(Mishnah - R. Yosi): If Kodshei Kodoshim were slaughtered on top of the Mizbe'ach, they are (Kosher,) as if they were slaughtered in the Tzafon;

R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah says, the southern half of the Mizbe'ach is like Darom. The northern half is like Tzafon.

(Gemara - Rav Asi citing R. Yochanan): R. Yosi holds that the entire Mizbe'ach is in Tzafon.

Question: If so, why does he say that it is as if they were slaughtered in the Tzafon? They truly were slaughtered in the Tzafon!

Answer: One might have thought that on top of the Mizbe'ach is invalid, for it is not considered "Al Yerech ha'Mizbe'ach." R. Yosi teaches that this is not so.

Question (R. Zeira): If so, R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah holds that half of the Mizbe'ach is in Tzafon!

Suggestion: Perhaps this is true!

Rejection: You (Rav Asi) yourself cited R. Yochanan to say that R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah admits that Kodshei Kodoshim slaughtered in the place corresponding (to the north half of the Mizbe'ach) on the ground are Pesulim!

Answer (Rav Asi): R. Yochanan said that both Tana'im expound the same verse, "v'Zavachta Alav (on the Mizbe'ach) Es Olosecha v'Es Shelamecha";

R. Yosi explains that the entire Mizbe'ach is valid for Shechitas Olos and Shelamim;

R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah explains that half the Mizbe'ach is valid (even) for Olah, and half is valid (only) for Shelamim;

If all of it were valid for Olah, the verse should have taught only Olah. A Kal va'Chomer would teach that it is valid for Shelamim!

R. Yosi disagrees. One might have thought that the Torah is lenient to allow Shechitas Olah on the Mizbe'ach because its place for Shechitah below (Tzafon) is limited, but it is not lenient for Shelamim, which can be slaughtered anywhere in the Azarah.

(Rav Asi citing R. Yochanan): R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah admits that Kodshei Kodoshim slaughtered in the corresponding place on the ground are Pesulim.

Question (Rav Acha mi'Difti): What does 'the corresponding place on the ground' mean?

Suggestion: It means the Amah (width) of the Yesod or Sovev.

Rejection #1: They are parts of the Mizbe'ach itself!

Rejection #2: They are not on the ground!

Suggestion: Shechitah was in a tunnel dug under the Mizbe'ach.

Rejection:"Mizbach Adamah Ta'aseh Li" - it must be connected to the ground. We may not build it over tunnels and arches.

Answer (Ravina): He teaches about if the Mizbe'ach was later shortened, and he slaughtered on the ground where (part of) the Mizbe'ach used to be.

(R. Zeira): Surely, R. Yochanan learned (that R. Yosi holds that the entire Mizbe'ach is in Tzafon) from a Mishnah!

(Mishnah #1): They would pick nice fig wood for the second Ma'arachah (woodpile on the Mizbe'ach), from which coals were taken for the Ketores. It was near the southwest corner of the Mizbe'ach, four Amos north of the corner.

They would take (through estimation) five Sa'im of coals. On Shabbos, they took eight Sa'im;

On this Ma'arachah they would burn the frankincense of the Lechem ha'Panim.

Question: Why were the coals taken from here?

Answer: The Mishnah is R. Yosi;

(Beraisa - R. Yosi): Whatever is taken from inside to be put outside is put in the closest possible place. Whatever is taken from outside to be put inside is taken from the closest possible place.

Question #1: What does 'whatever is taken from inside...' refer to?

Suggestion: It refers to Shirayim (of inner Chata'os).

Rejection: A verse explicitly teaches this - "El Yesod Mizbach ha'Olah Asher Pesach Ohel Mo'ed" (i.e. the western Yesod, which is closest)!

Question #2: What does 'whatever is taken from outside to be put inside' refer to?

Suggestion: It refers to coals taken from the outer Mizbe'ach for the Ketores of Yom Kipur.

Rejection: A verse explicitly teaches this - "v'Lakach Melo ha'Machtah... (mi'Lifnei Hash-m, i.e. from the part closest to the Heichal)"!

Answer (to Question #1): The frankincense of the Lechem ha'Panim is taken from inside and put on the closest part of the Mizbe'ach. We learn from Shirayim;

Answer (to Question #2): Coals for the Ketores every day are taken from the part closest to the Heichal. We learn from the coals on Yom Kipur.

Question: (The Tana said that the Ma'arachah was four Amos north of the southwest corner.) Where does he hold that the Mizbe'ach was?

He cannot hold that it is entirely in Darom (the south half of the Azarah, and the north side of the Mizbe'ach is in the middle of the Azarah). If so, the Ma'arachah would have to be (at least) 27 Amos north of the (southwest) corner (five Amos from the north end of the Mizbe'ach, in order that it will face (even the south end of) the opening of the Heichal, which is five Amos south of the middle of the Azarah)!

Even if he holds that the Ulam has Kedushas Heichal, and it suffices to face (even the south end of) the opening of the Ulam (10 Amos south of the middle), the Ma'arachah would have to be (at least) 22 Amos north (of the southwest corner).

He cannot hold that the Mizbe'ach is (16 Amos further north than this, i.e. exactly) half in Darom, half in Tzafon, for then the Ma'arachah would have to be (at least) 11 Amos north (of the corner, in order to face Pesach ha'Heichal);

Even if the Ulam has Kedushas Heichal, the Ma'arachah would have to be (at least) six Amos north (of the corner, in order to face Pesach ha'Ulam).

Answer: Rather, he holds that the Mizbe'ach is entirely in Tzafon. The Ma'arachah is as south as possible, after the four Amos occupied by the Yesod, Sovev, Keranos, and walkway of the Kohanim (each of these is one Amah);

It could not be even one more Amah to the north, for the opening of the Heichal extends only five Amos past the middle of the Azarah.

Rejection #1 (Rav Ada bar Ahavah): Mishnah #1 is like R. Yehudah (we cannot infer R. Yosi's opinion from it);

(Beraisa - R. Yehudah): The Mizbe'ach is centered between Darom and Tzafon. Ten Amos face the opening of the Heichal, 11 Amos of the Mizbe'ach extend past this to Darom, and 11 towards Tzafon.

Question: If so, he should require the Ma'arachah to be 11 Amos north (of the southern end of the Mizbe'ach), or six Amos (if the Ulam has Kedushas Heichal)!

Answer: The latter is correct. He counts four Amos excluding the Yesod and Sovev. Including them, it is six Amos from the end.

Question: Rav Ada's rejection applies even if the Mishnah is like R. Yosi. Why did he establish it like R. Yehudah?

Answer: R. Yehudah explicitly taught that the Mizbe'ach is centered.