Zevachim

And shall we arise and do a thing to priests whereby they may come to a stumbling block?1 — Even so it is better, that Divine sacrifices should not lie like carrion. 2 R. Hiyya b. Abba said: R. Johanan asked: If the emurim of lesser sacrifices were taken up before their blood was sprinkled, must they go down or not? Said R. Ammi to him: Then inquire about a trespass-offering?3 — I do not ask about a trespass-offering, he replied, because sprinkling alone makes it subject to a trespass-offering; I only ask about [their] going down. And he [eventually] ruled that they do not go down and do not involve trespass. R. Nahman b. Isaac recited it thus. R. Hiyya b. Abba said, R. Johanan asked: If the emurim of lesser sacrifices were taken up before their blood was sprinkled, do they involve a trespass-offering or not? Said R. Ammi to him: Then ask about [their] going down? I do not ask about going down, he replied, because they have become the food of the altar;4 I ask only about a trespass-offering. And [eventually] he ruled: They do not go down and do not involve trespass. THE DISQUALIFICATION OF THE FOLLOWING DID NOT ARISE IN THE SANCTUARY etc. R. Johanan said: Only in the case of cataracts in the eye did R. Akiba declare them fit, since such are fit in the case of birds, and provided that their consecration [for a sacrifice] preceded their blemish. And R. Akiba admits in the case of a female burnt-offering [that it must be taken down], because that is tantamount to the blemish preceding its consecration. 5 R. Jeremiah asked: Is nirba’ [a disqualification] in birds or is nirba’ no [disqualification] in birds?6 Do we say: [Ye shall bring your offering] of the cattle7 excludes roba’ and nirba’: [hence] whatever is subject to [the disqualification of] roba’ is subject to [the disqualification of] nirba’; and whatever is not subject to roba’ is not subject to nirba’.8 Or perhaps, sin has been committed with it?9 — Said Raba, Come and hear: R. AKIBA DECLARED BLEMISHED ANIMALS FIT. Now, if this is correct,10 let him also declare a nirba’ fit,11 since it is fit in the case of birds.12 Hence infer from this [that it is not fit]. R. Nahman b. Isaac said: We too have learnt thus: With regard to a nirba’, a bird set apart [for an idolatrous sacrifice], a bird worshipped, a [harlot's] hire, the price [of a dog], a tumtum13 and a hermaphrodite, all of these defile garments when they are in the gullet.14 This proves it. R. HANINA THE SEGAN OF THE PRIESTS. What does he inform us? — I can say that he informs us of the actual fact.15 Alternatively, what does HE REPULSED mean? Indirectly.16 JUST AS THEY DO NOT DESCEND IF THEY ONCE ASCENDED etc. ‘Ulla said: They learnt this only where the fire had not taken hold of it; but if the fire had taken hold of it, it must re-ascend. R. Mari recited this in connection with the first clause.17 R. Hanina of Sura recited it in connection with the final clause:18 With regard to the bones, tendons, horns and hoofs, if they are attached [to the animal], they ascend [the altar]; if they are severed [from the animal] they do not ascend.19 Said ‘Ulla: They learnt this only where the fire had not taken hold of them; but if the fire had taken hold of them, they ascend.20 He who recites it in connection with the final clause [holds that it applies] all the more to the first clause.21 He however who recites it in connection with the first clause [maintains]: but as for the final clause, those things are not normally burnt [on the altar]. 22 MISHNAH. THE FOLLOWING IF THEY ASCENDED GO DOWN:23 THE FLESH OF MOST SACRED SACRIFICES AND THE FLESH OF LESSER SACRIFICES; THE RESIDUE OF THE ‘OMER;24 THE TWO LOAVES;25 THE SHEWBREAD;26 THE RESIDUE OF MEAL-OFFERINGS;27 AND INCENSE.28 THE WOOL ON THE HEADS OF LAMBS, THE HAIR OF HE-GOATS BEARDS; THE BONES, TENDONS, HORNS AND HOOFS, IF THEY ARE ATTACHED, GO UP, BECAUSE IT IS SAID, AND THE PRIEST SHALL MAKE THE WHOLE SMOKE ON THE ALTAR;29 IF THEY ARE SEVERED [FROM THE ANIMAL], THEY DO NOT GO UP, FOR IT IS SAID, AND THOU SHALT OFFER THY BURNT-OFFERINGS, THE FLESH AND THE BLOOD, [UPON THE ALTAR OF THE LORD THY GOD]].30 GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught : And the priest shall make the whole smoke on the altar: this includes the bones, tendons, horns and hoofs. You might think, even if they were severed; therefore it states, ‘And thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings, the flesh and the blood’. If [we had only the text] flesh and blood [to go by], laid on the altar (after the sprinkling of the blood) they become the property of the altar, and anyone thus misappropriating them incurs a trespass-offering. Then let the question be asked: does the law of trespass apply if they were taken up before the sprinkling of the blood? birds. at all.