Beitzah

and fetched all the sheep of Kedar1 that were in Jerusalem and put them Into the Temple Court and said: Whoever wishes to lay on hands let him come and lay on hands; and on that day Beth Hillel got the upper hand and established the halachah according to their opinion and there was no one there who disputed it.2 It happened again with a certain disciple of the disciples of Beth Hillel who brought his burnt-offering into the Temple Court for the purpose of laying hands thereon. A certain disciple of the disciples of Beth Shammai found him and said to him: Why the laying on of hands?3 He replied: Why [not keep] silence? He silenced him with a rebuke and he went away. Said Abaye: Therefore a young scholar to whom his colleague says anything should not answer back more than the former had spoken to him; for the one said to the other, Why the laying on of hands? and the other replied, [correspondingly] Why [not keep] silence? It was taught; Beth Hillel said to Beth Shammai: If, when it is forbidden [to slaughter to provide food] for a layman,4 it is permitted [to slaughter] for the Most High,5 then where it is permitted on behalf of a layman,6 it is surely logical that it is permitted for the Most High.7 Beth Shammai replied to them: Let vows and freewill-offerings prove [the contrary], for they are permitted for a layman and yet forbidden for the Most High.8 Beth Hillel said to them: As for vows and freewill-offerings, that is because there is no fixed time for them; will you say [the same] with respect to a pilgrimage burnt-offering seeing that it has a fixed time!9 Beth Shammai replied to them: Even [for] this [sacrifice] there is no [strictly] fixed time. For we have learnt:10 He who did not bring his Festival offering on the first day of the Festival, may bring it during the whole of the remaining days of the Festival, even on the last day. Beth Hillel replied to them: Even [for] this there is indeed a time fixed, for we have learnt:10 If the Festival passes and he has not brought his Festival offering, he bears no [further] liability [on its account].11 Beth Shammai said to them: Surely it is said ‘[That only may be done] for you,12 [implying] but not for the most High God? Beth Hillel replied to them: Surely it is said: ‘[And ye shall keep it as a feast] unto the Lord’,13 [implying] whatever is for the Lord! If so, why then does the text say: ‘For you’? for you but not for heathens,14 for you, but not for dogs. Abba Saul taught the same in another form: If when thy hearth is closed,15 the hearth16 of the Master is open,17 how much the more must the hearth of thy Master be open when thy hearth is open.18 And that is logical that thy table should not be full and the table of thy Master empty. In what do they differ?19 — One Master20 holds: Vows and freewill-offerings may be offered on a Festival and the other Master holds they may not be offered on a Festival. R. Huna said: On the view that vows and freewill-offerings may not be offered on a Festival, say not, Biblically they are indeed permitted21 and only the Rabbis preventively forbade them lest one delay,22 but even Biblically they are not permitted; for the two loaves of bread23 which are obligatory for that day24 so that we need not apprehend delay, yet [their preparation] does not override either the Sabbath or a Festival. 25 The scholars asked: On the view that vows and freewill-offerings may not be offered on a Festival what is the law if one transgressed and did slaughter?26 Raba says: He sprinkles the blood in order to permit the flesh to be eaten for food.27 Rabbah son of R. Huna says: He sprinkles the blood in order to burn their inwards at eventide.28 What [difference] is there between them? — They differ when the flesh was defiled or lost; according to Raba he must not sprinkle [the blood],29 according to Rabbah son of R. Huna he does sprinkle. An objection was raised: If one slaughters the lambs of the Feast of Weeks30 for another purpose31 or if one slaughters them before or after their [fixed] time, the blood is to be sprinkled and the flesh is to be eaten; but if it was the Sabbath, he may not sprinkle32 and if he did sprinkle33 bringing it at all. contrary.