Study Zevachim folio 118A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
ורבי יהודה אמר לך: כי כתיב – ״הישר בעיניו״ הוא דכתיב; אבל בבמה גדולה – אפילו חובות נמי ליקרוב.
And R' Yehuda, who holds that an individual may also sacrifice compulsory offerings on a great public altar, could have said to you that when the phrase “whatsoever is fitting” is written, indicating that individuals may sacrifice only vow offerings and gift offerings, it is with regard to “in his own eyes” that it is written. In other words, it is referring to a location that is fitting in his eyes for sacrifice, i.e., a private altar. But on a great public altar, even compulsory offerings may be sacrificed.
אלא הא כתיב ״איש״ – לאו למימרא דאיש ישרות הוא דליקרוב, הא חובות לא ליקרוב? כי כתיב ״איש״ – להכשיר את הזר.
The Talmud asks: But even if that derivation is correct, isn’t “man” written in that verse? Isn’t that to say that with regard to “a man,” i.e., an individual, only offerings that one deems fitting to sacrifice may be sacrificed, but compulsory offerings may not be sacrificed? The Talmud replies: When “man” is written in this verse, it is to qualify a non-priest to perform the sacrificial service on a private altar.
זר – מ״וזרק הכהן את הדם על מזבח ה׳״ נפקא!
The Talmud challenges: But the fact that a non-priest is qualified to perform the sacrificial service on a private altar is derived from the verse: “And the priest should dash the blood against the altar of YHWH at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 17:6). The verse indicates that service at a great public altar may be performed only by a priest, from which it is inferred that the service on a private altar may be performed by a non-priest as well.
מהו דתימא ליבעי קדוש בכורות כמעיקרא; קא משמע לן.
The Talmud replies: Lest you say that whereas that verse indicates it is not required that the service on a private altar be performed by a priest, nevertheless consecration of the firstborn is required for this purpose, as was the case initially, i.e., before the Tabernacle was constructed. Perhaps the only non-priests who may perform the service on private altars are the firstborn sons. Therefore, the verse states: “Every man whatsoever is fitting in his own eyes,” which teaches us that with regard to private altars, each person may sacrifice his own offerings.