Study Zevachim folio 20B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
בשלמא לאביי דמוקים לה כרבי, ומודי רבי דמקרות הגבר עד צפרא לא פסלה לינה – הא מני, רבי היא.
Assuming that these priests had all been serving in the Temple through the night, one can ask: Granted, according to Abaye, who interprets the statement of R' Yoḥanan in accordance with the opinion of R' Yehuda HaNasi, and R' Yehuda HaNasi concedes that during the period from the rooster’s crow before dawn until morning, being left overnight does not disqualify sanctification, in accordance with whose opinion is this Mishnah? It is in accordance with the opinion of R' Yehuda HaNasi, who holds that although they served through the night, the previous day’s sanctification was disqualified and they must sanctify their hands and feet again in the morning, but they may do so before dawn.
אלא לרבא דמוקים לה כרבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון, אבל לרבי מקרות הגבר עד צפרא פסלה לינה; הא מני? אי רבי – פסלה לינה! אי רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון – הא אמר: אפילו מיכן ועד עשרה ימים אינו צריך לקדש!
But according to Rava, who interprets the statement in accordance with the opinion of R' Elazar, son of R' Shimon, but who holds that according to R' Yehuda HaNasi, during the period from the rooster’s crow until morning being left overnight disqualifies sanctification, in accordance with whose opinion is this Mishnah? If it is in accordance with the opinion of R' Yehuda HaNasi, then the priests’ sanctification described therein is useless, since being left overnight disqualifies it at dawn. And if it is in accordance with the opinion of R' Elazar, son of R' Shimon, doesn’t he say that even if the priest continues to perform rites for the next 10 days, he does not need to sanctify his hands and feet again? If so, since the priests were serving throughout the night, they should not require sanctification.