1Not every entity that is not unacceptable may be brought as a sacrifice as an initial preference.1אלֹא כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ פָּסוּל מְבִיאִים אוֹתוֹ לְכַתְּחִלָּה.
What is implied? If one is obligated to bring a burnt offering, one should not bring a weak and unattractive sheep and justify oneself saying: “It does not have a blemish.” Concerning this, can be applied the words of censure, Malachi 1:14: “Cursed be the deceiver... who sacrifices a blemished animal to God.” Instead, anyone who brings a sacrifice should bring from the highest quality.2כֵּיצַד? הָיָה חַיָּב עוֹלָה - לֹא יָבִיא שֶׂה כָּחוּשׁ וְכָעוּר, וְיֹאמַר 'הֲרֵי אֵין בּוֹ מוּם'. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר "וְאָרוּר נוֹכֵל..." (מלאכי א, יד). אֶלָא כָּל שֶׁיָּבִיא לְקָרְבָּן, יָבִיא מִן הַמֻּבְחָר.
2This is the practice that was observed in the era of the Temple: They would bring rams from Moab, broad-backed sheep3 from Chebron, calves from Sharon, young doves from Har HaMelech, wine from Korchayin and Chalutin, flour from Michmash and Yochanah and oil from Tekoa.4בוְכָּךְ הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין בִּזְמַן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ: מְבִיאִין אֵילִים מִמּוֹאָב, וּמְבִיאִין כְּבָשִׂים שֶׁגַּבֵּיהֶן רְחָבִים מֵחֶבְרוֹן, וּמְבִיאִין עֲגָלִים מִן הַשָּׁרוֹן, וְגוֹזָלוֹת מֵהַר הַמֶּלֶךְ, וּמְבִיאִין יַיִן מִקָּרְחַיִן וַהֲלוּטַיִן, וְסֹלֶת מִמִּכְמָשׁ וְיוֹחֲנָה, וּמְבִיאִין שֶׁמֶן מִתְּקוֹעַ.
3All virgin wood5 is acceptable for the altar. They would not bring wood from olive trees or grape vines in consideration of the settlement of Eretz Yisrael.6 They would frequently use boughs of fig trees that grow in forests of unsettled areas,7 those of nut trees, and those of fast-burning8 trees.גכָּל הָעֵצִים הַחֲדָשִׁים כְּשֵׁרִים לַמַּעֲרָכָה. וְלֹא הָיוּ מְבִיאִין מִשֶּׁל זַיִת וְלֹא מִשֶּׁל גֶפֶן - מִשּׁוּם יִשּׁוּב אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּבְאֵלּוּ הָיוּ רְגִילִין - בְּמֻרְבָּיוֹת שֶׁל תְאֵנָה שֶׁל חֳרָשִׁין שֶׁאֵינָן בַּיִּשּׁוּב, וּבְשֶׁל אֱגוֹז, וּבְשֶׁל עֵץ שֶׁמֶן.
The logs that Moses made for the altar in the Sanctuary were a cubit long and a cubit wide.9 Their thickness was like that of the leveling rod for an overflowing se’ah. In future generations,10 logs of the same measurements were used.וְהַגְּזָרִין שֶׁעָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה - אַמָּה אָרְכָּן וְאַמָּה רָחְבָּן, וְעָבְיָן כִּמְחָק גָּדִישׁ שֶׁל סְּאָה. וּכְמוֹתָן עוֹשִׂין לְדוֹרוֹת.
4What would they do when sowing wheat for meal offerings and accompanying offerings?11 They would leave half a field fallow in the first year12 and sow the other half.13 In the second year, he should leave the portion he sowed in the first year fallow and he should sow the second half seventy days before Pesach.14 If the field had not been tilled, he should plow it twice and then sow it.דוְכֵיצַד הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין בִּזְרִיעַת חִטֵּי הַמְּנָחוֹת וְהַנְּסָכִים? נָר חֲצִי הַשָּׂדֶה בְּשָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וְזוֹרֵעַ חֶצְיָהּ; וּבְשָׁנָה שְׁנִיָּה נָר הַחֵצִי שֶׁזָּרַע בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, וְזוֹרֵעַ הַחֵצִי הָאַחֵר קֹדֶם לַפֶּסַח שִׁבְעִים יוֹם. וְאִם לֹא הָיְתָה הַשָּׂדֶה עֲבוּדָה - חוֹרֵשׁ וְשׁוֹנֶה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ זוֹרֵעַ.
He should choose the kernels of wheat carefully15 and then he should strike them16 and tread on them17 until their shells are removed.וּבוֹרֵר הַחִטִּים יָפֶה יָפֶה; וְאַחַר כָּךְ שָׁף אֶת הַחִטִּים וּבוֹעֵט בָּהֶן הַרְבֵּה עַד שֶׁיִּתְקַלְּפוּ.
5All of the wheat used for the meal offerings must receive 300 blows and be tread on 500 times. He should give the kernels one blow and then tread on them twice; give them two blows and tread on them three times. Thus they will have received three blows and will have been tread on five times. He should then repeat the pattern until he completes all 300 blows and 500 treadings so that much of the shells will have been removed. As a stringency, extending and drawing back his arm is considered as one blow. After this process, he should grind and sift the flour very thoroughly.הכָּל הַחִטִּים שֶׁל מְּנָחוֹת טְעוּנוֹת שְׁלוֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁיפָה, וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת בְּעִיטָה. שָׁף אַחַת וּבוֹעֵט שְׁתַּיִם, שָׁף שְׁתַּיִם וּבוֹעֵט שָׁלוֹשׁ. נִמְצְאוּ שָׁלוֹשׁ שִׁיפוֹת וְחָמֵשׁ בְּעִיטוֹת. וְחוֹזֵר חָלִילָה, עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר שְׁלוֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁיפָה וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת בְּעִיטָה - כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְקַלְּפוּ הַרְבֵּה. וְחוֹשֵׁב הַהֲבָאָה וְהַהוֹלָכָה בְּשִׁיפָה אַחַת, לְהַחְמִיר. וְאַחַר כָּךְ טוֹחֵן, וּמְרַקֵּד יָפֶה יָפֶה.
6Wine should be made by bringing grapes from vines growing at foot level from vineyards that were tilled twice a year.18 He should crush the grapes and collect their juice in small jugs.והַיַּיִן - מֵבִיא עֲנָבִים מִן הָרַגְלִיּוֹת, מִן הַכְּרָמִים הָעֲבוּדִים פַּעֲמַיִם בַּשָּׁנָה; וְדוֹרֵךְ, וְכוֹנְסִין אוֹתוֹ בְּחָבִיּוֹת קְטַנּוֹת.
They should not be stored individually or in pairs, but instead in groups of three.19 The jug should not be filled to its rim in order that its fragrance will be perceived.20וְאֵין מַנִּיחִין אוֹתָן אַחַת אַחַת וְלֹא שְׁתַּיִם שְׁתַּיִם, אֶלָא שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁלוֹשׁ. וְאֵינוֹ מְמַלֵּא אֶת הֶחָבִית עַד פִּיהָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף.
He should not bring libations from the wine near the rim, because of the specks resembling flour21 that rise to the surface of the wine, nor from the bottom, because of the dregs. Instead, he should take from the middle third and from its middle portion.וְאֵינוֹ מֵבִיא לֹא מִפִּי הֶחָבִית, מִפְּנֵי הַקִּמְחִין הָעוֹלֶה עַל פְּנֵי הַיַּיִן, וְלֹא מִשּׁוּלֶיהָ, מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁמָרִים; אֶלָא מִשְּׁלִישָׁהּ וּמֵאֶמְצָעָהּ שֶׁל אֶמְצָעִית.
7A treasurer would sit and watch as the wine flowed from a hole on the side of a jug of wine. If he sees dregs flow out, he stops the flow of wine and does not complete the purchase.זהָיָה הַגִּזְבָּר יוֹשֵׁב וְהַיַּיִן יוֹצֵא מִן הַנֶּקֶב שֶׁבְּצַד הֶחָבִית, כֵּיוָן שֶׁיִּרְאֶה שִׁנּוּי הַשְּׁמָרִים מַתְחִיל לָצֵאת - פּוֹסֵק וְאֵינוֹ לוֹקֵחַ.
At what point in the aging process of wine should it be brought? From 40 days after the grapes were tread upon22 until after two years and even slightly longer than that.וּמֵאֵימָתַי מֵבִיא? מֵאַחַר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם לִדְרִיכָתוֹ עַד שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים אוֹ יָתֵר מְעַט.
If one brings wine that is even older, it is acceptable, provided its flavor has not spoiled.23וְאִם הֵבִיא יַיִן יָשָׁן מִכַּמָּה שָׁנִים, הֲרֵי זֶה כָּשֵׁר. וְהוּא, שֶׁלֹּא יִפָּסֵד טַעְמוֹ.
8There are nine categories of oil, depending on the process in which they were prepared.חתִּשְׁעָה מִינִין בַּשֶּׁמֶן, מִפְּנֵי שִׁנּוּי מַעֲשָׂיו.
What is implied? When one picks olives at the top of an olive tree, selects them one by one,24 crushes them and puts them into a basket, the oil that flows from them is considered in the first category.כֵּיצַד? זַיִת שֶׁגִּרְגְּרוֹ בְּרֹאשׁ הַזַּיִת, וּבֵרְרוֹ אַחַת אַחַת, וּכְתָשׁוֹ, וּנְתָנוֹ לַסַּל - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ, הוּא הָרִאשׁוֹן.
If, afterwards, he loads a beam upon them to press them,25 the oil which flows from them is of the second category. If he loads a beam upon them a second time26 and crushes them, the oil which flows from them is of the third category.חָזַר אַחַר כָּךְ וּטְעָנוֹ בַּקּוֹרָה - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ, הוּא הַשֵּׁנִי. וְאִם חָזַר אַחַר שֶׁטְּעָנוֹ, וּטְחָנוֹ, וּטְעָנוֹ שְׁנִיָּה - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ, הוּא הַשְּׁלִישִׁי.
When he picked olives in a mixture,27 brought them to the roof, selected them one by one, crushed them, and placed them into a basket, the oil which flows from them is of the fourth category.זֵיתִים שֶׁמְּסָקָן כֻּלָּן בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְהֶעֱלָן לַגַּג, וְחָזַר וּבֵרֵר גַּרְגֵּר גַּרְגֵּר, וּכְתָשָׁן וּנְתָנָן לַסַּל - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ, הוּא הָרְבִיעִי.
If, afterwards, he loads a beam upon them to press them, the oil which flows from them is of the fifth category. If he loads a beam upon them a second time and crushes them, the oil which flows from them is of the sixth category.וְאִם טְעָנוֹ בַּקּוֹרָה אַחַר כָּךְ - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא, הוּא הַחֲמִישִׁי. חָזַר וְטָחַן, וְטָעַן פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ, הוּא הַשִּׁשִּׁי.
When he picks olives28 and loads them in the vat until they begin to decompose, he then takes them up to the roof, dries them, and places them in a basket.29 The oil which flows from them is of the seventh category.זֵיתִים שֶׁמְּסָקָן, וּטְעָנָן בְּתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת עַד שֶׁיִּלְקוּ, וְהֶעֱלָן, וְנִגְּבָן, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כָּתַשׁ, וְנָתַן לַסַּל - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא, הוּא הַשְּׁבִיעִי.
If, afterwards, he loads a beam upon them to press them, the oil which flows from them is of the eighth category. If he loads a beam upon them a second time and crushes them, the oil which flows from them is of the ninth category.חָזַר וְטָעַן בַּקּוֹרָה - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא, הוּא הַשְּׁמִינִי. חָזַר וְטָחַן, וְטָעַן פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה - הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁיָּצָא, הוּא הַתְּשִׁיעִי.
9Even though they are all acceptable to be brought with the meal offerings,30 there is nothing that surpasses the first category.31 Afterwards, the second and the fourth are of equal quality.32 After them, the third, fifth, and seventh are of equal quality.33 After them, the sixth and the eighth are of equal quality.34 There is nothing inferior to the ninth.35טאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכֻּלָּן כְּשֵׁרִין לַמְּנָחוֹת, הָרִאשׁוֹן אֵין לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ; וְאַחֲרָיו הַשֵּׁנִי וְהָרְבִיעִי, וּשְׁנֵיהֶן שָׁוִין; וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְהַחֲמִישִׁי וְהַשְּׁבִיעִי, וּשְׁלָשְׁתָּן שָׁוִין; וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם הַשִּׁשִּׁי וְהַשְּׁמִינִי, וּשְׁנֵיהֶן שָׁוִין; וְהַתְּשִׁיעִי, אֵין לְמַטָּה מִמֶּנּוּ.
10Only the first, fourth, and seventh categories are acceptable for the Menorah, for Exodus 27:20 states: “crushed for the light,” i.e., for the Menorah,36 only that which flows after the olives are crushed alone37 are acceptable. They are all acceptable for meal offerings.38יאֵין כָּשֵׁר לַמְּנוֹרָה אֶלָא רִאשׁוֹן וּרְבִיעִי וּשְׁבִיעִי בִּלְבַד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "כָּתִית לַמָּאוֹר" (שמות כז, כ; ויקרא כד, ב) - אֵין כָּשֵׁר לַמְּנוֹרָה, אֶלָא הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַכָּתוּשׁ בִּלְבַד. אֲבָל לַמְּנָחוֹת, כֻּלָּן כְּשֵׁרִין.
11Since all of these categories of oil are acceptable, why were they listed as separate categories? So that one would know the superior category that nothing surpasses, those which are equal, and those which are inferior.יאוּמֵאַחַר שֶׁכֻּלָּן כְּשֵׁרִין לַמְּנָחוֹת, לָמָּה נִמְנוּ? כְּדֵי לֵידַע יָפֶה שֶׁאֵין לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהַשָּׁוֶה, וְהַפָּחוֹת.
In this way, one who desires to gain merit for himself, subjugate his evil inclination, and amplify his generosity should bring his sacrifice from the most desirable and superior type of the item he is bringing.39 For it is written in the Torah Genesis 4:4: “And Evel brought from his chosen flocks and from the superior ones and God turned to Evel and his offering.”שֶׁהָרוֹצֶה לְזַכּוֹת עַצְמוֹ - יָכֹף יִצְרוֹ הָרַע, וְיַרְחִיב יָדוֹ, וְיָבִיא קָרְבָּנוֹ מִן הַיָּפֶה הַמְּשֻׁבָּח בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַמִּין שֶׁיָּבִיא מִמֶּנּוּ. הֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה "וְהֶבֶל הֵבִיא גַם הוּא מִבְּכֹרוֹת צֹאנוֹ וּמֵחֶלְבֵהֶן וַיִּשַׁע ה' אֶל הֶבֶל וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ" (בראשית ד, ד).
The same applies to everything given for the sake of the Almighty who is good. It should be of the most attractive and highest quality.וְהוּא הַדִּין בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא לְשֵׁם הָאֵל הַטּוֹב - שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִן הַנָּאֶה הַטּוֹב.
If one builds a house of prayer, it should be more attractive than his own dwelling. If he feeds a hungry person, he should feed him from the best and most tasty foods of his table. If he clothes one who is naked, he should clothe him with his attractive garments. If he consecrates something, he should consecrate the best of his possession. And so Leviticus 3:16 states: “All of the superior quality should be given to God.”40אִם בָּנָה בֵּית תְּפִלָּה, יִהְיֶה נָאֶה מִבֵּית יְשִׁיבָתוֹ; הֶאֱכִיל רָעֵב, יַאֲכִיל מִן הַטּוֹב וְהַמָּתוֹק שֶׁבְּשֻׁלְחָנוֹ; כִּסָּה עָרֹם, יְכַסֶּה מִן הַיָּפֶה שֶׁבִּכְסוּתוֹ; הִקְדִּישׁ דָּבָר, יַקְדִּישׁ מִן הַיָּפֶה שֶׁבִּנְכָסָיו. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "כָּל חֵלֶב לַה'" (ויקרא ג, טז).
Blessed be God who offers assistance.בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּסַיְּעַן