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PESAHIM: CHAPTER 10: MISHNAH 9

The Pesah after midnight imparts uncleanness to the hands. The pigul and the notar impart uncleanness to the hands. If a person recited the blessing over the korban Pesah - he has exempted the offering. If a person recited the blessing over the sacrifice - he has not exempted the korban Pesah; the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael. Rabbi Akiva says, This one does not exempt that one, and that one does not exempt this one.

The - meat of the - Pesah - sacrifice - after midnight- of the Seder night, imparts uncleanness to the hands - on account of notar, as will be explained in this mishnah, later. The Gemara explains that this mishnah is according to Rabbi Eliezer ben Azaryah, who holds that the korban Pesah may be eaten, by Torah law, only until midnight. As it is written, "And they shall eat the flesh in this night" (Ex. 12:8), and it is written, in the same passage of the Torah, "For I will go through the land of Egypt in this night" (ibid., v.12). Just as the latter passage means until midnight (for it is written, "About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt" (Ex. 11:4), so, too, does the former passage mean until midnight. Therefore, meat that is left after midnight is notar. The Sages, however, disagree with Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah. They hold that, by Torah law, the korban Pesah may be eaten until dawn. As it is written, "and you shall eat it in haste" (Ex. 12:11) - you may eat it until the hour of haste (i.e., until the hour in which they hastened to go forth, which was at the break of dawn, for they had been commanded not to go out of the door of their houses until the morning). The passage "And they shall eat the flesh in this night" teaches that it may be eaten only at night, and not during the day (i.e., on the day of its slaughter, on Pesah eve). Hence, according to the Sages, the meat becomes notar only when the morning dawn breaks. The Sages decreed, nevertheless, that the korban Pesah may be eaten only until midnight, in order to distance man from committing a transgression (see Ber. 1:1).

The pigul and the notar impart uncleanness to the hands - if a person performs one of the four services of an offering (the slaughtering, the receiving of the blood, the transporting of the blood to the Altar, and the throwing of the blood on the Altar) intending to eat its meat after the time allotted for its eating or intending to burn its sacrificial parts on the following day (after the time allotted), he thereby invalidates the offering, and makes it pigul. This mishnah teaches that the Sages decreed that pigul and notar (meat of an of an offering which has remained after the time allotted for its eating) impart uncleanness to the hands. The Gemara explains the reason for this decree: pigul, because of the "suspicion of the priests," i.e., the priests are suspected of causing the sacrifice to become pigul, thereby causing a loss for its owner; notar, because of the "lazy among the priests," so that they will not be lazy in the eating of the offering. This is the reason why the law "The Pesah after midnight imparts uncleanness to the hands" is taught in the mishnah, above.

If a person recited the blessing over the korban Pesah - he has exempted the offering - as has already been mentioned, the korban Pesah would be accompanied by the "haggigah of the fourteenth," so that the korban Pesah would be eaten when one is satiated. During the Seder night meal, a person would first recite the blessing over the haggigah: "Blessed…who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us regarding the eating of the offering" (Rambam). The Tosefta cites the wording, "and has commanded us to eat the offering." Afterwards he would recite the blessing over the Pesah sacrifice: "Blessed…who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us regarding the eating of the Pesah sacrifice" (and according to the Tosefta: "to eat the Pesah sacrifice"). If he first recited the blessing over the korban Pesah, he no longer is required to recite the blessing over eating the haggigah, for the blessing over the Pesah sacrifice exempts the haggigah sacrifice.

But - if a person recited the blessing over the sacrifice - "regarding the eating of the sacrifice," first, he has not exempted the korban Pesah - as was explained above, that he recites the blessing over the haggigah and afterwards over the Pesah sacrifice; the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael - The Jer. Talmud explains his reason: because the Pesah sacrifice is the primary sacrifice, and the haggigah is secondary to it; therefore, the blessing over the haggigah does not exempt the Pesah sacrifice, while the blessing over the korban Pesah does exempt the haggigah.

Rabbi Akiva says, This one - the blessing over the korban Pesah, does not exempt that one - haggigah from the blessing, and that one - the blessing over the haggigah, does not exempt this one - the korban Pesah from the blessing. The Gemara explains his reason: because the blood of the Pesah sacrifice is poured (the priest stands on the yesod [the base of the Altar], or close to it, and pours gently, so the blood will fall on the yesod), while the blood of other sacrifices is thrown on the Altar, from a distance, and Rabbi Akiva holds that if a person changes the manner of giving the blood, he has not fulfilled his obligation. Therefore, the blessing over one of these cannot exempt the other from the blessing. Rabbi Yishmael, on the other hand, holds that throwing is included in pouring, and if he poured the blood instead of throwing it, he has fulfilled his obligation. Pouring, however, is not included in throwing, and if he throws the blood of the korban Pesah, he has not fulfilled his obligation. Therefore, the blessing over the korban Pesah exempts the haggigah sacrifice, but the blessing over the haggigah does not exempt the Pesah sacrifice. The halakhah is in accordance with Rabbi Akiva.

SHEKALIM

INTRODUCTION

When you count the heads of the Children of Israel to determine their number, then let each man give the redemption of his soul to the Lord, when you number them; that there be no plague, when you number them. This they shall give, all who pass among the numbered, half a shekel in the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs) a half a shekel shall be the offering to the Lord. All who pass among the numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, to give an offering unto the Lord, to atone for your souls. And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and give it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; then it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord, to atone for your souls (Ex. 30:12-16).

The commandment to give a half shekel, in the above verses, was not only a temporary provision to count the Children of Israel, but was also a commandment for all future generations, that required all Jews during the Temple period to give a half shekel annually for the community sacrifices (as detailed in Chapter 4 of the tractate).

Testimony regarding this is to be found in Kings (II, 12:5-6): "And Yehoash said to the priests, All the money of the kodashim (i.e., that was dedicated to the Temple) that is brought into the house of the Lord in current money (the half shekel that each person who was to be counted brought), the money each person rated (the money that a person had to pay if he pledged his value to the Temple), and all the money that comes into any man's heart to bring into the house of the Lord (general contributions); let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wherever any breach shall be found.

So, too, are we told in Chronicles (II, 24:9-14): And they made a proclamation through Judea and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God had laid upon Israel in the wilderness…And the king (Yehoash) and Yehoyada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord…to repair the house of the Lord…And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Yehoyada, of which were made vessels for the house of the Lord, even ministering vessels and with which to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Yehoyada. The term the collection that Moses had made refers to the half shekel that was brought, in accordance with the Torah text above, When you count the heads of the Children of Israel.

And we see in Nehemiah (10:33-34), Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God; For the showbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the Sabbaths, of the new moons.

The value of the shekel was not the same throughout all the periods, but the amount donated was equivalent to the weight of a half shekel of silver of the Torah. According to Ramban, at the time of Nehemiah they gave a third of a shekel (as quoted above), because the Persian coins were larger. When the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile, they would at first "donate" heavier coins, because they needed a great deal of money for the upkeep of the Temple (as explained in Mishnah 2:4 below), but they were never permitted to give less than a "half shekel."

At the time of the Mishnah, the sela was worth the same amount as the shekel hakodesh specified in the Torah; and from this we derive the shekel of the Mishnah, which is half a sela (or two dinars), which was equivalent to the half shekel of the Torah. The collection of the shekels began on the first day of the month of Adar each year, because a month later, on the first day of the month of Nisan, they began bringing the communal sacrifices from the money that had just been collected. This is the origin of the tradition among all Jews, in memory of the Temple, to read the portion of Shekalim in the synagogues on the Sabbath on which the month of Adar is proclaimed.

This Tractate deals with the various details of the laws regarding the collection of the half shekel. It teaches us how the money was collected, what was done with the money, who was in charge of the money, how the Temple was administered, and other details related to the Temple. There is no Babylonian Talmud on this Tractate, only the Jerusalem Talmud.

GLOSSARY

KEHATI MISHNAH TRACTATE SHEKALIM

Amah	(pl. amot) - cubit (50-58 cm).
Arakhin	vows to donate a person's valuation to the Temple (v. Lev. 27).
Baraita	teachings of the Tannaim (q.v.) not incorporated into the Mishnah but later collected and compiled by R. Hiya and R. Osayah.
Bet Din	Court of Law with a minimum of three judges.
Dinar	a silver or gold coin. There are twenty-four (or twenty-five) silver dinars to a gold dinar.
Eglah Arufah	(lit. a calf whose nape is broken) a calf which the elder of the city nearest to the body of an unidentified person found has to sacrifice in atonement.
Ephah	a measure of capacity equal to three se'ahs.
Halakhah	Biblical or Rabbinic law.
Haramim	objects consecrated to the Temple Treasury.
Hekdesh	any object consecrated to the Sanctuary.
Helev	the portion of the fat of a permitted domestic animal which may not be eaten, but in sacrifices was burnt upon the altar.
Hin	measure of capacity equal to three kavs (q.v.) or twelve logs (q.v.)
Hotam	seal - see chap. 5, mishnah 3.
Kalbon	coin equal to 1/48 of a sela (q.v.).
Kav	a measure of capacity = 4 logs (q.v.)
Kilayim	the junction of diverse species of seed or plants, the crossing or harnessing together of diverse kinds of animals and the sewing together or interlacing of linen and wool, all of which are forbidden.
Kodashim	holy things, dedicated to the Temple.
Kohen Gadol	High Priest.
korban Pesah	paschal sacrifice, offered on the 14th day of the month of Nisan.
Kosher(Kasher)	ritually fit, conforming to the Torah or Rabbinic law.
Log	a liquid measure equal to a quarter of a kav (q.v.) - the space occupied by six eggs.
Megillah	roll or scroll, usually referring to the Book of Esther - Megillat Esther.
Me'ilah	any benefit drawn from consecrated property. Apart from repaying the value plus a fifth, a special me'ilah sacrifice must be offered up on the altar.
Metzora	spots on the human body, garment or the wall of a house which render unclean - Lev. 13ff.
Mikve	(pl. mikvaot) - a ritual bath containing not less than forty se'ahs(q.v.).
Mitzvah	(lit. 'commandment') - a) a Biblical or Rabbinic Commandment; b) a religious duty; c) an act of charity, kindness or piety.
Musaf	lit. addition - the additional sacrifice offered on the Sabbath, New Moon and Festivals; the additional prayer service on the same days.
Nasi	the Chief of the Great Sanhedrin (Court of 71 judges) in Jerusalem; after its abolition, the head of Palestinian Jewry.
Nesekh	(pl. Nesakhim) - libation offered up on the altar together with the sacrifice.
Omer	a measure of barley offered on the altar on the 16th of Nisan, before which the use of the new cereals of that year was forbidden.
Pasul	disqualified, unfit.
Pesah	Passover; in the Torah it always refers to the paschal sacrifice. Today it denotes the Passover Festival.
Rosh Hodesh	New Moon, the first day of the Jewish month.
Se'ah	measure of capacity, equal to six kavs (q.v.).
Segan	the deputy high priest who likewise functioned as the
Hakohanim	superintendant of the priests.
Sela	coin worth four dinars (q.v.).
Shekel	coin or weight, equal to two dinars.
Shemitah	the seventh, Sabbatical Year.
Sotah	a married woman suspected of infidelity, who has been formally warned by her husband.
Tahor	ritually clean.
Tame	ritually unclean.
Tamid	lit. permanent, constant - the daily burnt-offering, sacrificed every morning and afternoon.
Tanna	a Rabbi quoted in the Mishnah or Baraita.
Tanna Kamma	the First Tanna.
Targum	(pl. Targumim - classical Aramaic translations of the Bible by Onkelos. (Pentateuch) and Yonatan ben Uziel (Prophets).
Yom Tov	lit. Good Day - designation of a festival in Rabbinic literature.
Zav	(pl.Zavim)/Zavah (pl. Zavot) - man or woman afflicted with seminal flux.

SHEKALIM: CHAPTER 1: MISHNAH 1

On the first day of Adar they announce concerning the shekels and concerning the kilayim. On the fifteenth of it they read the megillah in the cities, and they repair the roads and streets and the mikva'ot of water, and they attend to all public needs, and they mark the graves, and they also go out for the kilayim.

Kehati

We have already noted in the introduction to the Tractate that when the Temple stood, each Jew was obligated to give a yearly "half shekel" to the Temple toward the communal sacrifices. This chapter explains how the bet din arranged the collection of this money.

On the first day of Adar they announce concerning the shekels - They issued a proclamation in every city of Israel that they were to bring their shekels, because from the first of Nisan the communal sacrifices must be purchased with money from the new contribution of shekels, as explained in the introduction to this Tractate. The reason that the proclamation is made on the first of Adar is because our Sages tell us that: "One inquires about and studies the laws of (each) festival thirty days before the festival." And even according to Rabbi Shimon b. Gamliel, who hold that one begins inquiring two weeks before the festival, nevertheless, in this case the proclamation is made on the first of Adar, for (as will be explained in Mishnah 3 below) the money-changers (who change different currencies into the required half shekels) sit from the 15th of Adar on. The Talmud (Tractate Megillah 13b) states: The Creator of the world knew beforehand that one day Haman would pay shekels for the destruction of the Jewish People; He therefore anticipated their shekels to his; and it is concerning this that we learn: On the first day of Adar they issued a proclamation concerning the shekels; And concerning the kilayim - So, too, did they issue a proclamation on the first of Adar that people were to go down to their fields and clean out any kilayim - diverse species of plants which had grown together - for kilayim is forbidden by Torah law.

On the fifteenth of it - Of Adar, they read the megillah in the cities - In those cities surrounded by a wall from the time of Joshua bin Nun (as explained in Tractate Megillah 1:1), and this law is cited here incidentally, among the others which apply to the fifteenth of Adar, and they repair the roads and streets - which had been damaged during the rainy season, so that the roads would be in a proper state of repair for pilgrims. Others explain that the roads and bridges were repaired for the benefit of inadvertent murderers who had to flee to one of the cities of refuge, in keeping with the verse (Deut. 19:3), "Prepare yourself the way;" And the mikva'ot of water - The mikva'ot - special pools used for ritual immersion - were cleaned of the mud which had accumulate in them during the rainy season, and those which did not have the minimum amount of water necessary for ritual immersion were filled;

And they attend to all public needs - The Jerusalem Talmud explains that they attempted to speed up and adjudicate all civil, capital and corporal cases, attend to the redemption of arakhin - where a person vowed to contribute his own 'worth' to the Temple - and haramim, objects consecrated to the Temple Treasury and hekdeshot, consecrated objects, and investigate a sotah - a married woman who had secluded herself with another man and whom her husband suspected of adultery - must be made to drink waters which cause curse; the burning of the Red Heifer; the boring of the ear of a Jewish slave who wished to remain with his master; the cleansing of the metzora - a disease characterised by skin legions which our Sages tell us was caused by sin. So, too, were the reservoirs made accessible to the public for drinking water during the rainless summer, for all of the above are public needs. And they mark the graves - They would pour lime around the graves to mark them, so that kohanim and those carrying ritually pure objects would not come under the same canopy and become tameh - ritually unclean. This was necessary, as the markings were obliterated in the rainy season. And they also go out for the kilayim - After the proclamation on the first of Adar that kilayim had to be rooted out, emissaries of the bet din - the courts - would go out to the fields and gardens to see if the people had complied.

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