MISHNAH. IF THE HANDFUL HAD BECOME UNCLEAN AND YET WAS OFFERED, THE PLATE RENDERS IT ACCEPTABLE, BUT IF IT HAD BEEN TAKEN OUT [OF THE TEMPLE COURT] AND WAS AFTERWARDS OFFERED, THE PLATE DOES NOT RENDER IT ACCEPTABLE; FOR THE PLATE ONLY RENDERS ACCEPTABLE THE OFFERING WHICH WAS UNCLEAN BUT NOT THAT WHICH WAS TAKEN OUT. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: It is written, And Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things. What iniquity is it that it atones for? Should you say it is the iniquity of piggul — but it has already been said, it shall not be accepted. Should you say it is the iniquity of nothar — but it has already been said, Neither shall it be imputed unto him. Hence it atones for nothing other than the iniquity of uncleanness, since an exception to the general rule has been made for the community. R. Zera demurred, Perhaps it is the iniquity of an offering having been taken outside [that the plate atones for], since an exception to the general rule had been made in the case of the high places? — Abaye answered, It is written, That they may be accepted before the Lord, that is, the iniquity committed before the Lord [is atoned for by the plate], but not the iniquity of an offering having been taken outside. R. Ela'a demurred, perhaps it is the iniquity of [a service being performed with] the left hand [that is atoned for by the plate], since an exception to the general rule has been made on the Day of Atonement? — Abaye answered him, The verse states ‘iniquity’, that is, the iniquity that was incurred is set aside; on the Day of Atonement, however, it is proper to serve with the left hand. R. Ashi answered thus, The verse says, ‘The iniquity of the holy things’, but not the iniquity of them that offer the offering. R. Sima the son of R. Idi said to R. Ashi (others report: R. Sima the son of R. Ashi said to R. Ashi): perhaps it is the iniquity of a blemish in the offering [that is atoned for by the plate], since an exception to the general rule has been made in the case of bird-offerings, for a Master has said, The unblemished state and the male sex are prerequisite in animal-offerings but not in bird-offerings? — He replied, It is for your sake that it is written, It shall not be accepted; and also, For it shall not be acceptable for you. Our Rabbis taught: If the blood of an offering became unclean and yet was sprinkled inadvertently it is acceptable, if deliberately it is not acceptable. This is the rule only with a private offering, but in the case of an offering of the community it is acceptable, whether inadvertently or deliberately. In the case of an offering by a gentile [the rule is] whether inadvertently or deliberately, whether accidentally or intentionally,ᵃᵇᶜᵈᵉᶠᵍʰⁱʲᵏˡᵐⁿᵒᵖᵠʳˢᵗ