Study Horayot folio 6B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
The Talmud challenges: If that is so, that the priests are characterized as a congregation, let them bring a bull as an unwitting communal offering if they perform a transgression on the basis of the ruling of the court. And if you would say indeed it is so, that is difficult, as the number of tri
Rather, Rav Aḥa, son of R' Ya’akov, said: The tribe of Levi is not characterized as a congregation, as it is written: “Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a congregation of peoples; and I will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting poss
The Talmud challenges: If so, the 12 tribes are lacking in number, as without the tribe of Levi there are only 11. Abaye said that it is stated: “Ephraim and Manasseh shall be like Reuben and Shimon to me” (Genesis 48:5), and they are counted as two tribes. Rava said: But isn’t it written: “After th
The Talmud challenges: And are they not considered independent tribes concerning other matters as well? But aren’t they separate with regard to the banners under which the Jewish people traveled in the wilderness? There were 3 tribes represented by each banner, and the 3 tribes under the banner of M
The Talmud asks: But aren’t they separate with regard to the matter of princes of the tribes, as the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh had separate princes? The Talmud answers: That was in order to honor the princes, and there is no proof that they are two different tribes with regard to other matters