1

When a person says: "The offspring of this [animal]1 is [consecrated] as a burnt-offering2 and it is [consecrated] as a peace-offering,"3 his words are binding. [Should he say:] "It is [consecrated] as a peace-offering and its offspring as a burnt-offering," if that was his intent, his words are binding.4

If, after he made a resolve in his heart and expressed verbally that [the offspring] should be a peace-offering, he retracted and said: "Its offspring is a burnt-offering," even though he retracted immediately,5 the offspring are [designated] as peace-offerings. For one cannot retract [pledges of] consecration even when one does so immediately.6

א

הָאוֹמֵר וְלָדָהּ שֶׁל זוֹ עוֹלָה וִהִיא שְׁלָמִים דְּבָרָיו קַיָּמִים. הִיא שְׁלָמִים וּוְלָדָהּ עוֹלָה. אִם לְכָךְ נִתְכַּוֵּן דְּבָרָיו קַיָּמִים. וְאִם אַחַר שֶׁגָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ וְהוֹצִיא בִּשְׂפָתָיו שֶׁתִּהְיֶה שְׁלָמִים חָזַר בּוֹ וְאָמַר וּוְלָדָהּ עוֹלָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָזַר בּוֹ בְּתוֹךְ כְּדֵי דִּבּוּר הֲרֵי וְלָדָהּ שְׁלָמִים. שֶׁאֵין חֲזָרָה בְּהֶקְדֵּשׁ וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּתוֹךְ כְּדֵי דִּבּוּר:

2

When one says: "The right forefoot of this animal is a burnt-offering," or "The leg of this animal is a burnt offering," it should be sold to those obligated to bring burnt-offerings.7 The proceeds of the sale are considered as ordinary funds with the exception of the worth of that limb.8 [The above applies] provided the person obligated to bring a burnt-offering who purchased [the animal] vowed [to bring] a burnt-offering for a specific price.9

If one says: "The heart [of this animal]..." or "The head of this [animal] is a burnt-offering," the entire animal is a burnt-offering, for he consecrated an organ upon which [the animal's] life depends. If one consecrated a limb from a fowl, there is an unresolved doubt whether or not the entire fowl becomes consecrated.10

ב

הָאוֹמֵר יָדָהּ שֶׁל זוֹ עוֹלָה אוֹ רַגְלָהּ שֶׁל זוֹ עוֹלָה תִּמָּכֵר לְחַיָּבֵי עוֹלוֹת וְדָמֶיהָ חֻלִּין חוּץ מִדְּמֵי אוֹתוֹ אֵיבָר. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זֶה הַמְחֻיָּב עוֹלָה שֶׁקָּנָה אוֹתָהּ נָדַר עוֹלָה בְּדָמִים קְצוּבִים. הָאוֹמֵר לִבָּהּ אוֹ רֹאשָׁהּ שֶׁל זוֹ עוֹלָה. הוֹאִיל וְדָבָר שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה תְּלוּיָה בּוֹ הוּא כֻּלָּהּ עוֹלָה. הִקְדִּישׁ אֵיבָר אֶחָד מִן הָעוֹף הֲרֵי זֶה סָפֵק אִם נִתְקַדֵּשׁ כֻּלּוֹ אוֹ לֹא נִתְקַדֵּשׁ:

3

When one says: "Half of this animal is a burnt-offering and half is a peace-offering," it is consecrated, but it should not be offered.11 Instead, it should be allowed to pasture until it contracts a disqualifying physical blemish and then be sold. Half of the proceeds should be used to bring a burnt offering and half, a peace-offering.12

If he was obligated to bring a sin-offering13 and he said: "Half of this animal is a sin-offering and half is a burnt-offering," or "...a peace-offering," or he said: "Half of this animal is a burnt-offering..." or "...a peace-offering and half is a sin-offering," [the animal] should be left to die, as will be explained with regard to the sin-offerings that are left to die.14

ג

הָאוֹמֵר בְּהֵמָה זוֹ חֶצְיָהּ עוֹלָה וְחֶצְיָהּ שְׁלָמִים קָדְשָׁה. וְאֵינָהּ קְרֵבָה אֶלָּא תִּרְעֶה עַד שֶׁיִּפּל בָּהּ מוּם וְתִמָּכֵר וְיָבִיא בַּחֲצִי דָּמֶיהָ עוֹלָה וּבַחֲצִי דָּמֶיהָ שְׁלָמִים. הָיָה מְחֻיָּב חַטָּאת וְאָמַר חֶצְיָהּ חַטָּאת וְחֶצְיָהּ עוֹלָה אוֹ שְׁלָמִים. אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר חֶצְיָהּ עוֹלָה אוֹ שְׁלָמִים וְחֶצְיָהּ חַטָּאת. הֲרֵי הִיא תָּמוּת כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בַּחַטָּאוֹת הַמֵּתוֹת:

4

When one of the partners who owned half an animal consecrated his portion and then purchased the other half and consecrated it, it is consecrated and offered on the altar. Even though originally, when he consecrated half of it, it was unacceptable,15 the fact that it was originally unacceptable does not cause it to be unacceptable forever.16 Even though originally only its worth was consecrated,17 since it is a live animal, [we follow the principle:]18 "Living animals are never permanently disqualified." Since it is [ultimately] fit to be sacrificed, it should be sacrificed. [Moreover,] if one sought to transfer its holiness to another animal,19 the transfer is binding.

ד

בֶּהֱמַת הַשֻּׁתָּפִין שֶׁהִקְדִּישׁ אֶחָד מֵהֶן חֶצְיָהּ שֶׁלּוֹ וְחָזַר וְלָקַח חֶצְיָהּ הָאַחֵר וְהִקְדִּישׁוֹ הֲרֵי זוֹ קְדֵשָׁה וּקְרֵבָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּתָהּ דְּחוּיָה הָיְתָה כְּשֶׁהִקְדִּישׁ חֶצְיָהּ אֵין הַדָּחוּי מֵעִקָּרוֹ דָּחוּי וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא קְדֻשַּׁת דָּמִים הוֹאִיל וְהִיא בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים אֵין בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים נִדָּחִים. וַהֲרֵי נִרְאֵית כֻּלָּהּ לְהַקְרָבָה לְפִיכָךְ תִּקָּרֵב וְעוֹשָׂה תְּמוּרָה:

5

[Whether] one says: "The worth of this animal is a burnt-offering,"20 or "This animal is a burnt-offering," if it is fit to be sacrificed as a burnt-offering,21 its body itself is consecrated and it should be sacrificed as a burnt-offering.22 If it is not fit [to be sacrificed], it should be sold23 and a burnt-offering brought with the proceeds of the sale.

ה

הָאוֹמֵר דְּמֵי בְּהֵמָה זוֹ עוֹלָה אוֹ הֲרֵי זוֹ לְעוֹלָה. אִם הָיְתָה רְאוּיָה לִקָּרֵב עוֹלָה נִתְקַדְּשָׁה קְדֻשַּׁת הַגּוּף וְהִיא עַצְמָהּ תִּקָּרֵב עוֹלָה. וְאִם אֵינָהּ רְאוּיָה תִּמָּכֵר וְיָבִיא בְּדָמֶיהָ עוֹלָה:

Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)

Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.

6

If a person said with regard to an impure animal24 or another similar animal that is forbidden [to be offered] as a sacrifice that can never be consecrated: "Behold this is consecrated as a burnt-offering,"25 his words are of no consequence.26 As we explained in Hilchot Issurei Mizbeiach,27 if he says: "These are [consecrated] for the sake of a burnt-offering," they should be sold and a burnt-offering brought with the proceeds of the sale.28

ו

אָמַר עַל בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ מֵאִסּוּרֵי קָרְבָּן שֶׁאֵין קְדֻשָּׁה חָלָה עֲלֵיהֶן הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ עוֹלָה לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת אִסּוּרֵי מִזְבֵּחַ. אָמַר הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ לְעוֹלָה יִמָּכְרוּ וְיָבִיא בִּדְמֵיהֶן עוֹלָה:

7

If a person said:29 "The worth of this cow30 is [consecrated] for the sake of a burnt-offering for an entire 30 day period. After 30 days, [it is consecrated for the sake of a peace-offering," or he said: "The worth of this cow is [consecrated] for the sake of a peace-offering31 for an entire 30 day period. After 30 days, [it is consecrated] for the sake of a burnt-offering," his words are binding.32 [Thus] if he [comes to] offer [a sacrifice from] the proceeds of its sale within 30 days, he should bring the type of sacrifice that he vowed. If he offers it after 30 days, he should bring the type of sacrifice that he vowed.

ז

הָאוֹמֵר דְּמֵי פָּרָה זוֹ לְעוֹלָה כָּל שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וּלְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם לִשְׁלָמִים אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר דָּמֶיהָ לִשְׁלָמִים כָּל שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וּלְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם לְעוֹלָה דְּבָרָיו קַיָּמִים. וְאִם הִקְרִיב דָּמֶיהָ בְּתוֹךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם מֵבִיא בָּהֶן כְּמוֹ שֶׁנָּדַר וְאִם הִקְרִיבוֹ לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם מֵבִיא כְּמוֹ שֶׁנָּדַר:

8

If a person possessed a pregnant animal33 and said: "Should it give birth to a male, it is a burnt-offering. Should it give birth to a female, it is a peace-offering," if the animal gives birth to a male, it should be sacrificed as a burnt-offering. If it gives birth to a female, it should be sacrificed as a peace-offering. If it gives birth to a male and a female, the male should be sacrificed as a burnt-offering and the female, as a peace-offering.

If it gives birth to two males, one should be sacrificed as a burnt-offering34 and the other sold for the sake of a burnt-offering,35 but the proceeds of the sale are ordinary money.36 If it gives birth to two females, one should be sacrificed as a peace-offering and the other sold for the sake of a peace-offering, but the proceeds of the sale are ordinary money. If it gave birth to a tumtum37 or an androgynus,38 they are not consecrated and they are like ordinary animals,39 as we explained.40 When a person consecrates a fetus, whose mother has a disqualifying blemish or the like,41 while it is in its mother's womb, it is consecrated.

ח

הָיְתָה לוֹ בְּהֵמָה מְעֻבֶּרֶת וְאָמַר אִם תֵּלֵד זָכָר הֲרֵי הוּא עוֹלָה וְאִם הִיא נְקֵבָה זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים. יָלְדָה זָכָר יִקָּרֵב עוֹלָה. יָלְדָה נְקֵבָה תִּקָּרֵב זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים. יָלְדָה זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה הַזָּכָר יִקָּרֵב עוֹלָה וְהַנְּקֵבָה זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים. יָלְדָה שְׁנֵי זְכָרִים אֶחָד יִקָּרֵב עוֹלָה וְהַשֵּׁנִי יִמָּכֵר לְצָרְכֵי עוֹלָה וְדָמָיו חֻלִּין. וְכֵן אִם יָלְדָה שְׁתֵּי נְקֵבוֹת אַחַת תִּקָּרֵב שְׁלָמִים וּשְׁנִיָּה תִּמָּכֵר לְצָרְכֵי שְׁלָמִים וְדָמֶיהָ חֻלִּין. יָלְדָה טֻמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוּס אֵינָן קָדָשִׁים וַהֲרֵי הֵן חֻלִּין כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. וְהַמַּקְדִּישׁ עֻבָּר בִּמְעֵי בַּעֲלַת מוּם וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ הֲרֵי זֶה קָדוֹשׁ: