Pesachim

Alternatively I may answer, Rab ruled as R. Joshua.1 For it was taught, R. Joshua said: [In the case of] all the sacrifices of the Torah, whether the flesh was defiled while the fat has remained [clean] or the fat was defiled while the flesh has remained [clean], he must sprinkle the blood. [In the case of] a nazirite2 and one who sacrifices the Passover-offering, if the fat was defiled and the flesh has remained [clean], he must sprinkle the blood; if the flesh was defiled while the fat has remained [clean], he must not sprinkle the blood. Yet if he sprinkled it, it is acceptable.3 If the owners became unclean through a dead body, he must not sprinkle [the blood], and if he does sprinkle the blood it is not acceptable.4 BUT IN THE CASE OF [OTHER] DEDICATED SACRIFICES IT IS NOT SO etc. Who is [the author of] our Mishnah? — It is R. Joshua. For it was taught, R. Joshua said: [With regard to] all the sacrifices of the Torah of which as much as an olive of flesh or an olive of fat has remained [clean], he sprinkles the blood. [If there remains] as much as half an olive of flesh and half an olive of fat, he must not sprinkle the blood. But in the case of a burnt-offering, even [if there remains] as much as half an olive of flesh and half an olive of fat, he sprinkles the blood, because the whole of it is entirely [burnt].5 While in the case of a meal-offering, even if the whole of it is in existence,6 he must not sprinkle [the blood]. What business has a meal-offering [here]?7 — Said R. Papa: [This refers to] the meal-offerings of libations.8 You might have said, Since it comes in virtue of9 the sacrifice, it is as the sacrifice:10 hence he informs us [that it is not so]. How do we know [it of] fat?11 Said R. Johanan on R. Ishmael's authority, while it is [ultimately] derived from R. Joshua b. Hananiah: Scripture saith, [And the priest shall sprinkle the blood . . .] and burn the fat [heleb] for a sweet savour unto the Lord:12 the fat [authorizes the sprinkling of the blood] even if there is no flesh. We have thus found [this to hold good of] fat; how do we know it of the lobe above the liver and the two kidneys?13 [But] where have we said that we do sprinkle?14 Since he states, ‘while in the case of a meal-offering, even if the whole of it is in existence, we do not sprinkle [the blood],’ [that implies,] the meal-offerings alone is not [sufficient for the sprinkling of the blood], but the lobe above the liver and the two kidneys are well.15 Whence [then] do we know it? — R. Johanan, giving his own [exegesis] said: Scripture saith, ‘for a sweet savour’: whatever you offer up for a sweet savour.16 Now, it is necessary that both ‘heleb’ and ‘for sweet savour’ be written. For if the Divine Law wrote ‘heleb’ [alone], I would say: only ‘fat’, but not the lobe on the liver and the two kidneys; [therefore] the Divine Law wrote ‘for a sweet savour.’ While if the Divine Law wrote ‘for a sweet savour’ [alone], I would say: all that ascend for a sweet savour, and even the meal-offering [permit the sprinkling of the blood]; therefore the Divine Law wrote ‘heleb.’ MISHNAH. IF THE COMMUNITY OR THE MAJORITY THEREOF WAS DEFILED, OR IF THE PRIESTS WERE UNCLEAN AND THE COMMUNITY CLEAN, THEY MUST SACRIFICE IN UNCLEANNESS. IF A MINORITY OF THE COMMUNITY WERE DEFILED: THOSE WHO ARE CLEAN OBSERVE THE FIRST [PASSOVER], WHILE THOSE WHO ARE UNCLEAN OBSERVE THE SECOND. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: Behold, if the Israelites were unclean, while the priests and the service-vessels17 were clean, or the Israelites were clean while the priests and the service-vessels were unclean, and even if the Israelites and the priests were clean while the service-vessels were unclean, they must sacrifice in uncleanness, because a public sacrifice cannot be divided.18 R. Hisda said: They learned this only if the [slaughtering] knife became defiled through a person unclean by the dead,19 because the Divine Law saith, [and whosoever . . . toucheth] one that is slain by the sword,20 [intimating,] the sword is [of the same degree of uncleanness] as the slain;21 hence it defiles the person. Thus from the very beginning when it is sacrificed,22 it is sacrificed in [a state of] personal uncleanness, which involves kareth. But if the knife became unclean with the uncleanness conferred by a reptile, so that it defiles the flesh alone, but does not defile the person, [only] those who are clean sacrifice, but the unclean do not sacrifice, [for] it is better eaten when the flesh is unclean, which is subject to a negative injunction, rather than that the flesh should be eaten when the person is unclean, which is subject to kareth.23 This proves that R. Hisda holds: uncleanness is overridden in the case of a community.24 And thus said R. Isaac [too]: uncleanness is overridden in the case of a community. But Raba said: Even the unclean too may sacrifice. What is the reason? Because it is written, And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire. And as for the flesh, every one that is clean may eat thereof.25 Wherever we read ‘and the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten,’ we [also] read, ‘and as for the flesh, every one that is clean may eat thereof;’ and wherever we do not read, ‘and the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten’ we [also] do not read, ‘and as for the flesh, every one that is clean may eat thereof.’ 26 It was stated: Behold, if the Israelites were half [of them] clean and half unclean, Rab said: Half against half is as a majority; while R. Kahana said: Half against half is not as a majority. Rab said, Half against half is as a majority’; [hence] these sacrifice27 by themselves, while those sacrifice by themselves.28 ‘While R. Kahana said: Half against half is not as a majority’; [hence] the clean observe the first [Passover], while the unclean observe the second. Others say, R. Kahana said: Half against half is not as a majority: the clean observe the first [Passover], intended to be eaten: hence the eating is indispensable. Tosaf. however maintains that it is not indispensable, and deletes ‘nazirite,’ adding that it is absent in the Tosef. too; Bah also deletes it. relegated him to the second Passover (Num. IX, 10f). uncleanness, even the minority who are clean bring it in uncleanness too. and defiles human beings. Hence the man who kills with it must in any case become unclean, while normally the penalty for eating sacred flesh in this state is kareth (v. Lev. VII, 20). But in the second instance the knife is unclean in the first degree only and does not defile the person who handles it, though it defiles the flesh of the animal which is killed with it. Since this is a lower stage, for eating unclean sacred flesh is merely subject to a negative injunction but does not involve kareth, we do not permit the greater uncleanness of the person too; hence those who are bodily unclean must observe the second Passover. cleanness or at least with the smallest possible degree of uncleanness.