Rashi's text: Rashi deletes this from the text. Rather, it says "a Mishnah there taught..."

Explanation of our text: I explain "where is he holding", i.e. which Terumah does he discuss;

He cannot discuss Terumas ha'Deshen, for surely that was always close to morning. The simple meaning of the verse connotes like this;

It says "Al Mukdah Al ha'Mizbe'ach Kol ha'Laylah Ad ha'Boker", and afterwards "v'Herim Es ha'Deshen."

Conclusion: Rather, it discusses a different Terumah. The Gemara answers that our Mishnah refers to the Mishnah of [returning to the Mizbe'ach] limbs that flew off. What is the source [that it is only until midnight]?

The Gemara concludes "we divide the night. Half is for burning, and half is for Haramah", like I explained below in the name of Ritz ha'Bachur;

Midnight makes Ikul ("digestion") for the limbs, and l'Chatchilah one may lift and remove them to the Tapu'ach (the heap on top of the Mizbe'ach). This is called Haramah. This is the Terumah that our Mishnah discusses;

One does not do Haramah (and put them to the east of the Mizbe'ach), for it says [that this is for] "ashes". Rather, it is like I explained. If one wants, he may gather them to the Tapu'ach in order to take them outside the Machaneh.

If one wants, he may leave them on the woodpile to complete their Mitzvah, that they will [become ashes, and] be proper for Terumas ha'Deshen.

Their Mitzvah still applies. Therefore, the Mishnah says to return them, for presumably the Mitzvah has still not been completed, since they are not proper for Terumas ha'Deshen.

Implied question: We said that half the night is for burning, and half is for Haramah!

Answer: This is not precise. The Gemara adopted the wording of the Mishnah, which says that before midnight, he returns [limbs]. Rav taught primarily about this;

Mid'Oraisa, there is no limit. Rather, whenever they became Shriri (hard and dry like wood) one may lift and remove them to the Tapu'ach, if needed;

The Torah authorized Chachamim, based on their judgment, to clear the Ma'arachah early in order to arrange it again, according to the multitude of Korbanos of the day, so it will be ready to burn on it when morning comes;

Rav Kahana challenged this. If it is mid'Oraisa, how can we do it earlier [on festivals]?

Rav Kahana understood that Rav holds that the Torah literally divides the night, half for burning... This is unlike we understood initially, that the Torah authorized Chachamim.

Rather, R. Yochanan explains the Mishnah simply, to discuss Terumas ha'Deshen.

Question: The simple meaning of the verse connotes that it was at [the start of] morning!

Answer: The verse itself shows that they may do so earlier or later, as desired;

Since it says "Ad Boker; ... v'Herim", we give an[other, earlier] morning to the [true] morning [at the end] of the night. Since it did not specify how much [earlier], the Torah authorized Chachamim [to decide].

In Zevachim (86a), Rav said "just like half is for Haramah..."

This connotes like the conclusion here, that we establish our Mishnah to discuss Terumas ha'Deshen, and he comes to give a reason also for Terumas ha'Deshen, why sometimes it is like this (close to dawn), and sometimes like this (at midnight, or even earlier).

Therefore, Rav Kahana asked there, like here. Rather, R. Yochanan taught that we learn Terumas ha'Deshen from the verse.

Alternative explanation: Or, we can say that R. Yochanan holds that it (the night) is all for burning, and it is all for Haramah;

All of it (the night) is for burning limbs with substance, and all of it is for Haramah of consumed ashes;

Midnight is Ikul for Shriri. We learn from "Ad Boker" - give an[other] morning to the morning [at the end] of the night, i.e. midnight.

Citation (Zevachim 86a) Question: What is the case?

Citation (cont.): If they have substance, even after midnight [we should return them]! If they have no substance, even after midnight [we should not need to return them]!

The Gemara establishes it to discuss Shriri, and questions the source, like here.

Rashi's opinion: Rashi explains there that half is for Haramah, and also Shriri are proper for Haramah.

The Ri's opinion: They are not proper for Haramah, for they are not ashes. Half is for Haramah, i.e. similar to Haramah, i.e. they are not proper for Haktarah.

Support: In Me'ilah (9b), we learned that we do not return a coal that flew off the Mizbe'ach, and we infer that [had it flown to a different place] on the Mizbe'ach, we would return it!

The Gemara challenges Rav from this, and answers that a coal is different, for it has substance, therefore we must return it, for its Mitzvah was not finished;

Inference: It is not proper for Haramah. If it were proper for Haramah, why must he return it after Terumas ha'Deshen? Its Mitzvah was finished!

Question: This itself is difficult. What is the source that we discuss [a Chiyuv to return it] after Terumas ha'Deshen [and therefore we challenged Rav]?

Perhaps it is before Terumas ha'Deshen. Rav agrees that there is Me'ilah before Mitzvah was finished!

Answer #1: It is similar to the case of Pesulim that was taught with it - all of them (Pesulim) that flew off the Mizbe'ach, we do not return them. This is in every case, even before midnight;

Similarly, the case of a coal (one must return it) is in every case (even after Terumas ha'Deshen).

Answer #2: Also, in the Seifa, regarding limbs, we distinguish [between before and after midnight], but we do not distinguish regarding a coal, for it is considered Ikul. "Haktarah" and "Mokdah" (being on the fire) do not apply to it, for it was already Metukda (on the fire).

In any case, we must return it, for it is not proper for Haramah. Since it is not considered ashes, its Mitzvah was not yet finished.

Therefore, if it is on the Mizbe'ach we must return it, since its Mitzvah was not yet finished. If it flew off, he does not return it;

This is because "Al Mokdah Al ha'Mizbe'ach" connotes that something that must be burned must always be on the Mizbe'ach, even if it flew off, but something that need not be burned need not be.

Question: When we gather ashes to put them on the Tapu'ach, we cannot be careful that there are no coals!

One may not take a coal off the Ma'arachah. We say in Me'ilah that one must return it. All the more so one may not remove it!

Answer: He takes from the consumed [ashes], like it connotes in Tamid, that he took [in the pan] from the inner consumed [ashes];

We can say that these have no substance, but a raw coal has substance. About it, we say that he must return it.

Implied question: In Me'ilah, we say that the same applies even to ashes. Perhaps it is truly like a coal, even regarding returning!

Answer: [They are different.] One always returns a coal, even after Terumas ha'Deshen, for we do not put it on the Tapu'ach. We put ashes on the Tapu'ach

Rather, it teaches that it is like a coal regarding Me'ilah.

Support (for Rashi's opinion - Ri ha'Bachur): Half is for Haramah, i.e. even Shriri. Haramah of ashes permits gathering them to the Tapu'ach, but not to do Terumas ha'Deshen, for it says "Deshen";

The Torah says "v'Herim Es ha'Deshen" from midnight, to permit even Shriri. From midnight and onwards they are considered Ikul, and not proper for Haktarah;

If one wants, he may gather them to the Tapu'ach in order to take them outside the Machaneh;

However, if he wants to leave them in the place of the Ma'arachah in order to finish the Mitzvah, their Mitzvah still applies, therefore he returns them;

It is reasonable that they are still lacking the completion of the Mitzvah, since they are still not proper for Terumas ha'Deshen.

This explains why when gathering the ashes, we need not be careful about coals, even if they are glowing.

Support: In Tamid (28b), a Mishnah says that limbs that were not consumed before [the end of] the night, we remove them to the side of the Mizbe'ach...

It says that they put ashes on the Tapu'ach. This shows that they removed only limbs that were not consumed, but coals are considered Ikul, even if they are glowing.

Rashi's opinion: Rashi says that the text does not say "how can we do it later?"

Defense of text: The text is proper. Since the time is fixed from midnight and onwards, how can we do [Terumas ha'Deshen] earlier on festivals, and how can we do it later on all other days?

[The Mishnah] connotes that they always used to do Terumas ha'Deshen shortly before or after Kros ha'Gever. Why is this? Zealous people do Mitzvos promptly!

Just like the time for the Tamid is until four hours of the day, even so they offered it early, once the eastern sky lit up, i.e. from the earliest time that the Torah allowed for it;

Also here, why do we delay it l'Chatchilah until Kros ha'Gever?

Rashi's text: In Zevachim (86b), Rashi says that "Ela" is not in the text;

He explains that R. Yochanan explains the verses like Rav. Half is for Haktarah, and half is for Haramah;

However, this is only for Shriri. Regarding Haramah, we learn from another verse, "Ad Boker" - give an[other, earlier] morning to the [true] morning [at the end] of the night;

We establish this to discuss Haramah. The Torah authorized Chachamim to do it as early as they want, according to the need.

Question #1: The verse "Ad Boker" is written regarding Haktarah. How can we establish it to discuss Haramah?

Question #2: In all texts, it says "Ela"!

The preferred text: Other Perushim of Rashi say that "Ela" is in the text. He explains that R. Yochanan argues with Rav, and holds that "the entire night" refers to Haktarah and Haramah;

The entire night is Kosher for Haktarah when there are no ashes. It is Kosher for Haramah if there are consumed ashes.

Regarding Haktarah it says an extra "Boker" to teach to give an[other] morning to the morning [at the end] of the night;, i.e. for Shriri. Midnight makes Ikul for them.

The verse teaches that we give one Hashkamah (making earlier) to the "morning of the night." The "morning of the night" is dawn;

The Torah gives another morning to teach that one need not burn from the earlier time and onwards.

Since the Torah did not fix a time for that morning, we must say that it is midnight. This shows that Shriri depend on midnight;

Regarding consumed ashes that have no substance, "Kol ha'Laylah v'Herim" (the entire night is for Haramah).

However, if they have substance, "Kol ha'Laylah v'Hiktir." Also here, Rashi explained like this.

Question: In Megilah (20b), it says that the entire night is Kosher for Haktarah. Why didn't it mention also Haramah?

Answer: They never used to do Terumas ha'Deshen before the first Ashmorah (third of the night). Therefore, we did not teach [that the entire night is Kosher for] it.

Inference: This connotes that even Terumas ha'Deshen, which is an Avodah done at night, is Kosher only through the Kohen Gadol;

This is why we do it early, to give him time to rest between this Avodah and Avodah of the day.

Alternate text: Riva explained that the text does not say "Kohen Gadol." Rather, it says "due to weakness of the Kohen", i.e. before the Kohen who will do Terumas ha'Deshen become weak.