Completing a Book of Talmud

Zevachim is the first tractate in the Order of Kodashim. The entire order deals with the sacrificial service in the Holy Temple. Tractate Zevachim focuses specifically on the various types of animal offerings.

At the end of the tractate, the Talmud is discussing the principle that left over sacrificial meat becomes invalidated overnight. The Talmud’s question is whether this principle applies equally in the case of a private altar as it does at the central altar in the Temple.

Our Rabbis taught: How do we know that time operates at a private altar as at the main, public altar? For [you might argue:] the Torah ordered [sacrificial meat] that was left overnight to be [disposed of by] burning and also [sacrificial meat] that was taken outside [of its permitted place] to be burnt, therefore, just as sacrificial meat that was taken outside is still fit for a private altar, so too [sacrificial meat] that was left overnight is still fit at a small altar.

But is not the opposite logical, based on [the laws about the sacrifice of] birds?

Side B

If time disqualifies birds even though a blemish does not disqualify them, is it not logical that time should disqualify the sacrifices of a small altar since a blemish does disqualify them?

Regarding birds, the reason is because a non-kohen is not fit [to officiate over] their [sacrifice], but in the case of a small altar where a non-kohen is fit [to officiate], time should not disqualify either. Therefore, [Scripture] states (Leviticus 7:11): "This is [uniformly] the law of the sacrifice of [all] peace-offerings" which makes times at a private altar the same as at the main altar.