Pisqa’ 731
1
“Of your herd and your flock” (Dt.12:17)—
this refers to the Purification-offering and Guilt-offering .
Now, what is the verse coming to teach us?
Is the point [to declare liable one who consumes]
the Purification-offering and Guilt-offering
beyond the wall of Jerusalem?
[No!]
For this is a logical deduction
from the case of the [Cattle-] tithe!
Is the point, rather, [to declare liable one who consumes the meat]
before the sprinkling of the blood?
[No!]
For this is a logical deduction
from the case of the Thanks-offering and the Communion-offering!
Is the point, instead, [to declare liable one who consumes the meat]
after the sprinkling of the blood?
[No!]
For this is a logical deduction
from the case of the Firstling!
Just as with the Firstling,
which is among the Lesser-Holy offerings,
one who consumes it after the sprinkling of the blood
transgresses a proscription,
isn’t it only logical that
with the Purification-offering and the Guilt-offering,
which are among the Most-Holy offerings—
one who consumes them
after the sprinkling of the blood,
should transgress a proscription?
Therefore, [the verse must have some other application]!
The verse is coming only to teach us that
one who consumes a Purification-offering or a Guilt-offering
beyond the curtains2 transgresses a proscription.
- H:125-127; JN1:211.
- Hebrew: khutz laqela`im. In the wilderness Dwelling these curtains demarcated a space within which Most-Holy offerings could be eaten (Lv.6:9 and 7:6). In the later Holy Shrine, the area of the Courtyard, within the compound, marked off the permissible space for eating Most-Holy offerings (M. Zev. 14:4-8).