Halacha
הלכה א
כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁל מִינֵי נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה בָּאִין מֵחֲמִשָּׁה מִינִין בִּלְבַד. מִן הַבָּקָר וּמִן הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן הָעִזִּים וּמִן הַתּוֹרִים וּמִן בְּנֵי הַיּוֹנָה:
כסף משנה
1.
All of the sacrifices of living animals comes from five species alone: a) cattle, b) sheep, c) goats, d) turtle doves, and e) small doves.1See Hilchot Issurei Mizbeiach 3:2 with regard to the differences between these species. In this chapter, the Rambam outlines the different types of animal sacrifices and which animals are offered for each one.הלכה ב
וְכָל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת בֵּין שֶׁל צִבּוּר בֵּין שֶׁל יָחִיד אַרְבָּעָה מִינִין. עוֹלָה. וְחַטָּאת. וְאָשָׁם. וּשְׁלָמִים:
כסף משנה
2.
All of the sacrifices - whether those brought by the community or by individuals - are of four types: a) burnt-offerings, b) sin-offerings, c) guilt-offerings, and d) peace-offerings.הלכה ג
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה מִינֵי קָרְבַּן יָחִיד וְהֵם הַפֶּסַח. וְהַבְּכוֹר. וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר:
כסף משנה
3.
There are also three other types of individual sacrifices: a) the Paschal sacrifice, b) the sacrifice of the firstborn,2The sacrifice of the firstborn of one's cattle or flocks. and d) the tithe3I.e., the tithing of one's cattle or flocks. sacrifice.4In his Commentary to the Mishnah, in the introduction to the order of Kodshim, the Rambam speaks of "peace-offerings and [offerings] that resemble peace-offerings." He later explains that the term "[offerings] that resemble peace-offerings" refers to the three types of sacrifices mentioned here, because they resemble peace-offerings." He elaborates on that theme in his commentary to Zevachim 5:5, explaining that the procedure in which these three sacrifices are offered resembles that of the peace-offerings with only minor differences. For that reason and because they are offerings which a person is required to bring only on specific and infrequent occasions, he does not consider them as a separate category of sacrifices.הלכה ד
כָּל קָרְבָּנוֹת הַצִּבּוּר הֵן עוֹלָה אוֹ חַטָּאת. וְאֵין בְּקָרְבְּנוֹת הַצִּבּוּר שְׁלָמִים חוּץ מִשְּׁנֵי כְּבָשִׂים הַבָּאִים עִם לֶחֶם הַתְּנוּפָה בַּעֲצֶרֶת. וְהֵם הַנִּקְרָאִים זִבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵי צִבּוּר. וְאֵין הַצִּבּוּר מַקְרִיבִין אָשָׁם לְעוֹלָם וְלֹא עוֹף:
כסף משנה
4.
All of the communal offerings are burnt-offerings or sin-offerings. There are no communal peace-offerings except the two sheep offered with the bread that is waved on Shavuot.5I.e., the two loaves offered that day. The Rambam is borrowing the wording of Leviticus 23:17. They are called "the sacrifices of communal peace offerings." The community never offers a guilt offering, nor a fowl.הלכה ה
קָרְבְּנוֹת הַצִּבּוּר הֵם שְׁנֵי תְּמִידִין שֶׁל כָּל יוֹם. וּמוּסְפֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת וְרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים וְהַמּוֹעֲדוֹת וּשְׂעִיר חַטָּאת שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. וְכֵן אִם שָׁגְגוּ בֵּית דִּין וְהוֹרוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מֵבִיא כָּל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט פַּר וְשָׂעִיר. הַפָּר עוֹלָה וְהַשָּׂעִיר חַטָּאת. וְאֵלּוּ הַשְּׂעִירִים הֵם הַנִּקְרָאִים שְׂעִירֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְאִם שָׁגְגוּ וְהוֹרוּ בִּשְׁאָר הַמִּצְוֹת מְבִיאִין פַּר לְחַטָּאת וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא פַּר הֶעְלֵם דָּבָר שֶׁל צִבּוּר:
כסף משנה
5.
The communal offerings are the two temidim6Literally "continuous offerings." offered every day,7See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 1:1-3. the additional offerings of the Sabbaths,8See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 4:9. Rashei Chodashim, and the festivals,9See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim, chs. 7-10. and the sin-offering of a goat brought on Yom Kippur.10See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 10:2. Similarly, if [the High] Court11The Sanhedrin of 71 judges who would hold their sessions in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. inadvertently gave an erroneous ruling with regard to the worship of false deities, every tribe is required to bring a bull and a goat. The bull is brought as a burnt-offering and the goat as a sin-offering. These goats are called "the goats of false deities." If they inadvertently gave an erroneous ruling with regard to other mitzvot, they bring a bull as a sin-offering. It is called "the bull associated with the overlooking of a matter by the community."12Both of these sacrifices are described in Hilchot Shegagot 12:1.הלכה ו
קָרְבְּנוֹת הַיָּחִיד הֵם הַבְּכוֹר וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר וְהַפֶּסַח. וְהַחֲגִיגָה וְהִיא שְׁלָמִים. וְהָרְאִיָּה וְהִיא עוֹלוֹת. וְקָרְבַּן הַגֵּר וְהוּא עוֹלָה מִן הַבְּהֵמָה. אוֹ שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי יוֹנָה אוֹ שְׁתֵּי תּוֹרִים וּשְׁנֵיהֶן עוֹלָה. אוֹ שְׁתֵּי בְּהֵמוֹת אַחַת עוֹלָה וְאַחַת שְׁלָמִים. וְהַנּוֹדֵר אוֹ הַמִּתְנַדֵּב עוֹלָה אוֹ שְׁלָמִים. וּשְׁלָמִים הַבָּאִין עִם הַלֶּחֶם הֵם הַנִּקְרָאִים תּוֹדָה. וְכֵן קָרְבְּנוֹת הַנָּזִיר וְהֵן עוֹלָה וְחַטָּאת וּשְׁלָמִים. וְקָרְבְּנוֹת מְצֹרָע וְהֵן חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם וְעוֹלָה. וְקָרְבְּנוֹת זָבִים וְיוֹלְדוֹת וְהֵן חַטָּאת וְעוֹלָה. וְקָרְבַּן הַשּׁוֹגֵג בְּמִצְוַת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ כָּרֵת וְהוּא חַטָּאת. וְאִם נִסְתַּפֵּק לוֹ אִם עָשָׂה אוֹ לֹא עָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ הַחוֹטֵא מֵבִיא אָשָׁם וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא אָשָׁם תָּלוּי. וְיֵשׁ עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁמֵּבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן אָשָׁם וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא אָשָׁם וַדַּאי. וְכֵן אֵיל הָעוֹלָה וּפַר הַחַטָּאת שֶׁמַּקְרִיב כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מִשֶּׁלּוֹ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הֲרֵי הֵן קָרְבַּן יָחִיד. וּפַר זֶה הוּא הַנִּקְרָא פַּר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. וְכָל אֵלּוּ הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת מְפֹרָשִׁין הֵן בַּתּוֹרָה וְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶן יִתְבָּאֲרוּ דִּינָיו בִּמְקוֹמוֹ:
כסף משנה
6.
The sacrifices [brought by] individuals include: a) the firstborn offerings,13See Hilchot Bechorot, ch. 1.b) the tithe offerings,14See Hilchot Bechorot, ch. 6.
c) the Paschal offerings,15See Hilchot Korban Pesach, ch. 1.
d) the chagigah offerings, i.e., the peace offerings [brought in association with the pilgrimage festivals],
e) the pilgrimage offering which is a burnt-offering,16Both of these sacrifices are described in Hilchot Chagigah, ch. 1.
f) the sacrifice brought by a convert, that involves a burnt-offering from a domesticated animal, two small doves or two turtle doves; both of them are burnt-offerings, or two domesticated animals, one as a burnt-offering and one as a peace-offering,17See Hilchot Mechusrei Kapparah, ch. 1.
g) one who vows18A person vows to bring either a burnt-offering or a peace-offering. or pledges19A person pledges to bring a particular animal as a burnt-offering or a peace-offering. a burnt-offering or a peace offering,20See Chapter 14 of these halachot (Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot) which describes these sacrifices.
h) peace-offerings that are accompanied by bread; they are called thanksgiving offerings,21See Chapter 9, Halachah 5, and onward which describe this sacrifice.
i) the sacrifices of a nazirite,22One who took a vow not to drink wine. which are a burnt-offering, a sin-offering, and a peace-offering,23See Hilchot Nizirut, ch. 8.
j) the sacrifices of a metzora,24A person afflicted with tzara'at a skin ailment, similar, but not identical, to leprosy. which are a sin-offering, and a guilt-offering, and a burnt-offering,25See Hilchot Mechusrei Kaparah, ch. 4.
k) the sacrifices of a zav26A male who has emissions from his sexual organ similar to those resulting from a gonorrheal infection. a zavah,27A woman who experiences vaginal bleeding outside her menstrual cycle. and a women after childbirth; they are a sin-offering and a burnt-offering,28See Hilchot Mechusrei Kaparah 1:3.
l) the sacrifice brought by a person who inadvertently violated a negative commandment punishable by karet;29Premature death at the hand of heaven and the soul being cut off in the World to Come. it is a sin-offering,30See Hilchot Shegagot, ch. 1.
m) if a person was unsure of whether he transgressed or not, that transgressor brings a guilt-offering; it is called a conditional guilt-offering,31See Chapter 9 which describes both these types of sacrifices.
n) there are certain sins32When he engaged in relations with a maid-servant who was married, robbed, made mundane use of consecrated property. Similarly, a nazirite who became impure and a person afflicted with tzara'at must bring this offering. for which one brings a guilt-offering [to atone for their transgression]; this is called a definite guilt-offering,33See Chapter 9 which describes both these types of sacrifices.
o) similarly, the ram brought as a burnt-offering and the bull the High Priest brings from his own resources as a sin-offering on Yom Kippur,34See Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim, ch. 4, which describes the offering of these sacrifices. are individual offerings; the bull is called "the bull of Yom Kippur."
All of these sacrifices are explicitly mentioned in the Torah and the laws governing each of them are explained in the appropriate places.
הלכה ז
כָּל קָרְבְּנוֹת הַיָּחִיד חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָן וּבְאַחֲרָיוּת נִסְכֵּיהֶן חוּץ מִן הַנְּדָבָה. וְכָל קָרְבְּנוֹת הַצִּבּוּר אֵינָן חַיָּבִין בְּאַחֲרָיוּתָן וְלֹא בְּאַחֲרָיוּת נִסְכֵּיהֶן. וְאִם קָרַב הַזֶּבַח חַיָּבִין בְּאַחֲרָיוּת נִסְכֵּיהֶם. וְקָרְבַּן יָחִיד שֶׁקָּבוּעַ לוֹ זְמַן הֲרֵי הוּא כְּקָרְבַּן צִבּוּר וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב בְּאַחֲרָיוּתוֹ:
כסף משנה
7.
[The person bringing] any of the individual offerings is responsible for them and for their accompanying offerings35I.e., if the animal he designated as a sacrifice dies or the meal or wine offering designated for the sacrifices was spoiled, he must bring another one in its place. with the exception of an animal pledged as sacrifice.36As will be explained in ch. 14, in that instance, the person is not vowing to bring a sacrifice, he designated a particular animal as a sacrifice. Hence if that animal is lost, he is not obligated to replace it. [The community at large] is not responsible for sacrifices or their accompanying offerings.37We are speaking about sacrifices that are required to be brought at a specific time. If for some reason, the community was unable to bring them at that time, they are not required to bring them afterwards. As Berachot 26a states: "If the time passes, the sacrifice is nullified." If a sacrifice was offered, they are responsible for its additional offerings.38For these additional offerings may be brought even at a later date, as will be explained in Chapter 2, Halachah 12. When an individual's sacrifice was required to be offered at a fixed time,39Like the Paschal or festive offerings. it is like a communal offering and the person is not responsible for it.40In this instance as well, since the time passed, the sacrifice cannot be brought. In truth, the matter is not at all dependent on whether an individual's sacrifice or a communal offering is involved. The determining factor is whether there is a specific time associated with the sacrifice or not (Radbaz).הלכה ח
כָּל עוֹלַת בְּהֵמָה אֵינָהּ בָּאָה אֶלָּא מִן הַזְּכָרִים בִּלְבַד. וְהִיא בָּאָה מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן הָעִזִּים וּמִן הַבָּקָר בֵּין גְּדוֹלִים בֵּין קְטַנִּים. וּמִן הַתּוֹרִים וּבְנֵי יוֹנָה וְאֶחָד בָּהֶן הַזָּכָר וְהַנְּקֵבָה:
כסף משנה
8.
All of the animals brought as burnt-offerings must only be male.41Leviticus 22:18-19 speaks of bringing the three species mentioned as burnt offerings and specifies that they must be male. It may be brought from sheep, goats, or cattle, whether large or small.42Provided they are eight days old, as explained in Halachah 11. They may also be brought from turtle doves and small doves, whether male or female.43The Torah does not make any specification with regard to fowl.הלכה ט
הַחַטָּאת בָּאָה מֵחֲמֵשֶׁת הַמִּינִים הָאֵלּוּ מִן הַזְּכָרִים וּמִן הַנְּקֵבוֹת מִן הַגְּדוֹלִים וּמִן הַקְּטַנִּים:
כסף משנה
9.
A sin-offering may be brought from these five species, from both males and females, from small ones and large ones.הלכה י
הָאָשָׁם אֵינוֹ בָּא אֶלָּא מִזִּכְרֵי כְּבָשִׂים בִּלְבַד. יֵשׁ אָשָׁם בָּא מִגְּדוֹלֵי מִין זֶה וְיֵשׁ אָשָׁם בָּא מִן הַקְּטַנִּים:
כסף משנה
10.
A guilt-offering may be brought only from male sheep. There are guilt-offerings that come from large members of this species44Those brought for the sins mentioned in note 32. and others which come from small members of this species.45The guilt offering brought by a nazirite.הלכה יא
הַשְּׁלָמִים בָּאִים מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן הָעִזִּים וּמִן הַבָּקָר מִזְּכָרִים וּמִנְּקֵבוֹת מִן הַגְּדוֹלִים וּמִן הַקְּטַנִּים. וְאֵין הָעוֹף בָּא שְׁלָמִים. הַקְּטַנִּים הֵם מִבֶּן שְׁמוֹנַת יָמִים עַד שָׁנָה תְּמִימָה מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם. אִם נִתְעַבְּרָה שָׁנָה נִתְעַבְּרָה לוֹ. וְהַגְּדוֹלִים בַּבָּקָר עַד שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם. וּבַצֹּאן עַד שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם. יוֹתֵר עַל זֶה הֲרֵי הוּא זָקֵן וְאֵין מַקְרִיבִין אוֹתוֹ:
כסף משנה
11.
Peace offerings may be brought from sheep, goats, or cattle, from males and females, whether large or small. A fowl may not be brought as a peace offering.[When describing an animal as] small, [the intent] is one between the eighth day46Before eight days, it is forbidden to bring an animal as a sacrifice, as stated in Hilchot Isssurei Mizbeiach 3:4. and a full year, from day to day. If the year was declared a leap year, [the extra month is included]. "Large" implies until three full years from day to day for cattle, for flocks,47Both sheep and goats. until two full years from day to day. From this age onward, [the animal] is considered as "old" and it should not be brought as an offering.
הלכה יב
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כְּשֵׁרִין מִיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי וָהָלְאָה אֵין מַקְרִיבִין לְכַתְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא מִיּוֹם שְׁלֹשִׁים וָהָלְאָה. חוּץ מִן הַבְּכוֹר וּמִן הַפֶּסַח וּמִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר שֶׁאִם רָצָה לְהַקְרִיבָן בַּשְּׁמִינִי לְכַתְּחִלָּה מַקְרִיב:
כסף משנה
12.
Although all of the sacrifices are acceptable if they are brought from the eighth day onward, as an initial preference, we do not bring [an animal] as a sacrifice until it is 30 days old or older48If it was brought earlier, it is acceptable after the fact (Radbaz). with the exception of a firstborn offering,49Since Exodus 22:29 explicitly states that a firstborn animal may be offered on its eighth day of life, our Sages did not desire to place any restrictions on the offering. It may be offered on the eighth day even as an initial preference. a Paschal offering, and a tithe offering.50The tithe offering and the Paschal sacrifice are, like the firstborn offering, sacrifices of lesser sanctity and the laws governing the pouring of their blood on the altar are the same. Hence, our Sages considered them the same in this instance as well [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Parah 1:4)].The Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh note that the mishnah cited also states that the same laws apply to offerings that were vowed or pledged and question why the Rambam does not mention them in this halachah. The Radbaz notes that the Rambam does not mention pledges and vows in his Commentary to the Mishnah and maintains that he possessed a different version of the mishnah. If one desires to offer these sacrifices from the eighth day onward, he may.
הלכה יג
שָׁעוֹת מוֹנִין לְקָדָשִׁים. וְאִם הוֹסִיפוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת אוֹ פָּחֲתוּ שָׁעָה פְּסוּלִין. כֵּיצַד. קָרְבָּן שֶׁמִּצְוָתוֹ לִהְיוֹת בֶּן שָׁנָה אִם הוֹסִיף עַל הַשָּׁנָה שָׁעָה אַחַת נִפְסַל. אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה בֶּן שָׁנָה בִּשְׁעַת שְׁחִיטָה וְהוֹסִיף עַל הַשָּׁנָה בִּשְׁעַת זְרִיקָה נִפְסַל עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בֶּן שָׁנָה עַד שְׁעַת זְרִיקָה. וְכֵן בְּכָל הַזְּבָחִים:
כסף משנה
13.
Hours are counted with regard to consecrated animals,51Generally, years are counted from day to day and not from hour to hour. For example, with regard to a child becoming Bar Mitzvah at age 13, if he was born at 3 PM on the sixteenth of Elul, he reaches Bar Mitzvah at nightfall on the sixteenth of Elul. He need not wait until 3 in the afternoon. With regard to sacrifices, however, Zevachim 18b uses Biblical exegesis to teach that we count from the hour of an animal's birth. i.e., if their [lives] were an hour longer52As the Rambam describes in the following clause. or an hour was subtracted from their [lives],53This refers to an animal like a ram that is not acceptable for sacrifice until it is a year and 30 days old. It is not acceptable until the hour of its birth passes on the thirty-first day. they are unacceptable.What is implied? When it is required that a sacrifice be less than a year old, if an hour was added to its year, it is invalidated. Even if it was merely a year old when it was slaughtered and additional time was added before its blood was sprinkled [on the altar], it is invalidated. It must be less than a year until the time the blood is sprinkled [on the altar]. Similar [laws] apply with regard to all the sacrifices.
הלכה יד
כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה כֶּבֶשׂ אוֹ כַּבְשָׂה אוֹ כְּבָשִׂים הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי שָׁנָה. וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַיִל אוֹ אֵילִים הֵם הַזְּכָרִים בְּנֵי שְׁנָתַיִם. וּמֵאֵימָתַי יִקָּרֵא אַיִל מִשֶּׁיִּכָּנֵס בְּשָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה אֶחָד וּשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. אֲבָל בְּיוֹם שְׁלֹשִׁים אֵינוֹ כָּשֵׁר לֹא לְכֶבֶשׂ וְלֹא לָאַיִל וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא פִּלְגָּס. וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ עֵגֶל הֲרֵי זֶה בֶּן שָׁנָה. פַּר בֶּן שְׁתַּיִם. שְׂעִיר עִזִּים [בֶּן שָׁנָה. שָׂעִיר] בֶּן שְׁתַּיִם. כָּל שָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה הוּא נִקְרָא שָׂעִיר:
כסף משנה
14.
Whenever the Torah uses the expressions, "a male sheep," "a female sheep," "sheep," the intent is [an animal] in its first year [of life]. "A ram" or "rams"54The term, ayil, Hebrew for ram, is identified with strength. Implied is that the animal must reach a stage of maturity that endows it with strength and power. implies males in their second year [of life]. When is an animal called a ram? When 31 days of its second year of life pass. On the thirtieth day, however, it is not acceptable, neither as a sheep, nor as a ram. [At this stage,] it is called a pilgas.55This is a Greek term. In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Parah 1:3), the Rambam explains that the term carries an allusion to the Hebrew phrase peleg gas, implying that it has passed its limits exceedingly. Similarly, this animal is in an intermediate state, having left one category, but not entered another.Whenever the expression "a calf" is used, the intent is [an animal] in its first year [of life]. The term "bull" implies that the animal is in its second year of life. The term "a goat kid" implies that it is in its first year, "a goat," that it is in its second year. Throughout the second year, it is called a goat.56Perhaps the Rambam's intent is that there is no concept of a pilgas with regard to goats.
הלכה טו
כָּל קָרְבְּנוֹת הַצִּבּוּר זְכָרִים. וְכֵן חַטָּאוֹת שֶׁל צִבּוּר מִן הָעֵז אוֹ מִן הַבָּקָר. וְאֵין בָּהֶן מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים. וְכָל עוֹלוֹת הַצִּבּוּר מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן הַבָּקָר. וְאֵין לָהֶן עוֹלָה מִן הָעֵז. כָּל חַטַּאת יָחִיד נְקֵבָה וְתֵאָכֵל לַכֹּהֲנִים וְאֵינָהּ בָּאָה מִן הַבָּקָר. חוּץ מִשָּׁלֹשׁ חַטָּאוֹת. חַטַּאת נָשִׂיא שֶׁהִיא עֵז וְנֶאֱכֶלֶת. וְחַטַּאת כֹּהֵן מָשִׁיחַ שֶׁהוּא פַּר וְנִשְׂרֶפֶת וְהוּא פַּר הַבָּא עַל כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי פַּר שֶׁמֵּבִיא כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וְהוּא חַטָּאת וְנִשְׂרָף:
כסף משנה
15.
All of the communal offerings are male. All57Our translation is based on early printing and authoritative manuscripts of the Mishneh Torah. The standard printed text has a slightly different version. of the communal sin offerings58Brought on Rosh Chodesh or the festivals and those mentioned in the following halachot. come from goats or from cattle, none are brought from sheep. All of the communal burnt offerings are from sheep or cattle; there are no burnt-offerings brought from goats.All of the sin-offerings brought by individuals are female. They may be eaten by the priests and they do not come from cattle except three: a) the sin-offering of a nasi59I.e., a king as stated in Hilchot Shegagot 15:6. which is a goat60I.e., as opposed to ordinary sin-offerings which can be either a goat or a sheep, the prince's offering must be a goat and it must be male in contrast to those offerings which are female. and is eaten, b) the sin-offering of the anointed priest which is a bull,61I.e. the High Priest, but only one who was anointed. If he assumed his office through wearing the garments of the High Priest (as did the High Priests of the Second Temple), he is not required to bring this sacrifice (Hilchot Shegagot, loc. cit.). which is burnt;62I.e., and not eaten. it is called "the bull that comes because of [the violation of] any mitzvah;" c) the bull brought by the High Priest on Yom Kippur;63See Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim 1:1; 4:1. it is a sin-offering that is burnt.
הלכה טז
כָּל חַטָּאוֹת שֶׁל צִבּוּר נֶאֱכָלוֹת חוּץ מִשָּׂעִיר שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁחֲבֵרוֹ מִשְׁתַּלֵּחַ. וְכֵן שְׂעִירֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וּפַר הֶעְלֵם נִשְׂרָפִין. וּפַר הַבָּא עַל כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת וּפַר הֶעְלֵם נִקְרָאִים פָּרִים הַנִּשְׂרָפִין. וּשְׂעִירֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה נִקְרָאִים שְׂעִירִים הַנִּשְׂרָפִין. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁחָמֵשׁ חַטָּאוֹת הֵם הַנִּשְׂרָפוֹת. שְׁתַּיִם לַיָּחִיד וְשָׁלֹשׁ לַצִּבּוּר:
כסף משנה
16.
All of the communal sin-offerings are eaten with the exception of the goat offered on Yom Kippur whose partner is sent [to Azazel],64See Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim 1:1; 4:1. the goats brought [because of the violation65By people at large due to a erroneous ruling by the High Court. of the prohibition against] idol worship,66See Hilchot Shegagot 12:1. and the bull [brought because of the violation of] a law forgotten [by the High Court].67By people at large due to a erroneous ruling by the High Court. "The bull that comes because of [the violation of] any mitzvah"68I.e. the High Priest, but only one who was anointed. If he assumed his office through wearing the garments of the High Priest (as did the High Priests of the Second Temple), he is not required to bring this sacrifice (Hilchot Shegagot, loc. cit.). and the bull [brought because of] a law forgotten [by the High Court] are called "the bulls that are burnt." The goats brought [because of the violation of the prohibition against] idol worship are called "the goats that are burnt."Thus there are five sin-offerings that are burnt: two are individual offerings69The two bulls brought by the High Priest mentioned in the previous halachah. and three are communal offerings.70The bulls and the goats brought because of transgressions performed due to a erroneous ruling by the High Court and the goat offered as a sin offered on Yom Kippur [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Zevachim 12:5)]. Significantly, in his Commentary to Parah 8:3, the Rambam does not mention the goat offered on Yom Kippur among the goats that are burnt.
הלכה יז
כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת הָאֵלּוּ נִקְרָאִים זְבָחִים. וְכָל הָעוֹלוֹת וְהַחַטָּאוֹת וְהָאֲשָׁמוֹת וּשְׁנֵי כַּבְשֵׂי שְׁלָמִים שֶׁל עֲצֶרֶת נִקְרָאִים קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים. אֲבָל שְׁלָמִים שֶׁל יָחִיד וְהַבְּכוֹר וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר וְהַפֶּסַח נִקְרָאִים קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים:
כסף משנה
17.
All of these offerings are called zevachim.71The Radbaz notes that this appellation is found in Zevachim 47a. He questions the reason for the Rambam's inclusion of this point and explains that it can resolve a question that might arise if a person made a particular pledge. All of the burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, guilt-offerings, and the two sheep brought as peace-offerings on Shavuos are called "sacrifices of the highest order of sanctity."72See Chapter 5, Halachot 2-3. Peace offerings brought by an individual, the firstborn offerings, the tithe offerings, and the Paschal offerings, are called "sacrifices of a lesser degree of sanctity."73See Chapter 5, Halachah 4.הלכה יח
הָאֵיבָרִים שֶׁשּׂוֹרְפִין אוֹתָן עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ מִן הַחַטָּאוֹת הַנֶּאֱכָלוֹת וּמִן הָאֲשָׁמוֹת וּמִן הַשְּׁלָמִים הֵן הַנִּקְרָאִין אֵימוּרִין. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הָאֵימוּרִין שֶׁל שׁוֹר אוֹ שֶׁל עֵז. הַחֵלֶב אֲשֶׁר עַל הַקֶּרֶב וּבִכְלָלוֹ חֵלֶב שֶׁעַל גַּבֵּי הַקֵּבָה וּשְׁתֵּי הַכְּלָיוֹת וְחֵלֶב שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶן עִם הַחֵלֶב אֲשֶׁר עַל הַכְּסָלִים וְיוֹתֶרֶת הַכָּבֵד וְנוֹטֵל מִן הַכָּבֵד מְעַט עִם הַיּוֹתֶרֶת. וְאִם הָיָה הַקָּרְבָּן מִמִּין הַכְּבָשִׂים מוֹסִיף עַל אֵלּוּ הָאַלְיָה תְּמִימָה עִם הַחֻלְיוֹת מִן הַשִּׁדְרָה עַד מְקוֹם הַכְּלָיוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ג ט) "לְעֵמַּת הֶעָצֶה יְסִירֶנָּה". וְכָל הָאֵימוּרִין נִשְׂרָפִין עַל מִזְבֵּחַ הַחִיצוֹן:
כסף משנה
18.
The limbs and organs that are burnt on the altar from the sin-offerings that are eaten, from the guilt-offerings, and from the peace-offerings74The Rambam does not mention the burnt offering, because then the entire animal is burnt. are called eimorim.75In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Introduction to the Order of Kodshim), the Rambam explains that this term is derived from the term emar, "spoke," i.e., these are the organs spoken about, i.e., specified by God to be burnt. These are the eimorim of an ox or a goat: the fat that is on the inner organs,76The Biblical term kerev (Leviticus 3:3, et al) refers to the inner digestive organs. That verse speaks of "the fat that covers the inner organs" and "all the fat on the inner organs." The first term refers to a large membrane that covers all of these organs like a sack. The second term refers to the fat on the organs themselves. included with that is the fat that is on the maw,77I.e., one of the animals four stomachs. Since the verse uses the term kol, "all," our Sages understood that additional fat was to be brought. the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, together with the fat that is on the flanks, the lobe of the liver, and a small portion of the liver should also be taken with its lobe.78These are also mentioned explicitly in Leviticus 3:10, et al. If the sacrifice is from sheep, he should add to these the fat tail79The tails of goat and cattle do not collect fat. Hence the term alyah, "fat tail" is not appropriate with regard to them and their tails are not offered (Radbaz). in its entirety80Leviticus 3:9 speaks of haalyah temimah. In this context, temimah means "entire." together with the vertebrae from the spine until the place of the kidneys, as [Levitcus 3:9] states: "he shall remove it opposite the kidneys." All of the eimorim are burnt on the outer altar.81The inner altar is used only for incense and the blood sprinkled on it on Yom Kippur. See Hilchot K'lei HaMikdash 2:11.הלכה יט
הָיְתָה הַבְּהֵמָה מְעֻבֶּרֶת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּלוּ חֳדָשָׁיו שֶׁל עֻבָּר וַאֲפִלּוּ נִמְצָא חַי אֵינוֹ מַעֲלֶה חֶלְבּוֹ עִם חֵלֶב אִמּוֹ אֶלָּא חֵלֶב אִמּוֹ בִּלְבַד. וַהֲרֵי הָעֻבָּר כְּאֶחָד מֵאֵיבָרֶיהָ:
כסף משנה