1)

IMMERSING THE FINGER IN DAM CHATAS [Chatas: Zerikah: Tevilah]

(a)

Gemara

1.

14a - Question: Obviously, dipping the finger does not make Pigul in outer Chata'os. The Torah does not say to dip the finger!

2.

Answer: Since it says "v'Lakach", and the Kohen must dip his finger, one might have thought that it is as if it says 'v'Taval'. The Torah did not write 'v'Taval', to teach that this is not an important Avodah, so it does not make Pigul.

3.

40a (Rav Papa): "La'Par" teaches that the laws learned from "ba'Dam" and "v'Taval" apply to the Par of Yom Kipur.

i.

"Ba'Dam" teaches that he must receive enough blood in the Keli to dip his finger in it.

ii.

"V'Taval" teaches that he must dip his finger into the blood. He may not scrape blood from the wall of the bucket onto his finger.

4.

Both verses are needed. Had the Torah said only v'Taval, one might have thought that even if he did not initially receive enough blood in the Keli, it is Kosher. Had it said only ba'Dam, one might have thought that he may scrape blood onto his finger.

5.

53a (Beraisa): He immerses his right index finger in the blood in the bucket, and uses his thumb and pinky to constrict the blood so all will go on the edge, until all the blood from his finger is finished;

6.

He does the same on every Keren.

7.

93b (Beraisa): "Min ha'Dam" - from the blood we are discussing.

8.

(Rava): This excludes blood left on his finger after every Haza'ah;

i.

This supports R. Elazar, who says that blood left on his finger is Pasul.

9.

(Mishnah): After finishing Haza'ah (of blood of the Parah Adumah), the Kohen would wipe his hand on the Parah itself.

10.

(Rava): After completing the Haza'os, he would wipe his hand. After each Haza'ah, he would wipe his finger.

11.

Question: Between Haza'os, what would he wipe his finger on? (He could not wipe it on the Parah, lest hairs stick to his finger, which would disqualify future Haza'os!)

12.

Answer (Abaye): He would wipe his hand on the edge of the bucket (of blood). The buckets are called "Kefori Zahav" (the root of this word also connotes cleaning).

13.

Menachos 21a (Rav Chisda): Regarding outer Chata'os, it says "v'Lakach... v'Nasan." Congealed blood can be taken and put (on the Keren), so it is still considered blood. It says about inner Chata'os "v'Toval... v'Hizah." One cannot immerse (a finger) in or sprinkle congealed blood, so it is not considered blood.

(b)

Rishonim

1.

Rambam (Hilchos Ma'aseh ha'Korbanos 5:8): One must immerse his finger (in blood in the bucket) before putting on each Keren. When he finishes putting blood on a Keren, he cleans his finger on the brim of the bucket, and then immerses it again, for leftover blood from a Keren is Pasul to put on another Keren.

i.

Malbim (on Vayikra 4:7, 223): When the Torah repeats "v'Hizah Min ha'Dam", this teaches that he must immerse his finger before each Haza'ah. There was no need for the verse to say "v'Nasan ha'Kohen Min ha'Dam." Also, this is extra to teach that he must immerse his finger before each Haza'ah, and that blood left on the finger is Pasul. However, if so what is the Rambam's source that the Kohen must immerse his finger for every Matanah of outer Chata'os? There, it does not say 'Min ha'Dam'!

ii.

Mishnah Acharonah (Nega'im 14:1 DH Taval): Our Mishnah does not mention immersing before each Haza'ah on a Metzora. Mishnah 10 and Parah 3:9 mention immersing before each Haza'ah (of oil, and blood towards the Kodesh ha'Kodoshim). There, we learn from verses. Also, perhaps leftover blood is Pasul only for Haza'ah Lifnei Hash-m. However, also Yoma does not mention Tevilah before each inner Haza'ah of Yom Kipur. The Rambam says that there is Tevilah before each Haza'ah of Par Helam Davar and presumably the same applies to inner Chata'os of Yom Kipur. What is the Rambam's source for outer Chata'os? Meforshim say that he learns from inner Chata'os, but this is difficult. It is better to say that it is because it is called Chatas. However, Rashi (Shemos 12:22, 24:6) connotes that this applies to all Haza'os without any distinction.

2.

Rambam (5:9): Blood of a Chatas must be sprinkled with the finger - "he will immerse his finger in the blood." We require enough blood on the Keli in order to immerse his finger, not that he soaks up blood (from the wall of the Keli) with his finger.

i.

Kesef Mishneh: Rashi explains that one must immerse his finger in the blood. He may not absorb blood from the bottom or walls of the bucket. He must initially receive enough blood in the Keli to immerse his finger. He may not receive less than this amount in each of two Kelim and pour one into the other. The Rambam connotes that both of these are one matter. There must be a Shi'ur for Tevilah in the Keli in order that he will not need to absorb blood from the bucket. However, the Gemara expounded 'v'Taval' to teach that he may not absorb, and "b'Dam" to obligate a Shi'ur for Tevilah, and explained why both of these are needed! We must say that the Rambam's words 'we require' refer also to the last clause 'that he not soak up blood with his finger.'

ii.

Chak Nasan (93b DH v'Taval): Why didn't the Rambam cite the Beraisa 'we require enough blood for Haza'ah from the beginning?' It is because he already taught this above. Here, he teaches only that he may not soak up blood with his finger.

iii.

Mishneh l'Melech: The Rambam connotes that it suffices if there is enough blood for Haza'ah in the Keli when he immerses his finger, even if less than this was received in each of two Kelim, and one was poured into the other. The Gemara clearly requires receiving a Shi'ur in one Keli! Rashi explains so. The Rambam (4:8) says that Kabalah of less than Shi'ur Haza'ah is not Mekadesh the blood. He need not teach about when only this amount was received. This is obvious, for the blood cannot be used for anything! Rather, he means that a Shi'ur was received in Kelim, and no one Keli received a Shi'ur. There, he taught about Kabalah. Here he teaches that also at the time of Haza'ah there must be a Shi'ur in the Keli. One might have thought that if he received a Shi'ur in one Keli, if the blood was divided into two Kelim and there is not a Shi'ur in either, it is fine. This answers the Kesef Mishneh's question. "B'Dam" teaches that there must be a Shi'ur for Tevilah at the time of Kabalah. Here he teaches that there must be a Shi'ur in the Keli at the time of Haza'ah. There is no verse for this. The Rambam derives this from the Isur to absorb. If there is no Shi'ur, he will absorb!

iv.

Ohr Some'ach: Regarding inner Chata'os, Rashi and Tosfos (Menachos 7b DH b'Dam and v'Im) explain that one must receive enough for all seven Haza'os in one Keli (for all are Me'akev). Surely they agree that for outer Chata'os, for which only one Haza'ah is Me'akev, it suffices to receive enough for one Haza'ah. It is no worse than if the blood spilled after one Matanah. In every case, Kabalah must be the amount needed for the Haza'os that are Me'akev.

v.

Mishneh l'Melech: "V'Taval" is written regarding inner Chata'os. Regarding outer Chata'os that are eaten, it says "v'Lakach ha'Kohen mi'Damah b'Etzba'o." Even so, Tevilah is required, for "v'Lakach" refers to his finger. Where it says v'Taval, intent disqualifies at the time he immerses his finger. Where it says v'Lakach, even though Tevilah is required, intent does not disqualify at the time of Tevilah (Zevachim 14a).

vi.

Kisvei ha'Griz 40a DH Lo (p. 93): Since we require Tevilah even for outer Chata'os, congealed blood should be Pasul. However, Menachos 21a disqualifies it for inner Chata'os for this reason, but says that it is Kosher for outer Chata'os, about which it says "v"Lakach", and one can take the blood and put it on the Keren! Why is this different than absorbing blood on the finger, which is Pasul? R. Chayim (ha'Levi) disqualifies congealed blood even for outer Chata'os. However, for outer Chata'os, since it says v'Lakach, the blood itself is not Pasul. The problem is that one cannot do the act of Tevilah. For inner Chata'os, the blood itself is Pasul, for the Torah requires blood in which one can immerse a finger. In Menachos the Gemara discusses liability for eating blood. Kares is only for blood Kosher for Zerikah, even if Zerikah cannot be done for another reason, e.g. one cannot immerse the finger in congealed blood of an outer Chatas.

vii.

Kisvei ha'Griz (ibid., p. 94): The Ra'avad explains that v'Taval and b'Dam both teach about the time of Tevilah. At the time of Tevilah the Keli must contain enough blood for all the (seven) Haza'os (for inner Chata'os). However, this is difficult, for on 93b we learn that there must be a Shi'ur at the time of Kabalah (like the Rambam expounds)!

viii.

Rambam (Hilchos Avodas Yom ha'Kipurim 3:6): Tevilah is needed for each of the 43 Matanos.

ix.

Emek ha'Netziv (on Sifri Chukas 1 (b'Sof), p.148): The Sifri learns from "mi'Damah Sheva Pe'amim" Tevilah for each Haza'ah. In Zevachim, "mi'Dam" disqualifies blood left on the finger. It follows that a new Haza'ah is needed for each. Why does Perush ha'Mishnayos learn from "v'Taval"? This is like Toras Kohanim. If we only had the Drashah about Shirayim, one might have thought that this is when there is not enough left on the finger for Haza'ah, but when enough remains, he need not immerse again. Regarding the oil put on a Metzora, and the Haza'os of Par Yom Kipur, there is no Drashah to disqualify the Shirayim, so he need not clean the finger in between. Regarding Tevilah for each Haza'ah, we learn all Haza'os of blood from each other through a Giluy Milsa (the Torah revealed once, and we learn that all are the same).

x.

Meromei Sadeh (Zevachim 40a Tosfos DH Lo): We learn all blood one from another. We need other verses for the Matanos of Par and Se'ir Yom Kipur, for Matanos in the Kodesh ha'Kodoshim are different. Rashi (41a DH Makom) explicitly says that we do not learn these Haza'os from the others. The Rambam did not say that one must clean the finger before Tevilos for Haza'as Par Yom Kipur, nor that one must immerse and not absorb, like he wrote in Hilchos Ma'aseh ha'Korbanos. For Yom Kipur we learn only what is written, i.e. v'Lakach. He must take blood (on his finger) for each Haza'ah. This is why we needed to learn about Haza'os on the Paroches and inner Mizbe'ach.

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