Talmud - Zevahim 14b זבחים י״ד ב׳

a drunk priest, or a blemished priest performs the rites of collection, conveying or sprinkling the blood, the offering is disqualified. And likewise, it is disqualified if a priest performs any of these rites while sitting. And this is likewise the halakha if a priest performs any of these rites with his left hand. The Gemara concludes: This is a conclusive refutation of Rav Ḥisda’s ruling; if a non-priest conveys the blood, it is disqualified.

The Gemara asks: But didn’t Rav Ḥisda state a verse as proof that the offering is not disqualified? The verse states that the priests sprinkled the blood after receiving it from non-priests.

The Gemara answers: The verse described a case where the non-priests served as a bench [itztaba]. The priests would give the blood to the non-priests to hold it for them and would then take it and sprinkle the blood. The non-priests would not convey the blood to the altar.

Rabba and Rav Yosef both say that the case of a non-priest conveying the blood is subject to a dispute between Rabbi Shimon and the Rabbis. According to Rabbi Shimon, who says that a dispensable rite is not classified as a true rite and therefore does not disqualify the offering if performed with prohibited intent, the offering is fit even if the conveying of the blood is performed by a non-priest. According to the Rabbis, who hold that a dispensable rite is classified as a true rite, the conveying of the blood is not valid if performed by a non-priest.

Abaye said to him: But what about slaughter, which is an indispensable rite, and yet the offering is fit even if it is performed by a non-priest? He said to Abaye: Slaughter, though indispensable, is not classified as a sacrificial rite at all. Therefore it need not be performed by a priest.

The Gemara asks: And is it not? But doesn’t Rabbi Zeira say that Rav says: If the slaughter of a red heifer is performed by a non-priest, it is not valid? And Rav said about this halakha: It is derived from the phrases: “Elazar the priest” (Numbers 19:3), and: “Statute” (Numbers 19:2), which are written with regard to the red heifer. The mention of Elazar indicates that slaughter must be performed by a priest, and the term “statute” indicates that one may not deviate from any of the details of the service as delineated in the verses. If one does, the heifer is disqualified.

The Gemara answers: The red heifer is different, as it is not an offering; it has the sanctity of items consecrated for Temple maintenance. The halakhot that govern its service therefore differ from those of offerings proper.

The Gemara asks: But does this not prove the point all the more? If slaughtering an animal consecrated for Temple maintenance is tantamount to a sacrificial rite, can slaughtering offerings, which are sacrificed on the altar, not be considered a sacrificial rite?

Rav Sheisha, son of Rav Idi, said: The slaughter of a red heifer is considered just as it is in the case of shades of leprous marks, which are deemed ritually pure or impure by a priest. Although this is not a sacrificial rite, it still requires a member of the priesthood to perform it. Therefore, the requirement that the red heifer be slaughtered by a priest does not prove that it is classified as a sacrificial rite.

The Gemara further challenges the premise of Rabba and Rav Yosef that a dispensable rite can be performed by a non-priest: But what about conveying the limbs of the offering to the ramp, which is a dispensable rite, as the offering can be slaughtered next to the ramp? And nevertheless, if it is performed by a non-priest, the offering is disqualified, as it is written: “And the priest shall sacrifice the whole, and make it smoke upon the altar” (Leviticus 1:13); and the Master says: This is referring to conveying the limbs to the ramp.

The Gemara answers: In a case where the verse explicitly revealed that a rite must be performed by a priest, it revealed it; but in a case where the Torah did not reveal it, it did not reveal it. With regard to conveying the blood, the Torah does not state explicitly that a priest is required.

The Gemara challenges: But is it not all the more so obvious? Just as conveying the limbs to the ramp requires that the conveyor be a member of the priesthood, even though it does not prevent atonement if not performed at all, since atonement was already effected by sprinkling the blood, all the more so is it not clear that concerning conveying the blood and sprinkling it on the altar, where the failure to convey it and sprinkle it on the altar prevents atonement, it must be that the conveyor be a member of the priesthood? This difficulty remains unresolved.

It was also stated that Ulla says that Rabbi Elazar says: In a case where conveying the blood is performed by a non-priest, the offering is disqualified, even according to Rabbi Shimon.

§ A dilemma was raised before the Sages: Is conveying the blood not by foot but rather by passing it by hand to another priest considered conveying, or is it not considered conveying? Can the rite be performed in this manner?

The Gemara suggests: Come and hear evidence from the baraita: And likewise, if the priest collected, conveyed, or sprinkled the blood while sitting, and likewise, if he performed any of these rites with his left hand, the offering is disqualified. Since only sitting is listed, one consequently infers that if the priest conveyed the blood while standing but in a manner similar to sitting, i.e., by outstretching his hand without walking, the offering is fit. Evidently, conveying the blood does not require walking.

The Gemara rejects this inference: Perhaps when the baraita states: Sitting, it is referring to one who conveys the blood by moving toward the altar while sitting on the ground in such a manner that he rubs himself against the floor of the courtyard as he pulls himself forward. If so, the parallel case of standing in a manner similar to sitting is a case where the priest moves forward a bit. Perhaps if he does not move at all and merely outstretches his hand, the rite is not valid.

The Gemara suggests: Come and hear a proof from a mishna (Pesaḥim 64a): An Israelite would slaughter the Paschal offering, and a priest would collect the blood. The priests would be lined up from the place where the lamb was slaughtered until the altar. The priest who collected the blood would immediately hand it to another priest standing next to him, and the other priest would pass it to another, and so forth, until it would reach the altar. Evidently, the blood can be passed from hand to hand; it need not be conveyed by foot.

The Gemara answers: There, too, the priests would move a bit with their feet while passing the blood forward. The Gemara asks: But what is the mishna teaching us in this description, if not that the blood need not be conveyed by foot? The Gemara answers: It teaches that: “In the multitude of people is the king’s glory” (Proverbs 14:28). It honors God when the Temple service is performed by a multitude of priests.

The Gemara suggests: Come and hear another resolution from a mishna (32a): If a priest who is fit for Temple service collected the blood in a vessel and gave it to an unfit individual standing next to the altar, that individual should return it to the fit priest, so that he may perform a complete act of conveying the blood to the altar. Evidently, the blood must be conveyed to the altar by foot. If conveying by hand were valid, another priest could simply take the blood from the unfit person and complete the conveying of the blood to the altar.

The Gemara rejects this inference: Say that the wording of the mishna should be emended; instead of stating that the unfit person should return the vessel to the fit priest, it should state that the fit priest, even another priest, should then receive it from the unfit person. If so, the mishna proves nothing about conveying by hand.

It was stated: Ulla says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Conveying the blood not by foot is not considered conveying.

Traduction : The William Davidson digital edition of the Koren Noé Talmud, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz.

Zevachim 14b examines which priestly errors disqualify blood rites and debates whether a non-priest may convey sacrificial blood, citing the red heifer's slaughter as proof.