Shevuot

And there it is written: He shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.1 Just as there it refers to entering the Temple while unclean,2 so here it refers to entering the Temple while unclean. — If so, why is the expression by which necessary?3 — To include [that he who eats] the carcass of a clean bird4 [and enters the Temple or eats holy food must bring a sliding scale sacrifice]. — But you said that by which is intended to exclude [and not include]! For the very reason that it does exclude it is superfluous: it is written: Or if he touch [the uncleanness]5 — this implies that only that which defiles by touch is included [in the regulation of the sliding scale sacrifice], but that which does not defile by touch is not included.6 Then it is written also: by which7 which implies limitation. We have, then, limitation after limitation; and limitation after limitation serves to amplify.8 WHERE THERE IS KNOWLEDGE AT THE BEGINNING BUT NOT AT THE END, THE GOAT THE BLOOD OF WHICH IS SPRINKLED WITHIN THE VEIL etc. Our Rabbis taught: And he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the Children of Israel . . .9 It is possible in this phrase to include three types of uncleanness — the uncleanness of idolatry, the uncleanness of incest, and the uncleanness of bloodshed. Of idolatry the verse says: [He hath given of his seed unto Molech] to defile My sanctuary.10 Of incest it says: Ye shall keep My charge, that ye do not any of these abominable customs . . . that ye defile not yourselves therein.11 Of bloodshed it says: And thou shalt not defile the land.12 Now, I might have thought that for these three types of uncleanness this [‘inner’] goat atones, therefore the text says: Of the uncleannesses of the Children of Israel,13 and not ‘all the uncleannesses’. [These three are excluded, because] what [uncleanness] do we find that the text has differentiated from all other uncleannesses? — You must say, it is the uncleanness of [the transgressor who enters] the Temple or [eats] holy food;14 so here also [the text in stating that the inner goat atones for the transgression of the laws of uncleanness refers to] the uncleanness connected with Temple and holy food.15 This is the opinion of R. Judah. R. Simeon says: From its own text it may be deduced, for it says. And he shall make atonement for the holy place, of the uncleannesses . . ., [i.e.,] of the uncleannesses of the holy place.16 Now, I might have thought that for every uncleanness connected with the Temple and holy food17 this goat atones, therefore the text says: And of their transgressions, even all their sins18 — sins are equated with transgressions; just as transgressions are not liable for sacrifice,19 so sins [in this verse] are those which are not liable for sacrifice.20 And how do we know that [only] when there is knowledge at the beginning and not at the end does this goat hold the sin in suspense?21 — Because the text says, even all their sins — implying sins for which a sin offering may ultimately be brought.22 The Master stated: ‘It is possible in this phrase23 to include three types of uncleanness — the uncleanness of idolatry, the uncleanness of incest, and the uncleanness of bloodshed.’ With reference to idolatry, how is it possible? If it was witting transgression, the transgressor suffers the death penalty;24 if unwitting, he brings a sacrifice.25 — [Yes, it may atone] for witting transgression without warning,26 or unwitting transgression before it becomes known to him.27 now we find that we even require an extra deduction to include Temple; we should therefore not have included Terumah in any case, even without the limitation of by which. of the thirty-two hermeneutical principles by which R. Eliezer, son of R. Jose the Galilean, expounds Holy Writ. In the present instance the double limitation serves to include that he who eats the carcass of a clean bird and enters the Temple or eats holy food must bring a sliding scale sacrifice. sprinkled within the veil. unwitting transgressions. sacrifice. end; a sacrifice is brought later when knowledge comes to the sinner. But where there is knowledge at the beginning, there is no possibility that a sacrifice may ultimately be brought. atones for idolatry.