Menachot 217

Chapter 217

א ואמאי ליחזי היידן נפל היידן מת

1 But why? Let us rather see which [house] it was that fell down, or which [slave] it was that died!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And if it was the best house that fell down or the best slave that died, only then should the purchaser suffer the loss, but not if it was not the best, for according to R. Nahman the terms of the transaction implied that the best was being sold.');">1

ב לוקח קא אמרת שאני לוקח דיד בעל השטר על התחתונה

2 - You are speaking, are you not, of a purchaser? But it is quite a different matter in the case of a purchaser, for the holder of a deed is always at a disadvantage.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is for the purchaser who has the deed of sale in his possession to prove that nothing but the best was the subject of the sale, otherwise it will be assumed that the worst was sold. With regard to offerings for the altar, however, it will always be assumed that the best was intended.');">2

ג השתא דאתית להכי אפילו תימא עלייה דגריעה יד בעל השטר על התחתונה:

3 And now that you have arrived at this answer, you may even say that 'aliyyah3 [means the attic, and] the worst [room was meant], for the reason that the holder of a deed is always at a disadvantage.

ד <big>מתני׳</big> הרי עלי עולה יקריבנה במקדש ואם הקריבה בבית חוניו לא יצא הרי עלי עולה שאקריבנה בבית חוניו יקריבנה במקדש ואם הקריבה בבית חוניו יצא רבי שמעון אומר אין זו עולה

4 <big>MISHNAH: </big>[IF A MAN SAID,] 'I TAKE UPON MYSELF TO OFFER A BURNT-OFFERING, HE MUST OFFER IT IN THE TEMPLE;4 AND IF HE OFFERED IT IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Temple erected in the neighbourhood of Heliopolis in Egypt by Onias IV. who had fled from Palestine 164 B.C.E. It was modelled on the Temple in Jerusalem, and the regular system of sacrifices was established there. It was despoiled and suppressed by the Emperor Vespasian about the same time as the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple; v. Josephus Antiquities. XIII, 3ff.');">5

ה הריני נזיר יגלח במקדש ואם גלח בבית חוניו לא יצא הריני נזיר שאגלח בבית חוניו יגלח במקדש ואם גלח בבית חוניו יצא ר' שמעון אומר אין זה נזיר:

5 HE HAS NOT FULFILLED HIS OBLIGATION. [IF HE SAID,] 'I TAKE UPON MYSELF TO OFFER A BURNT-OFFERING BUT I WILL OFFER IT IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS'.

ו <big>גמ׳</big> יצא הא מקטל קטלה

6 HE MUST OFFER IT IN THE TEMPLE,6 YET IF HE OFFERED IT IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS HE HAS FULFILLED HIS OBLIGATION.

ז אמר רב המנונא נעשה כאומר הרי עלי עולה על מנת שלא אתחייב באחריותה

7 R'SIMEON SAYS, SUCH IS NO BURNT-OFFERING. [IF A MAN SAID.] 'I WILL BE A NAZIRITE'.

ח אמר ליה רבא אלא מעתה סיפא דקתני הריני נזיר שאגלח בבית חוניו יגלח במקדש ואם גילח בבית חוניו יצא הכי נמי דנעשה כאומר הריני נזיר על מנת שלא אתחייב באחריות קרבנותיו נזיר כמה דלא מייתי קרבנותיו לא מתכשר

8 HE MUST BRING HIS OFFERINGS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he must shave'. This expression is used throughout for the offerings which the Nazirite brings on the completion of his vow when he shaves 'his consecrated head'. V. Num. VI. 18.');">7 IN THE TEMPLE; AND IF HE BROUGHT THEM IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS HE HAS NOT FULFILLED HIS OBLIGATION.

ט אלא אמר רבא אדם זה לדורון נתכוין אמר אי סגיא בבית חוניו טרחנא טפי לא מצינא לאיצטעורי

9 [IF HE SAID,] I WILL BE A NAZIRITE BUT I WILL BRING MY OFFERINGS IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS'. HE MUST BRING THEM IN THE TEMPLE, YET IF HE BROUGHT THEM IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS HE HAS FULFILLED HIS OBLIGATION.

י נזיר נמי האי גברא לצעורי נפשיה קא מיכוין אמר אי סגיא בבית חוניו טרחנא טפי לא מצינא לאיצטעורי

10 R'SIMEON SAYS, SUCH A ONE IS NOT A NAZIRITE. <big>GEMARA: </big>[YET IF HE OFFERED IT IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS] HE HAS FULFILLED HIS OBLIGATION.

יא ורב המנונא אמר לך נזיר כדקאמרת עולה על מנת שלא אתחייב באחריותה קאמר

11 But he has only killed the offering [and not sacrificed it]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For what is slaughtered outside the Temple is not regarded as the sacrifice of the offering, consequently apart from the liability that is incurred for slaughtering outside the Temple he does not thereby fulfil the obligation of his vow.');">8 - R'Hamnuna answered, It is regarded as though he said, 'I take upon myself to offer a burnt-offering on the condition that I shall not be held responsible for it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the Temple of Onias is not different from any other place outside the Temple, his saying 'I will offer it in the Temple of Onias' clearly implied that wherever the animal was slaughtered that was the fulfilment of his obligation. He is, of course, liable for slaughtering it outside the Temple.');">9

יב ואף רבי יוחנן סבר לה להא דרב המנונא דאמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן הרי עלי עולה שאקריבנה בבית חוניו והקריבה בארץ ישראל יצא וענוש כרת

12 Whereupon Raba said to him, In that case will you also say the same of the final clause which reads: [IF HE SAID,] 'I WILL BE A NAZIRITE BUT I WILL BRING MY OFFERINGS IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS, HE MUST BRING THEM IN THE TEMPLE, YET IF HE BROUGHT THEM IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS HE HAS FULFILLED HIS OBLIGATION, namely, that it is regarded as though he said, 'I will be a Nazirite on the condition that I shall not be held responsible for the offerings'? But surely a Nazirite is not released [from his vow] until he has brought his offerings! - The fact is, said Raba, that this man merely intended to offer a gift<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And he did not pledge himself to offer a burnt-offering at all; accordingly there does not arise here the prohibition of slaughtering a consecrated animal outside the Temple.');">10

יג תניא נמי הכי הרי עלי עולה שאקריבנה במדבר והקריבה בעבר הירדן יצא וענוש כרת:

13 [to God], saying to himself, 'If the Temple of Onias can serve my purpose, I will take the trouble [and offer it there]; but further than that11 I cannot put myself out'.

יד <big>מתני׳</big> הכהנים ששמשו בבית חוניו לא ישמשו במקדש שבירושלים ואין צריך לומר לדבר אחר שנאמר (מלכים ב כג, ט) אך לא יעלו כהני הבמות אל מזבח ה' בירושלים כי אם אכלו מצות (בקרב) אחיהם הרי אלו כבעלי מומין חולקין ואוכלין ולא מקריבין:

14 And with regard to the Nazirite vow, too, this man merely intended to exercise self-denial,12 saying to himself, 'If the Temple of Onias can serve my purpose, I will take the trouble [and bring the offerings there]; but further than that I cannot put myself out'.

טו <big>גמ׳</big> אמר רב יהודה כהן ששחט לעבודת כוכבים קרבנו ריח ניחוח

15 R'Hamnuna, however, says, With regard to the Nazirite it is as you say, but in the case of the burnt-offering his vow was intended to imply: 'I will not be held responsible for it'.13 R'Johanan is also of the same opinion as R'Hamnuna; for Rabbah B'Bar Hanah said in the name of R'Johanan, [If a man said,] 'I take upon myself to offer a burnt-offering but I will offer it in the Temple of Onias', and he offered it in the Land of Israel,14

טז אמר רב יצחק בר אבדימי מאי קראה (יחזקאל מד, יב) יען אשר ישרתו אותם לפני גילוליהם והיו לבית ישראל למכשול עון על כן נשאתי ידי עליהם נאום ה' אלהים ונשאו עונם וכתיב בתריה ולא יגשו אלי לכהן לי אי עבד שירות אין שחיטה לאו שירות הוא:

16 he has fulfilled his obligation but he has incurred the penalty of kareth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For slaughtering a consecrated animal outside the Temple. For kareth v. Glos. He has, however, fulfilled his obligation and need not bring another burnt-offering to the Temple, for by his saying, 'I will offer it in the Temple of Onias' he implied that wheresoever the animal would be slaughtered that would be the fulfilment of his obligation. V. supra p. 672, n. 2.');">15 There has also been taught [a Baraitha] to the same effect: [If a man said,] 'I take upon myself to offer a burnt-offering but I will offer it in the wilderness',16

יז איתמר שגג בזריקה רב נחמן אמר קרבנו ריח ניחוח רב ששת אמר אין קרבנו ריח ניחוח

17 and he offered it beyond the Jordan,14 he has fulfilled his obligation but he has incurred the penalty of kareth.

יח אמר רב ששת מנא אמינא לה דכתיב והיו לבית ישראל למכשול עון [מאי] לאו או מכשול או עון ומכשול שוגג ועון מזיד

18 <big>MISHNAH: </big>THE PRIESTS WHO MINISTERED IN THE TEMPLE OF ONIAS MAY NOT MINISTER IN THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM; AND NEEDLESS TO SAY [THIS IS SO OF PRIESTS WHO MINISTERED TO] ANOTHER MATTER;17 FOR IT IS WRITTEN, NEVERTHELESS THE PRIESTS OF THE HIGH PLACES CAME NOT UP TO THE ALTAR OF THE LORD IN JERUSALEM.

יט ורב נחמן מכשול דעון:

19 BUT THEY DID EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD AMONG THEIR BRETHREN.18 THUS THEY ARE LIKE THOSE THAT HAD A BLEMISH:19

כ אמר רב נחמן מנא אמינא לה דתניא (במדבר טו, כח) וכפר הכהן על הנפש השוגגת בחטאה בשגגה מלמד שכהן מתכפר על ידי עצמו

20 THEY ARE ENTITLED TO SHARE AND EAT [OF THE HOLY THINGS]. BUT THEY ARE NOT PERMITTED TO OFFER SACRIFICES.

כא במאי אילימא בשחיטה מאי איריא שוגג אפילו מזיד נמי אלא לאו בזריקה

21 <big>GEMARA: </big>Rab Judah said, If a priest had slaughtered an animal to an idol,20 his offering [in the Temple] is a sweet savour.

כב ורב ששת אמר לך לעולם בשחיטה ובמזיד לא נעשה משרת לעבודת כוכבים

22 R'Isaac B'Abdimi said, Where is there Scriptural proof for this? It is written, Because the ministered unto them before their idols, and became a stumblingblock of iniquity unto the house of Israel; therefore have I lifted up My hand against them, saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity,21

כג ואזדו לטעמייהו דאתמר הזיד בשחיטה רב נחמן אמר קרבנו ריח ניחוח ורב ששת אמר אין קרבנו ריח ניחוח

23 and immediately afterwards it is written, And they shall not come near unto Me, to minister unto Me in the priest's office.22 Thus only if they performed service [unto idols are they disqualified], but slaughtering is no service.23

כד רב נחמן אמר קרבנו ריח ניחוח דלא עבד שירות רב ששת אמר אין קרבנו ריח ניחוח

24 It was stated: [If a priest had] inadvertently sprinkled blood24 [to an idol]. R'Nahman says, His offering [in the Temple]25 is a sweet savour; but R'Shesheth says, His offering is not a sweet savour. R'Shesheth said, Whence do I derive my view? It is written, 'And became a stumblingblock of iniquity unto the house of Israel'. Now this surely means either through stumbling or through iniquity; and 'stumblingblock' signifies an inadvertent act, and 'iniquity' a deliberate act!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus whether the service in honour of the idol was performed inadvertently (through stumbling) or deliberately (through iniquity) the priest is debarred for all time from offering sacrifices in the Temple.');">26 R'Nahman, however, says, It means a stumblingblock of iniquity.27 R'Nahman said, Whence do I derive my view? From the following Baraitha which was taught: It is written, And the priest shall make atonement for the soul that erreth, when he sinneth in error:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XV, 28. The apparently superfluous expression 'when he sinneth in error' is interpreted as referring to a priest who, having sinned by ministering to idols, is now offering his own sacrifice and making atonement for himself (for the whole passage refers to the sin of idolatry) .');">28 this teaches us that the priest may make atonement for himself by his own sacrifice. Now how [did he minister unto the idol]? Will you say, by slaughtering before it? Then why does the verse speak of sinning in error? It is the same even though he sinned deliberately!29 It can only be that he ministered unto the idol by sprinkling before it.30 R'Shesheth, however, can say. I still say by slaughtering before it, but it is not the same if he did so deliberately for he then became a priest to the idol.31 They32 have indeed followed up these principles of theirs, for it has been stated: If a priest had deliberately slaughtered [an animal to an idol]. R'Nahman said, His offering [in the Temple] is a sweet savour; but R'Shesheth said, His offering is not a sweet savour. R'Nahman said, His offering is a sweet savour - for he had not performed a service [before the idol].33 R'Shesheth said, His offering is not a sweet savour' -

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