פירוש על עבודה זרה 102:23
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
The Talmud brings up the problem that Leviticus 17:7 is already used in a different midrash. To understand this midrash I think it is important to see the full verses:
(3) If anyone of the house of Israel slaughters an ox or sheep or goat in the camp, or does so outside the camp,
(4) And does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD, before the LORD’s Tabernacle, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man: he has shed blood; that man shall be cut off from among his people.
(5) This is in order that the Israelites may bring the sacrifices which they have been making in the open field—that they may bring them before the LORD, to the priest, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and offer them as sacrifices of well-being to the LORD.”
There is some repetition here, particularly between verses four and five. To solve this, the midrash suggests that they refer to different historical settings. The first two verses deal with a period in Jewish history where private altars were prohibited, once the Tabernacle was set up. Thus verse four says that he must bring his offerings to the Tent of Meeting. The verse establishes the punishment for not doing so and a verse in Deuteronomy states the warning. These verses deal with a period in which the animal was dedicated and actually sacrificed when it was prohibited to offer outside of the central sanctuary, after the Tabernacle was erected.
(3) If anyone of the house of Israel slaughters an ox or sheep or goat in the camp, or does so outside the camp,
(4) And does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD, before the LORD’s Tabernacle, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man: he has shed blood; that man shall be cut off from among his people.
(5) This is in order that the Israelites may bring the sacrifices which they have been making in the open field—that they may bring them before the LORD, to the priest, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and offer them as sacrifices of well-being to the LORD.”
There is some repetition here, particularly between verses four and five. To solve this, the midrash suggests that they refer to different historical settings. The first two verses deal with a period in Jewish history where private altars were prohibited, once the Tabernacle was set up. Thus verse four says that he must bring his offerings to the Tent of Meeting. The verse establishes the punishment for not doing so and a verse in Deuteronomy states the warning. These verses deal with a period in which the animal was dedicated and actually sacrificed when it was prohibited to offer outside of the central sanctuary, after the Tabernacle was erected.
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