Study Zevachim folio 89A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מתני׳ כל התדיר מחבירו – קודם את חבירו. התמידין קודמין למוספין. מוספי שבת קודמין למוספי ראש חדש. מוספי ראש חדש קודמין למוספי ראש השנה, שנאמר: ״מלבד עלת הבקר אשר לעלת התמיד תעשו את אלה״.
Mishnah: Any offering that is more frequent than another precedes the other offering. Therefore, the daily offerings precede the additional offerings, which are sacrificed only on certain days. When Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh coincide, the additional Shabbat offerings precede the additional New Moon offerings. Likewise, the additional New Moon offerings precede the additional New Year offerings. The Mishnah cites the source for the principle that the frequent precedes the less frequent: As it is stated with regard to the additional offerings of the 1st day of Passover: “Besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a daily burnt offering, you should offer these” (Numbers 28:23). The verse indicates that the daily offering is sacrificed first, and then the additional offerings are sacrificed.
Talmud: The Talmud asks: From where do we derive the principle that the frequent precedes the less frequent? The Talmud expresses puzzlement at this question: From where do we derive this? One must say that the reason is stated in the Mishnah, which says that it is derived from the verse: “Besides the burnt offering of the morning.” The Talmud explains: If that verse is the only source, it could be claimed that perhaps it is only the daily offerings that precede the additional offerings, because they are far more frequent, as they are sacrificed daily. With regard to the precedence of a relatively frequent additional offering over a relatively less frequent additional offering, the question arises: From where do we derive this?
אמר רבי אילעא, דאמר קרא: ״כאלה תעשו ליום שבעת ימים״ – אלה כאלה.
R' Ile’a said that it is derived from the fact that the verse states with regard to the additional offerings of Passover: “Like these you should offer daily, for 7 days” (Numbers 28:24). This verse, which immediately follows the one cited previously, indicates that the principle that governs these additional offerings should be like the principle governing those daily offerings and additional offerings mentioned previously, i.e., the more frequent precedes the less frequent.