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Week 144 - Sunday - 25 August 2002

ZEVAHIM: CHAPTER 8: MISHNAH 4

If the limbs of a sin-offering became mixed up with the limbs of a burnt-offering - R. Eliezer says, He must place on the top, and I regard the flesh of the sin-offering on the top as wood. But the Sages say, Let their appearance deteriorate and let it go out to the place of burning.

Kehati

If the limbs of a sin-offering to be consumed by the priests became mixed up with the limbs of a burnt-offering which are burnt on the altar – R. Eliezer says. He must place all the mixed up parts on the fire on the top of the altar,

and I regard the flesh of the sin-offering on the top as wood - thus, (Lev. 2:11-12): “... for you shall burn no leaven, nor any honey in any offering of the Lord made by fire. As an offering of the first fruits you shall offer them to the Lord, but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a pleasing savor". This is understood as: "you shall burn no leaven nor any honey, and do not burn any of that which is an offering made by fire to the Lord," i.e., desist from burning the remainder of an offering after its eimurim have been consigned to the fire. "As an offering of the first fruits you shall offer” - of the leaven and the honey to the Lord: the Two Loaves from the leaven, and the first fruits of tree-fruits, i.e., figs and dates, "but they shall not be burnt on the altar”; - R. Eliezer associates this with both leaven and honey, and the remainder of an offering, "for a pleasing savor” - though you may not place it upon the altar for a pleasing savor, you may place it as wood. Hence his ruling that although one may not burn the flesh of the sin-offering, since none of it may be burnt for an offering made by fire to the Lord, as explained above, he may nevertheless place the entire mixture on the altar's fire, since he does not intend to burn the flesh of the sin-offering for a pleasing savor, but rather lights it as wood.

But the Sages say, Let their mixed up parts alone overnight until their appearance deteriorates and thus become notar, and let it go out to the place of burning for incineration like all holy things rendered unfit. The Sages understood the term "them" in ''as an offering of the first fruits you shall offer them to the Lord, but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a pleasing savor" - as referring to the leaven and honey, i.e., while you may not place them for a pleasing savor, you may utilize them there as wood; however, "any of that which is an offering made by fire to the Lord", e.g., a sin-offering whose eimurim are consumed by the fire and whose flesh it is forbidden to burn, may not be placed on the altar not even for fuel or wood.

ZEVAHIM: CHAPTER 8: MISHNAH 5

Limbs with limbs of blemished animals - R. Eliezer says, If he offered the head of one of them, let all the heads be offered, the leg of one of them, let all the legs be offered; but the Sages say, Even if all except one were offered - it must go out to the place of burning.

Kehati

If limbs -parts of a valid burnt-offering became mixed up - with limbs - with one limb of burnt-offerings of blemished animals - which may not be offered -

R. Eliezer says, If several heads became mixed up and he - the priest, unwittingly (unaware of the mix-up) offered the head of one of them then let all the heads be offered - we presume that the head offered up first was the blemished animal's and the others are fit; if several legs became mixed up and the leg of one of them was inadvertently offered up by the priest let all the legs be offered -for the reason given above regarding the heads; according to the Gemara R. Eliezer only permitted to offer up in pairs these heads or legs in which case one of the two is certainly fit;

but the Sages say, Even if all the heads or legs except one pair of heads or legs (Gemara), were inadvertently offered -if but a single one was left, R. Eliezer also forbids to offer it (see above), but the Sages hold that even if a pair of heads or legs was left they are unfit for the altar and - it must go out to the place of burning.

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