1) THE REASONING OF REBBI ZEIRA

QUESTION: Ula states that limbs of a Korban of Kodshim Kalim that are placed mistakenly on the Mizbe'ach before the Zerikas ha'Dam are not removed from the Mizbe'ach, since they become "Lachmo Shel Mizbe'ach" -- "the bread of the Mizbe'ach."

Rebbi Zeira supports Ula's statement by quoting a Tosefta which teaches that the limbs of a Korban, the blood of which was spilled or taken out of the Azarah, are not remove from the Mizbe'ach if placed there. Rebbi Zeira asserts that it follows logically that the same law applies to limbs placed on the Mizbe'ach before Zerikah: If, for a Korban which will never have a Zerikah, the Halachah is that the limbs erringly placed on the Mizbe'ach should remain there, then certainly for a Korban which will have a Zerikah, the Halachah should be that the limbs should be left on the Mizbe'ach.

The Gemara refutes the proof of Rebbi Zeira by saying that the Tosefta he quotes refers specifically to Kodshei Kodashim. Since the limbs of animals which are Kodshei Kodashim are subject to Me'ilah before the Zerikah, they are fit enough to be left on the Mizbe'ach once they were mistakenly placed there (see Insights to 84a). This does not apply to limbs of Kodshim Kalim, which are not subject to Me'ilah before the Zerikah.

The Gemara asks that the Tosefta also refers to Kodshim Kalim, since it is discussing the Korban Pesach. The Gemara answers that the Tosefta mentions the Korban Pesach only because it has the same law as a Korban Chatas if it is slaughtered she'Lo Lishmah; its limbs may remain on the Mizbe'ach. The Halachah that the limbs may remain on the Mizbe'ach when the blood cannot be used for Zerikah applies only to a Korban Chatas.

The YAD BINYAMIN asks that although the Gemara redefines Rebbi Zeira's assumption about the case of the Tosefta, it does not completely refute his logic. If the limbs of a Korban Pesach slaughtered she'Lo Lishmah (which is Pasul) may remain on the Mizbe'ach despite the lack of a valid Zerikah, then certainly the limbs of a Korban which will have a valid Zerikah should be able to remain on the Mizbe'ach! Why is this line of reasoning not accepted by the Gemara?

ANSWER: The SHITAH MEKUBETZES (#13) apparently addresses this question. He writes that when the Zerikah done for the Korban Pesach is not valid, it nevertheless suffices to make the limbs fit enough to be left on the Mizbe'ach once they were mistakenly placed there. The reason for this is that since most types of Korbanos do not become Pasul when they are slaughtered she'Lo Lishmah, and their Zerikah permits the limbs to be placed on the Mizbe'ach even l'Chatchilah, the invalid Zerikah of a Korban Pesach that was slaughtered she'Lo Lishmah enables the limbs to remain on the Mizbe'ach.

The BEIS MEIR questions the explanation of the Shitah Mekubetzes. Why should an invalid Zerikah have any effect on the status of the Korban's limbs on the Mizbe'ach? Since the Zerikah is invalid, it should be considered as thought it was never done! Despite this question, the Yad Binyamin points out that TOSFOS in Menachos (7a, DH Ein Mekadshim) seems to follow the approach of the Shitah Mekubetzes. (Y. MONTROSE)

2) THE HORNS OF THE RAM OF "AKEIDAS YITZCHAK"

QUESTION: The Mishnah lists many things which, when by themselves, are not fit to be placed on the Mizbe'ach, but when they are still attached to the animal, they should be placed on the Mizbe'ach. Among these things are the horns of an animal. Horns still attached to the animal's head after the Shechitah should be placed on the Mizbe'ach along with the head. If, for some reason, the horns become detached from the head, they are not placed on the Mizbe'ach.

The RAMBAN (Shemos 19:13) asks that this law seems to contradict an explicit statement of Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer, quoted by RASHI (ibid., DH ha'Yovel). Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer states that the Shofar which Hash-m blew at Har Sinai was made from the horn of the ram offered by Avraham Avinu in place of Yitzchak at the time of Akeidas Yitzchak. According to the Mishnah, Avraham Avinu should have burned the horns of the ram along with its head!

ANSWERS:

(a) The RAMBAN answers that it is possible that Hash-m collected the ashes of the horn which Avraham indeed burned and made it back into a horn.

(b) The OR HA'CHAIM (Vayikra 1:9) suggests that Avraham Avinu indeed placed the horns on the Mizbe'ach, but they fell off the Mizbe'ach. The Mishnah later (86a, see Rashi DH v'Kulan) teaches that things such as horns which fall off the Mizbe'ach should not be returned to the Mizbe'ach.

(c) In his second answer, the Or ha'Chaim suggests that the horns simply became detached before the animal was placed on the Mizbe'ach, and therefore Avraham Avinu did not place them on the Mizbe'ach.

(d) In his third answer, the Or ha'Chaim says that Avraham may have known that this Shofar would serve as a great merit for his descendants. He therefore did not fulfill the requirement to place them on the Mizbe'ach. (Before the Torah was given, the Avos were allowed to do things that were not in accordance with the Halachah, such as Yakov Avinu's marriage to two sisters), as long as they served a great purpose. (Y. MONTROSE)