Commentary for Yevamot 208:13

ואלא לר' אלעזר

even where the actual commandment [of <i>halizah</i> is being performed, in which case] it could be argued that it could be given the same force as [the burning] of the altar portions of the sacrifices, which is not an essential [rite] when [the portions] are not available,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If, for instance, they were lost or became unfit for the altar owing to uncleanness. Cf. Pes. 59b. ');">³²</span> and yet is a <i>sine qua non</i> when they are available,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So in the case of halizah, R. Akiba might have been expected to regard the spitting, which is an act that can be performed, as an essential. ');">³³</span> [would he regard it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The act of spitting. ');">³⁰</span>

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