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Week 141 - Thursday - 8 August 2002

ZEVAHIM: CHAPTER 3: MISHNAH 3

If one slaughters a sacrifice to eat that which is not suitable for eating or to burn that which is not suitable for burning, it is valid. R. Eliezer declares it invalid. To eat that which is suitable for eating or to burn that which is suitable for burning - less than an olive's bulk, it is valid. To eat half an olive's bulk and to burn half an olive's bulk, it is valid, because eating and burning do not combine.

Kehati

This mishnah teaches that the "after-its-time" or "outside-its-place" intentions render the sacrifice invalid only if one intended to eat that which is suitable for eating, or burn that which is suitable for burning on the altar, and only if this refers to an olive's bulk.

If one slaughters a sacrifice intending to eat thereof after the prescribed time limit or outside the prescribed place that which is not suitable for eating, e.g., the helev which is burnt and not eaten or intending to burn after the prescribed time or outside the prescribed place that which is not suitable for burning, e.g., meat, which is not burnt but eaten, it - the sacrifice - is valid because such intention does not disqualify it.

R. Eliezer declares it - the sacrifice - invalid. The halakhah does not follow R. Eliezer. Likewise if one slaughters a sacrifice intending

to eat that which is suitable for eating or to burn that which is suitable for burning - but plans to do so after the prescribed time or outside the prescribed place less than an olive's bulk, it - the sacrifice -is valid because the intention of eating or burning less than an olive's bulk does not disqualify. So, too, if one slaughters a sacrifice intending

to eat half an olive's bulk and to burn half an olive's bulk after its prescribed time or outside its place, it - the sacrifice - is valid, because eating and burning do not combine to make up the minimum measure of an olive's bulk that disqualifies the sacrifice. This halakhah recapitulates that recorded at the end of Ch.2. According to some commentators our mishnah points out that R. Eliezer, who disagrees in the first section of the mishnah, agrees with this ruling (see Rashi Men 17a; Hagahot VeHidushe Hareshash; see also Tiferet Yisrael and Tosefot Yom Tov).

ZEVAHIM: CHAPTER 3: MISHNAH 4

If one slaughters a sacrifice to eat an olive's bulk of the skin, of the broth, of the keefah, of the alal, of the bones, of the sinews, of the hooves, of the horns, after its time or outside its place - it is valid, and one is not liable on their account to pigul, notar or uncleanness.

Kehati

The preceding mishnah taught: "If one slaughters a sacrifice to eat thereof (after its time or outside its place) that which is not suitable for eating or to burn that which is not suitable for burning, it is valid." Our mishnah specifies those unsuitable for eating.

If one slaughters a sacrifice intending to eat an olive's bulk of the skin - other than the skin under the fat-tail which is edible - or of the broth of the sacrificial meat, or of the keefah - condiments, e.g., garlic, onion, etc, that serve to flavor the meat, mixed with thin shreds of meat, or of the alal - remnants of flesh which adhere to the skin when flaying; others define it as the hard and inedible tendon of the neck (Bartenura), or of the bones or of the sinews or of the hooves or of the horns intending to eat these after its time or outside its place - it - the sacrifice - is valid - because none of the mentioned items is ordinarily eaten –

and one is not liable on their account to pigul - if during any of the sacrificial acts one intended to eat of its meat or burn its portions on the altar after the prescribed time, and he ate of one of the listed items, he is not liable to the karet penalty – notar - if any of the mentioned items was left after the time prescribed for the consumption of the sacrifice (see notar in the Introduction), and he ate it, he is not liable to karet - or uncleanness - if a person who became unclean ate of any of the enumerated items of a valid sacrifice, he is not considered having eaten holy things in a state of uncleanness.

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