Halacha
הלכה א
כָּל הָאוֹכֵל כְּזַיִת מִבְּשַׂר הָעוֹלָה בֵּין לִפְנִי זְרִיקַת דָּמָהּ בֵּין לְאַחַר זְרִיקַת דָּמָהּ לוֹקֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יב יז) "לֹא תוּכַל לֶאֱכל בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ מַעְשַׂר דְּגָנְךָ תִּירשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ" וְגוֹ' (דברים יב יז) "וְכָל נְדָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּדֹּר". מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁזּוֹ אַזְהָרָה לְאוֹכֵל בְּשַׂר הָעוֹלָה:
כסף משנה
1.
Anyone1This prohibition applies equally to priests and Israelites (Radbaz). who eats an olive-sized portion2This is a general principle with regard to all prohibitions involving eating. Lashes are given only for partaking of an olive-sized portion. of the meat of a burnt-offering, whether before its blood is sprinkled [on the altar] or afterwards,3Compare to Halachah 4. is liable for lashes,4Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 146) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 447) include this prohibition as one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. As explained in Hilchot Meilah 1:3, this negative commandment is also the source for the prohibition against deriving benefit from consecrated articles (meilah). as [implied by Deuteronomy 12:17]: "You may not eat in your gates the tithe of your grain...5This refers to the second tithe which must be brought to Jerusalem. and [the sacrifices brought because of] the vows that you take." According to the Oral Tradition,6Sifri to the above verse, Makkot 17a. it was taught that this is a warning against partaking of the meat of a burnt-offering.7For the latter term is understood as a reference to the burnt offering (ibid.).הלכה ב
וְחֶלְבָּהּ וּבְשָׂרָהּ וְסָלְתָּהּ וְשַׁמְנָהּ וְיַיִן שֶׁל נְסָכֶיהָ חֲמִשְּׁתָן מִצְטָרְפִין לִכְזַיִת:
כסף משנה
2.
Its fat, its meat, and the flour, oil, and wine of its accompanying offering - all five [of these components] can be combined to comprise this olive-sized portion.8I.e., since they are all considered as components of the burnt offering, they are all forbidden. The Radbaz mentions that the omission of the blood of the sacrificial animal indicates that it is not included.הלכה ג
וְכֵן הָאוֹכֵל כְּזַיִת מִכָּל הָאֵימוּרִין בֵּין לִפְנֵי זְרִיקָה בֵּין לְאַחַר זְרִיקָה בֵּין כֹּהֵן בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹקֶה. שֶׁהָאֵימוּרִין כָּלִיל לַמִּזְבֵּחַ כְּכָל הָעוֹלָה וַהֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר בְּמִנְחַת כֹּהֲנִים (ויקרא ו טז) "כָּלִיל תִּהְיֶה לֹא תֵאָכֵל" כָּל שֶׁהוּא כָּלִיל לַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲכִילָתוֹ בְּלֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה וְלוֹקִין עָלָיו בִּכְזַיִת. וְכֵן הָאוֹכֵל כְּזַיִת מִבְּשַׂר חַטָּאוֹת הַנִּשְׂרָפוֹת לוֹקֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ו כג) "וְכָל חַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר יוּבָא מִדָּמָהּ אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד" (ויקרא ו כג) "לֹא תֵאָכֵל בָּאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵף":
כסף משנה
3.
Similarly, one who partakes of an olive-sized portion9The Radbaz explains that the Rambam explicitly mentions that one must partake of an olive-sized portion to be liable - instead, of allowing a reader to reach that conclusion on his own - because one might think that since the verse states that "It shall be totally consumed," as long as a person prevents it from being totally consumed, he is liable. of any of the portions of the sacrifices to be offered on the altar's pyre, whether before the blood [of the sacrifice] is sprinkled [on the altar] or afterwards, whether he is a priest or an Israelite, is liable for lashes.10Besides the prohibitions mentioned here, a person who partakes of these sacrificial components also violates the prohibition against meilah. For the portions to be offered on the altar's pyre must be totally consumed like the totality of the burnt offering. Now [Leviticus 6:16] states with regard to a meal-offering of a priest: "It shall be totally consumed; it should not be eaten." [From this, we derive that] there is a negative commandment [prohibiting] partaking of anything that should be consumed by [the fire of] the altar.11Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 138) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 137) include this prohibition as one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. Although the commandment specifically refers to the meal offering brought by a priest, the Sifra understands it as applying to a greater scope of sacrificial foods, as the Rambam explains. One is liable for lashes for eating an olive-sized portion [of such substances].Similarly, anyone who eats an olive-sized portion of any of the sin-offerings that must be burnt12See Chapter 7, Halachot 2-4. is liable for lashes,13Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 139) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 139) include this prohibition as one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. A separate commandment is necessary, for these sin-offerings are not burnt on the altar of the Temple. as [ibid.:23] states: "Any sin-offering whose blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting... should not be eaten. It should be burnt with fire."
הלכה ד
כָּל הָאוֹכֵל כְּזַיִת מִבְּשַׂר הַקָּדָשִׁים אֲפִלּוּ קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים קֹדֶם זְרִיקַת דָּמָם לוֹקֶה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יב יז) "לֹא תוּכַל לֶאֱכל בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ מַעְשַׂר דְּגָנְךָ תִּירשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ" (דברים יב יז) "וְנִדְבֹתֶיךָ". כְּלוֹמַר לֹא תוּכַל לֶאֱכל נִדְבוֹתֶיךָ בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ קֹדֶם שֶׁזּוֹרְקִין דָּמָן בְּשַׁעֲרֵי הַמָּקוֹם. מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁזּוֹ אַזְהָרָה לְאוֹכֵל תּוֹדָה אוֹ שְׁלָמִים קדֶם זְרִיקַת דָּמִים. וְהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׁאָר קָדָשִׁים בֵּין קַלִּים בֵּין חֲמוּרִים. וְשִׁשָּׁה דְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּתוֹדָה שֶׁהֵם הַחֵלֶב וְהַבָּשָׂר וְהַסּלֶת וְהַשֶּׁמֶן וְהַיַּיִן וְהַלֶּחֶם כֻּלָּן מִצְטָרְפִין לִכְזַיִת:
כסף משנה
4.
Anyone who partakes of an olive-sized portion of the meat of any of the sacrifices - even sacrifices of a lesser degree of sanctity - before their blood is sprinkled [on the altar]14As stated in Hilchot Meilah 2:1, after the blood is sprinkled on the altar, even one who is not permitted to partake of these sacrifices is not liable for meilah, misappropriating the sacred articles for one's personal use. is liable for lashes,15Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 147) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 448) include this prohibition as one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. Significantly, in his listing of the mitzvot at the beginning of this set of halachot, the Rambam mentions this prohibition only with regard to sacrifices of a lesser degree of sanctity. as it is written: "You may not eat in your gates the tithe of your grain, your wine, and your oil... and [the sacrifices brought because of] your pledges." Implied is that you may not eat [the sacrifices brought because of] your pledges in your gates before their blood is sprinkled [on the altar] in God's gates.According to the Oral Tradition,16For this is not the simple meaning of the verse (Rav Yosef Corcus). it was taught that this is a warning against partaking of [the meat of] a thanksgiving-offering or a peace-offering before the sprinkling of its blood. This also applies to [the meat of] other sacrifices, whether sacrifices of the highest order of sanctity or those of a lesser degree.17Makkot 17a explains the process of exegesis through which the prohibitions against partaking of the other sacrifices are derived. The six components of the thanksgiving offering, the fat, the meat, the flour, the oil, the wine,18I.e., the flour, the oil, the wine that comprise the accompanying offering that is brought together with the thanksgiving-offering. and the bread, may all be combined to comprise the olive-sized portion [for which one is liable].
הלכה ה
כָּל הָאוֹכֵל כְּזַיִת מִבְּשַׂר קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים חוּץ לָעֲזָרָה לוֹקֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יב יז) "לֹא תוּכַל לֶאֱכל בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ מַעְשַׂר דְּגָנְךָ תִּירשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ וּבְכֹרֹת בְּקָרְךָ וְצֹאנֶךָ". מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁזּוֹ אַזְהָרָה לְאוֹכֵל מִבְּשַׂר חַטָּאוֹת וַאֲשָׁמוֹת חוּץ לָעֲזָרָה. וְהוּא הַדִּין לְאוֹכֵל קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים חוּץ לִירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֶה. שֶׁחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְקָדָשִׁים קַלִּים כְּחוֹמַת הָעֲזָרָה לְקָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים. וְאֶחָד בְּשַׂר חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם אוֹ שְׁיָרֵי מְנָחוֹת:
כסף משנה
5.
Anyone who partakes of an olive-sized portion of the meat of any of the [sacrifices of] the most sacred order that was taken outside of the walls of the Temple Courtyard, and meat from [sacrifices of] a lesser degree of sanctity that was taken outside Jerusalem, is liable for lashes,19Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 145) and the Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 446) include this prohibition as one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. Significantly, in Sefer HaMitzvot and in his listing of the mitzvot at the beginning of this set of halachot, the Rambam mentions this prohibition only with regard to sacrifices of the highest degree of sanctity although he does state that one who partakes of other sacrifices outside of Jerusalem is liable for lashes. When listing the prohibitions for which lashes are given in Hilchot Sanhedrin 19:4, the Rambam lists these two activities separately. as [implied by] the verse: "You may not eat in your gates the tithe of your grain, your wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and your sheep...." According to the Oral Tradition, it was taught that this is a warning against partaking of [the meat of] a sin-offering or a guilt-offering outside the Temple Courtyard. Similarly, one who partakes of [the meat of] the sacrifices of lesser sanctity outside Jerusalem is liable for lashes. For with regard to sacrifices of a lesser degree of sanctity, the walls of Jerusalem are comparable to the walls of the Temple Courtyard with regard to sacrifices of the most sacred order. [Included equally are] the meat of the sin-offerings and the guilt-offerings and what remains of the meal-offerings.20After the handful was taken to be offered on the altar. All of these are considered as sacrifices of the most sacred order.הלכה ו
בְּשַׂר קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים שֶׁיָּצָא חוּץ לְחוֹמַת הָעֲזָרָה וּבְשַׂר קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים שֶׁיָּצָא חוּץ לְחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם נִפְסַל וְנֶאֱסַר לְעוֹלָם. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָזַר לִמְקוֹמוֹ אָסוּר לְאָכְלוֹ וְהָאוֹכֵל מִמֶּנּוּ כְּזַיִת לוֹקֶה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כב ל) "וּבָשָׂר בַּשָּׂדֶה טְרֵפָה לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ". כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא בָּשָׂר חוּץ לִמְחִיצָתוֹ נַעֲשָׂה כִּטְרֵפָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת מַאֲכָלוֹת אֲסוּרוֹת:
כסף משנה
6.
Meat from [sacrifices of] the most sacred order that was taken outside of the walls of the Temple Courtyard, and meat from [sacrifices of] a lesser degree of sanctity that was taken outside Jerusalem, is disqualified and is forbidden forever. Even if it is taken back to its place, it is forbidden to partake of it. One who eats an olive-sized portion of it21Whether it was returned to its place or not. is liable for lashes, as [implied by Exodus 22:30]: "Meat in a field [from an animal that is] treifah, you shall not eat." Once meat has left its designated place, it is considered as treifah, as we explained in Hilchot Ma'achalot Assurot.22Hilchot Ma'achalot Assurot 5:9. As the commentaries explain there, the term "field" is referring to a place which is not the natural place for the meat to be found. Being there causes it to be considered treifah, unfit to be eaten. Similarly, the fact that this meat is taken outside its natural place causes it to become forbidden.הלכה ז
נִכְנַס בְּשַׂר קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים לַהֵיכָל הֲרֵי זֶה כָּשֵׁר:
כסף משנה
7.
If meat from [sacrifices of] a lesser degree of sanctity was taken into the Temple Building, it is acceptable.23Since, as stated in Chapter 10, Halachah 3, after the fact, sacrifices of the most sacred order may be eaten in the Temple Building, taking sacrificial meat there is not considered as taking it outside its designated place. The Radbaz questions whether it is acceptable to eat meat from sacrifices of lesser sanctity in the Temple Building.הלכה ח
זָר שֶׁאָכַל כְּזַיִת מִבְּשַׂר קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים בָּעֲזָרָה אַחַר זְרִיקַת דָּמִים לוֹקֶה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כט לג) "וְאָכְלוּ אֹתָם אֲשֶׁר כֻּפַּר בָּהֶם" וְגוֹ' (שמות כט לג) "וְזָר לֹא יֹאכַל" וְגוֹ'. בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן אוֹכֵל וּבְעֵת שֶׁרָאוּי לֶאֱכל אִם אֲכָלוֹ שָׁם הַזָּר לוֹקֶה. אֲבָל אִם אָכַל הַזָּר בְּשַׂר קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים בַּחוּץ לוֹקֶה מִשּׁוּם אוֹכֵל בַּחוּץ לֹא מִשּׁוּם זָר שֶׁאָכַל קֹדֶשׁ. שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵינָם רְאוּיִין שָׁם לַכֹּהֲנִים. וְכֵן אִם אֲכָלָן בָּעֲזָרָה קֹדֶם זְרִיקָה לוֹקֶה מִשּׁוּם אוֹכֵל קֹדֶם זְרִיקָה בִּלְבַד לֹא מִשּׁוּם זָרוּת:
כסף משנה
8.
A non-priest who ate an olive-sized portion of meat from sacrifices of the most sacred order24The Radbaz emphasizes that this applies only to meat from a sin-offering or a guilt-offering. If, however, a non-priest partakes of meat from a burnt-offering, he is liable only for the prohibition against partaking of the meat of a burnt-offering (see Halachah 1) and not because of the prohibition against a non-priest partaking of sacrificial meat. in the Temple Courtyard after their blood was sprinkled [on the altar] is liable for lashes,25Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 148) includes this prohibition as one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. The Sefer HaChinuch, however, does not include it. as [Exodus 29:33] states: "And they shall partake of [the sacrifices] which bring them atonement... and a non-priest shall not partake of them." [The association teaches26I.e., as Makkot 18b states, the prohibition against a non-priest partaking of this sacrificial meat applies only in an instance where atonement would be granted were a priest to partake of the meat there. that when sacrificial meat] was eaten by a non-priest in a place where a priest partakes of it and at a time when it is fit to be eaten, he is liable for lashes. If, however, a non-priest ate an olive-sized portion of meat from sacrifices of the most sacred order outside [the Temple Courtyard], he is liable for lashes for partaking of the sacrificial meat outside [the Temple Courtyard]27As stated in Halachah 5. and not because [of the prohibition against] a non-priest partaking of sacrificial foods,28The Radbaz explains that there is a practical as well as a theoretical difference resulting from this concept, for if the non-priest was given a warning for partaking of the meat because he was a non-priest and not because he was partaking of it outside the Temple Courtyard, he is not liable. for they are not fit to be eaten by priests there. Similarly, if [a non-priest] partook of [such meat] in the Temple Courtyard before [the blood] was sprinkled [on the altar], he is liable for lashes only for partaking [of the meat] before the sprinkling of the blood, not because of [partaking of it] as a non-priest.הלכה ט
זָר שֶׁאָכַל כְּזַיִת מֵחַטַּאת הָעוֹף לוֹקֶה שְׁתַּיִם. אַחַת מִשּׁוּם זָר שֶׁאָכַל אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ. וְאַחַת מִשּׁוּם אוֹכֵל נְבֵלָה. שֶׁכָּל מְלִיקָה נְבֵלָה הִיא וּכְשֶׁהֻתְּרָה לַכֹּהֲנִים הֻתְּרָה לֹא לְזָרִים. וַהֲרֵי הֵן שְׁנֵי אִסּוּרִין הַבָּאִין כְּאֶחָד כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:
כסף משנה
9.
A non-priest who ate an olive-sized portion of meat from a sin-offering from fowl is liable for two sets of lashes: one because he is non-priest partaking of sacred meat29This law also applies only when the meat of the fowl was eaten in a time and a place when the fowl would have been permitted to be eaten by the priests (Radbaz). and one because he is partaking of a neveilah.30An animal that died without proper ritual slaughter. For every [fowl killed by] melikah31Snipping off its head, as stated in Chapter 6, Halachah 21. is a neveilah.32For this is not an acceptable process of ritual slaughter. When license was granted to partake of it, it was granted to priests, but not to non-priests. These two prohibitions are considered as two prohibitions that take effect at the same time,33At the time the fowl's head was snipped off, it becomes both forbidden to non-priests and a neveilah. as we explained.34Hilchot Issurei Bi'ah 17:8 states:There is a major general principle that applies with regard to all of the Torah's prohibitions. One prohibition does not take effect when another prohibition is in effect unless:
a) both of the prohibitions take effect at the same time;
b) the latter prohibition forbids additional entities besides [the entity that was originally] prohibited;
c) the scope of the [latter] prohibition encompasses other entities together with [the entity that was originally] prohibited.