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Week 142 - Monday - 12 August 2002

ZEVAHIM: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 5

The sacrifices of non-Jews do not involve liability on account of pigul, notar and uncleanness. And he who slaughters them outside is not liable. So R. Meir, R. Yose declares him liable. Whatever does not involve liability on account of pigul, involves liability on account of notar, on account of uncleanness, except blood. R. Shimon says, Whatever is normally eaten, but such as wood, frankincense and incense do not involve liability on account of uncleanness.

Kehati

The Torah states (Lev. 22:18): "Any person (ish ish) of the house of Israel...that will offer his sacrifice for all their vows and for all their freewill offerings." The Sages interpreted the repetition of ish to extend to non-Jews the ability to vow and donate freewill offerings in the Temple of Jerusalem.

The sacrifices of non-Jews - i.e., those offered by gentiles do not involve liability on account of pigul, notar and uncleanness - if the sacrifice became pigul and one ate of its flesh, or ate of that left after the time-limit for its consumption, or if an unclean person ate some of it, he has not incurred the karet penalty.

And he who slaughters them - the sacrifices of a non-Jew - outside the Temple Court, is not liable - unlike those who slaughter out of bounds the sacrifice of a Jew, and thus incur the karet penalty. So R, Meir - whose view the halakhah rejects.

R. Yose declares him also in the case of the sacrifice of a non-Jew, liable to karet on account of pigul, notar, and uncleanness, or outside slaughtering. Thus in a baraita cited in the Gemara (Zev. 45a): "R. Yose said: I am induced to rule stringently concerning all these since it is said in respect of them (Lev.22:18), "...which they will offer to the Lord as a burnt-offering."

Whatever does not involve liability on account of pigul - e.g., the kometz, the frankincense and the incense and all the items listed in mishnah 3 - involves liability on account of notar - he who eats of the notar incurs the karet penalty - on account of uncleanness - an unclean person who eats of it is liable to karet, except blood for which no penalty for notar is incurred if eaten after the time prescribed for the consumption of the sacrifice, or if eaten in a state of uncleanness, since it is written (Lev. 17:11): "...and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls." According to the Sages "given it to you", teaches that it shall be yours like non-sacred and not like holy food; "to make atonement" - i.e., I gave it to you for atonement and not as an object that can be affected by the trespass of me'ilah (misappropriation or unlawful use of sacred property). Hence one is not liable either on account of uncleanness, notar or pigul, but only for (eating) blood.

R. Shimon says, Whatever is normally eaten - i.e., edible articles - even though they are burnt on the altar, e.g., the kometz, the meal-offering of the priests, etc. - involves liability on account of uncleanness, but such as wood of the Sanctuary wood-pile, frankincense - burnt with the kometz of the meal-offering and incense - none of which is eaten normally, do not involve liability on account of uncleanness - thus an unclean person who eats of or offers them up on the altar is not liable to karet. The Sages, however, who disagree with R. Shimon, rule that wood and frankincense do involve liability for uncleanness, since it is written (Lev.7:19): "And the flesh that touches any unclean thing"; wherein the redundant "and the flesh" is understood to include the wood and frankincense. The halakhah follows the Sages.

ZEVAHIM: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 6

The sacrifice is slaughtered for the sake of six things: for the sake of the sacrifice, for the sake of the offerer, for the sake of HaShem, for the sake of fire-offerings, for the sake of the savor, for the sake of pleasing; and a sin-offering and a guilt-offering for the sake of the sin. R. Yose said: Even if one had none of these in mind, it is valid, for it is a stipulation of the Court that the intention is determined only by the officiant.

Kehati

This mishnah spells out the intentions a person must have in mind when performing the sacrificial service.

The sacrifice is slaughtered for the sake of six things which one must contemplate when slaughtering: 1. for the sake of the sacrifice - e.g., while slaughtering a burnt-offering he must do so for its own sake and not for that of another offering; 2. for the sake of the offerer - the owner of the animal and not for another person; 3; for the sake of HaShem - the Divine Name; 4. for the sake of fire-offerings - to burn it on the fire of the altar and not to roast it in slices on coals; 5. for the sake of the savor that rises from the altar, and not roast it elsewhere and then offer it up on the altar, when it no longer emits a savor; 6. for the sake of pleasing the Lord Whose will we are fulfilling; all the above is derived from (Lev. 1:9): "a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a pleasing savor to the Lord";

and a sin-offering and a guilt-offering brought by a person to atone for his trespass; while slaughtering he must intend it for the sake of the particular - sin - for which it is offered.

R. Yose said: Even if one had none of these in mind and slaughtered it for no specific purpose, it - the sacrifice - is valid, for it is a stipulation of the Court - who laid down the rule that one should slaughter without a specific intention, lest he err and perform the service under the wrong name –

that the intention is determined only by the officiant whereas the thoughts of the owners are considered as ineffectual thus (Lev.7:18): "neither shall it be imputed to him who offers it," which indicates that it is the officiant's intention that counts. It was therefore ruled that the officiant who slaughters shall refrain from stating any intention, lest he err. Another version reads, "And the intention is determined..." i.e., this is an independent statement unconnected with the aforesaid.

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