Positive Commandment 72 (Digest)
The "Adjustable" Sin Offering
"And if a person sins... he shall bring his guilt offering... but if he cannot afford..."—Leviticus 5:1.
The following individuals have to bring an "Adjustable" Sin Offering (Korban Oleh V'yored) for their transgressions:
- One who contracted a cardinal ritual impurity and inadvertently entered the Holy Temple.
- One who contracted a cardinal ritual impurity and inadvertently consumed sacrificial flesh.
- One who swore to do, or not to do, a certain act, and inadvertently violated his vow.
- One who was called by his fellow to testify on his behalf and falsely swore that he had not what to testify.
This is called an "adjustable" sacrifice for the species brought [animal, fowl or meal] is dependent on the transgressor's financial means.
The 72nd mitzvah is that in the case of certain transgressions, we are commanded to bring an offering of adjustable value.
The transgressions which require one to bring such a sacrifice are: tumas mikdash, tumas kodshav, taking a false oath (sh'vuas bitui) and swearing falsely that one does not know any testimony (sh'vuas ha'eidus).
In a case of tumas mikdash, when one became tameh through a prime source of tumah (av hatumah) — as we explained in our introduction to Seder Taharos, — and entered the Holy Temple unintentionally; or tumas kodshav, when one ate sacrificial meat unintentionally [when he was in a state of tumah]; or when one swore a sh'vuas bitui and unintentionally did not fulfill one's promise; or when one swore a false sh'vuas ha'eidus, whether unintentionally or on purpose — in any of these cases one must bring an offering of adjustable value.
This commandment derives from G‑d's statement (exalted be He), "If a person sins by hearing an oath [to testify, and he does not do so]...or a person who touches anything which is tameh [and then eats something sanctified or enters a sanctified area] not realizing...[and he later discovers that he has committed a violation]; or a person who makes a verbal oath...and then forgets about it...when he is guilty [in any of these cases]...he must bring his guilt-offering...and if he cannot afford [a sheep, he shall bring two birds]...and if he cannot afford [two birds, he shall bring a meal-offering]...."
This is why it is called [an offering of] adjustable value: because it doesn't have a designated species, but the offering is sometimes brought from one species and sometimes from another species — according to the financial ability of the one who transgressed and must bring the offering.
The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractate Kerisus and in tractate Shavuos.
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