and the other Kohein caught the blood in his cupped right hand. I know you quoted Rambam but could you give me the original source of this Halacha?"

Halachot do not evolve in mid-air; they have a venerable history extending back to Ma'amad Har Sinai. Without the oral traditions and the Halachic expositions of our Sages throughout the millennia, the laws ordained in the Five Books of Moses cannot be understood, let alone properly observed.

The source for the abovementioned Halacha is a Beraita cited in a marvelous Talmudic discourse based on the first Mishna of the celebrated 5th chapter of Zevachim, "Eizehu Mekoman" (ibid. 47b). A wonderful example of rabbinic dialectics at its best, this Gemara endeavors to find justification in the Torah for the unique Halacha which differentiates the Asham Metzora from all other Korbanot; two Kohanim instead of one received the blood after slaughter. (Beraitot are Mishnaic material not included in the "official" Mishna edited by R' Yehuda HaNasi. Though they are "extraneous", Beraitot are frequently referred to in the Gemara as authoritative sources of Tana'itic opinion on practical Halacha and the Amora'im constantly utilized them in their deliberations.) The central theme of Eizehu Mekoman is an in-depth study and analysis of where exactly in the Azara the various Korbanot were slaughtered, how their blood was received, the nature of the blood applications made on the sacrificial altar or within the Heichal, and where and by whom could the sacrificial meat be eaten. The first Mishna of the Perek begins by noting that all Kodshei Kodashim, sacrifices of a higher level of sanctity, must be slaughtered north of the Mizbei'ach. But even though, as we shall see, the Halacha also requires Kabalat HaDam with a Kli Shareit from all Kodshei Kodashim, the Tanna saw fit not to include this basic ordinance in the opening statement of the Mishna. Instead he chose to continually repeat this requirement each time he discussed another Kodesh Kodashim sacrifice. Why was this elementary requirement omitted in the "introduction"? The Gemara answers, "Since there is (a Kodesh Kodashim sacrifice, i.e. the Asham Metzora) whose blood is received (by the Kohein) in his hand (and not in a Kli like other Kodshei Kodashim), the Tanna omitted (the general requirement of a Kli from the opening verse of the Mishna)."

But the 5th Mishna in our Perek reads, "The Nazir's Asham, the Asham Metzora… their slaughter is in the north …and the receiving of their blood is performed with a Kli Shareit in the north…" (Ibid. 5:5). Is there not a contradiction here? The Gemara explains, "At first he (the Tanna) indeed thought that the blood (of the Asham Metzora) was received only in the hand so he omitted (saying that all Kodshei Kodashim require Kabalat Hadam with a Kli), but when he saw that Kabalat HaDam could not be performed properly without a Kli Shareit, he 're-included' it (in the 5th Mishna)." Is it possible that, in contra- distinction to the procedure common to every other Korban, the Asham Metzora had two Kabalot HaDam? Yes it is! "It has been taught in a Beraita, '(The Kohein) shall take (from the blood of the Asham and apply it to the Metzora) (Vayikra 14:14). You might think that the Kohein could also "take" (i.e. receive) the blood (of the Asham Metzora) in a Kli Shareit! (Therefore, immediately afterward in the same Pasuk), the Torah continues, 'and the Kohein shall apply (the blood to the requisite parts of the Metzora's body). Just like the application (of the Asham's blood on the Metzora's body) is done through the Kohein himself, i.e. he uses his finger, so is the 'taking of the (Asham Metzora's) blood by the Kohein himself" i.e. with his hand. (The Torah does not specifically say that the Kohein must place the blood on the Metzora with his finger but it does mandate that the Kohein use his finger when he subsequently anointed the Metzora in a similar fashion with olive oil (Vayikra 14:17). Therefore, through the principle of Binyan Av - a general principle derived from one Pasuk can logically be applied to analogous cases - we learn that the blood is also applied to the Metzora's body with the finger.)

But if that is the case, perhaps the blood destined to be tossed on the Mizbei'ach, and not applied to the Metzora, should be also received in the Kohein's cupped hand and not in a Kli Shareit? "Therefore," the Gemara elucidates, "The Torah says, 'The Asham is similar to the Chatat (the sin offering). Just like the Kabalat HaDam of a Chatat requires a Kli, so does the Kabalat HaDam of an Asham require a Kli." But how do we really know that Kabalat HaDam of a Chatat requires a Kli? There is no specific Pasuk in the Torah that ordains the use of a Kli for the Kabalat HaDam of a Chatat. However the Torah does compare the Chatat with the Olah (the burnt offering) and the aforementioned Halacha is derived through a Gezeira Shava, a "verbal analogy". "Regarding the Chatat, the Torah says, 'And the Kohein shall take (V'lakach) from the blood of the Chatat… (Vayikra 4:34).

Shemot 24:6 reads, "And Moses took (Vayikach) half of the blood (of Olot) and placed it in basins…'" i.e. Moses used Klei Shareit to receive the blood from Olot. The Gezeira Shava connecting the two Pesukim (forms of the word Lakach, "take") teaches us that the Kohein receives the blood of the Chatat as well as the Olah in a Kli. And because the Torah then goes on to compare the Asham to the Chatat, it is clear that Kabalat HaDam of the Asham also requires a Kli (note Vayikra 14:13). Obviously this would include the Asham Metzora. But this equation of Asham and Chatat with the Olah does not exclude the possibility that at least some of the Asham Metzora's blood was also received in a Kohein's cupped hand as well as in a Kli. Therefore if some of the Asham Metzora's blood must be received in the hand and some in a Kli, the Gemara can only conclude "that two Kohanim received the blood of the Asham Metzora, one (Kohein received it) in his hand and the other (Kohein) in a vessel. He who received it in a vessel went to the Mizbei'ach (and tossed the blood). He who received the blood in his hand went to the Metzora (and applied the blood to his right ear, thumb, and big toe as ordained)." The Rambam rules that after the Asham Metzora is slaughtered, "two Kohanim receive its blood. One receives the blood in a Kli and tosses it on the Mizbei'ach and the other receives the blood in his right hand. The Kohein then spills the blood into his left hand and mixes it with his right index finger. …First the Kohein who received some of the blood in a Kli conveys it to the Mizbei'ach and tosses it, Afterwards, the Kohein who received the blood in his palm approaches the Metzora and places blood from his palm in his right ear-lobe… his right thumb… and his right big toe… (Hilchot Mechusrei Chapara 4:2)

Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service