Rebbe, I have a stupid question, but I would appreciate you unraveling this for me.
1) shechitah is kasher b'zar - kodshei kodshim and kodshei kalim
2) Kodshei Kodshim must be shected on the north of the mizbeiach
3) Even Kodshei Kalim mush be shechted in the azarah
4) Only kohanim are allowed in the Azara
So how did a yisroel ever do shechitah on a korban? And when the Beis Hamikdash was packed on yom tov or on erev pesach - did everyone squish into the 11 amos before the ezras kohanim? Is shechitah kosher in the ezras yisroel or the ezras nashim?
The reason that these questions came up again is that we are now learning meseches tamid and on 29a/b the gemorah mentions the golden gefen by the entrance to the heichal. The Artscroll quotes a sefer (ranein besimcha? I forget) that says a kohein would have to hang the Eshkol because a zar can't go in the azara. And I hate to bring a stirah from footnotes in the artscroll - but in meseches Middos it says that on Yom Tov people would pack the Azarah on the sides of and behind the heichal.
So pretty much, I feel stupid. Is it perhaps not true that a zar can't go into the azara? We had trouble finding a reference to that in the Rambam.
Any insight you could give would be helpful. Gut Shabbos.
Mordechai
Mordechai,
Shalom, I always enjoy hearing from you! Actually, I am learning Tamid as well at present.
As for your questions, This is what I can add to your reflections:
(a) It is permitted to slaughter Kodshim Kalim anywhere in the Azarah, including the Ezras Yisrael. The Ezras Nachim does not have the Kedushah of the Azarah, and Shechitah may not be performed there (Zevachim 56a).
(b) As for Kodshei Kodshim, the Beraisa records an argument among Tana'im if the Northern section of the Ezras Yirsrael could be used for their Shechitah (Yoma 36a).
(c) The Mishnah (Kelim 1:8) prohibits a Yisrael from entering past the eleven Amos of Ezras Yisrael, unless his Korban requires him to do so. One of the cases listed in the Mishnah for which a Yisrael may enter the Azarah is Shechitah. The Vilna Gaon (Me'oros ha'Gra) there explains that the Mishnah follows the opinion that does not allow Shechitas Kodshei Kodshim in the Ezras Yisrael, which is why the Yisrael must enter further in to the Azarah for Shechitah.
(d) The Gemara in Yoma 21a indeed records that the Yisraelim filled the 11 Amos in back of the Heichal (and presumably the sides as well) when visiting during the Regel. Why was that permitted?
From Rashi, it seems that it was allowed out of necessity, since the first 11 Amos could not hold all of them. However, the Vilna Gaon seems to have arrived at a novel conclusion based on this Gemara. His commentary to Midos 2:3 implies that the Ezras Yisrael was 11 Amos all around the inner perimeter of the Azarah (and not just in the Eastern section).
I hope this helps you.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Mordecai Kornfeld