1When a person vows to bring a large animal, but instead brings a small one, he does not fulfill his obligation.1 If he vows to bring a small one and brings a large one, he fulfills his obligation.2אהַנּוֹדֵר גָּדוֹל וְהֵבִיא קָטָן - לֹא יָצָא; נָדַר קָטָן וְהֵבִיא גָּדוֹל - יָצָא.
What is implied? He said: “I promise to bring a lamb3 as a burnt-offering” or “...as a peace-offering,” and he brings a ram,4 or he vowed a calf and brought an ox,5 or a kid and brought a goat, he fulfills his obligation.כֵּיצַד? אָמַר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי עוֹלָה' אוֹ 'שְׁלָמִים כֶּבֶשׂ', וְהֵבִיא אַיִל, אוֹ שֶׁנָּדַר 'עֵגֶל' וְהֵבִיא שׁוֹר, 'גְּדִי' וְהֵבִיא שָׂעִיר - יָצָא.
2If he vows to bring a burnt-offering6 either from lambs or from rams and brings a pilgas,7 there is an unresolved doubt whether or not he fulfilled his obligation.8 Similarly, if one vowed to bring a burnt-offering9 of fowl from either turtle-doves or ordinary doves10 and brought a fowl that began to sprout yellow feathers11 of both species, there is an unresolved doubt whether or not he fulfilled his obligation.12 If one vowed to bring a black-colored animal and brought one that was white, vowed to bring a white one and brought a black one, vowed a male and brought a female or vowed a female and brought a male, he did not fulfill his obligation.13 בנָדַר עוֹלָה מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים אוֹ מִן הָאֵילִים, וְהֵבִיא פִּלְגָּס - הֲרֵי זֶה סָפֵק אִם יָצָא יְדֵי נִדְרוֹ אוֹ לֹא יָצָא. וְכֵן הַנּוֹדֵר עוֹלַת עוֹף מִן הַתּוֹרִים אוֹ מִן בְּנֵי הַיּוֹנָה, וְהֵבִיא תְּחִלַּת הַצִּהוּב שֶׁבָּזֶה וְשֶׁבָּזֶה - הֲרֵי זֶה סָפֵק. נָדַר שָׁחוֹר וְהֵבִיא לָבָן, לָבָן וְהֵבִיא שָׁחוֹר, זָכָר וְהֵבִיא נְקֵבָה, נְקֵבָה וְהֵבִיא זָכָר - לֹא יָצָא.
3When one takes a vow without specifying the type of animal he is bringing, he should bring from the developed animals in the species he vowed to bring. If in his place of residence, people commonly identify one of the type of sacrifices with a specific species of animals, he should bring the type of animal brought by the people of that locale.14גהַנּוֹדֵר סְתָם, מֵבִיא מִן הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁבַּמִּין שֶׁנָּדַר. וְאִם אוֹתוֹ הַמָּקוֹם רְגִילִין לִקְרוֹת בִּסְתָם לְאֶחָד מִן הַמִּינִין, מֵבִיא כְּאַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם.
What is implied? If a person vowed to bring a burnt-offering from cattle, he should bring an ox.15כֵּיצַד? נָדַר עוֹלָה מִן הַבָּקָר, יָבִיא שׁוֹר.

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.

Should he say: “I promise to bring a burnt-offering,” if the practice of the people of that locale is to use the term “burnt-offering” without any description to refer even to a fowl offered as a burnt-offering, he may bring even one fowl, a turtle dove or an ordinary dove. If their practice is to use that term only when referring to a burnt-offering of cattle, he should bring an ox. Similar laws apply in all analogous situations.אָמַר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי עוֹלָה': אִם דֶּרֶךְ אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם לִקְרוֹת עוֹלָה סְתָם, אַפִלּוּ לְעוֹלַת הָעוֹף - מֵבִיא פְּרִידָה אַחַת, תּוֹר אוֹ בֶּן יוֹנָה; וְאִם דַּרְכָּן שֶׁאֵין קוֹרְאִין עוֹלָה סְתָם אֶלָא לְעוֹלַת בָּקָר - יָבִיא שׁוֹר. וְכֵן כָּל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה.
4A person who vowed to bring an ox, a ram, a lamb, a calf, or the like should not bring the frailest specimen of that species, because their value is minimal.16 Nor is he obligated to bring the nicest, stockiest specimen of which there is no better.17 Instead, he should bring an average animal. If he brought a frail animal,18 he fulfilled his vow.19 דמִי שֶׁנָּדַר שׁוֹר אוֹ אַיִל אוֹ כֶּבֶשׂ אוֹ עֵגֶל וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם - לֹא יָבִיא כָּחוּשׁ בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַמִּין, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁדָּמָיו מוּעָטִין; וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְהָבִיא הַיָּפֶה הַשָּׁמֵן בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁאֵין שָׁם לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ, אֶלָא יָבִיא הַבֵּינוֹנִי. וְאִם הֵבִיא הַכָּחוּשׁ, יָצָא יְדֵי נִדְרוֹ.
5When a person says: “I promise to bring an ox worth a maneh,”20 he should bring an ox worth a maneh in that place aside from its accompanying offerings.21 If he brought two oxen for a maneh, he did not fulfill his obligation.ההָאוֹמֵר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי שׁוֹר שָׁוֶה מָנֶה' - יָבִיא שׁוֹר שֶׁשָׁוֶה מָנֶה בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם, חוּץ מִנְּסָכָיו. הֵבִיא שְׁנַיִם בְּמָנֶה, לֹא יָצָא.
6The following rules apply when a person says: “This ox is a burnt-offering” and it becomes blemished. If he desires to bring two for the price he receives for it.22 If he brings even one ram23 for the price it receives, he fulfills his vow.והָאוֹמֵר 'שׁוֹר זֶה עוֹלָה', וְנָפַל בּוֹ מוּם - אִם רָצָה, יָבִיא בְּדָמָיו שְׁנַיִם. וְאַפִלּוּ הֵבִיא בְּדָמָיו אַיִל אֶחָד, יָצָא.
If he says: “These two oxen are burnt-offerings,” and they become blemished, should he desire, he may bring one with the money he receives for their sale.24 “This ram is a burnt-offering” and it becomes blemished, if he desires he may bring a lamb with the money he receives for its sale. אָמַר 'שְׁנֵי שְׁוָרִים אֵלּוּ עוֹלָה', וְנָפַל בָּהֶם מוּם - אִם רָצָה, יָבִיא בִּדְמֵיהֶם אֶחָד. 'אַיִל זֶה עוֹלָה', וְנָפַל בּוֹ מוּם - אִם רָצָה, יָבִיא בְּדָמָיו כֶּבֶשׂ.
Similarly, if he vows a lamb and it becomes disqualified, he may bring a ram with the money he receives for its sale.וְכֵן אִם נָדַר כֶּבֶשׂ, וְנִפְסַל - אִם רָצָה, יָבִיא בְּדָמָיו אַיִל.
7If he says: “I promise to bring a burnt-offering” and he set aside an ox and it was stolen, he may fulfill his obligation with a sheep.25 If he says: “I promise to bring this ox or its value as a burnt-offering,” his commitment is established as binding.26 If the ox is disqualified, he may bring only an ox with the money he receives for its sale.זאָמַר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי עוֹלָה', וְהִפְרִישׁ שׁוֹר, וְנִגְנַב - פּוֹטֵר עַצְמוֹ בְּשֶׂה. אָמַר 'שׁוֹר זֶה וְדָמָיו עָלַי עוֹלָה', הֻקְבַּע; וְאִם נִפְסַל, לֹא יָבִיא בְּדָמָיו אֶלָא שׁוֹר.
8If he says: “One of my sheep is consecrated and one of my oxen is consecrated,” but he had two, the larger one is consecrated.27חהָאוֹמֵר 'אֶחָד מִכְּבָשַׂי הֶקְדֵּשׁ, וְאֶחָד מִשְּׁוָרַי הֶקְדֵּשׁ', וְהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנַיִם - הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבָּהֶן הֶקְדֵּשׁ.
If he has three, the larger one is consecrated, but concern should also be shown for the middle one.28הָיוּ שְׁלוֹשָׁה - הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבָּהֶן הֶקְדֵּשׁ, וְחוֹשְׁשִׁין לַבֵּינוֹנִי.
What should be done? He should wait until the middle one becomes blemished so that the holiness will fall on the larger one alone.29כֵּיצַד יַעֲשֶׂה? יַמְתִּין לַבֵּינוֹנִי עַד שֶׁיִּפֹּל בּוֹ מוּם, וְתָחוּל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה עַל הַגָּדוֹל לְבַדּוֹ.
If he says: “An ox from my oxen is consecrated,” the larger one is consecrated and concern need not be shown for the middle one.30 וְאִם אָמַר 'שׁוֹר שֶׁבִּשְׁוָרַי הֶקְדֵּשׁ' - הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבָּהֶם הֶקְדֵּשׁ, וְאֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין לַבֵּינוֹנִי.
9If he designated one of three animals as a sacrifice and forgot which one he designated or his father told him “One of these animals was consecrated,”31 he should designate the largest one as consecrated32 and, afterwards, he fulfills his obligation with its sacrifice.טפֵּרֵשׁ אֶחָד מֵהֶן וְשָׁכַח, אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ אָבִיו 'אֶחָד מֵהֶן הֶקְדֵּשׁ' - הֲרֵי זֶה מַקְדִּישׁ גָּדוֹל שֶׁבָּהֶן, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ.
Similarly, if one vowed to bring a burnt-offering from cattle and designated an animal as a sacrifice to fulfill his vow and later forgot whether he had designated an ox or a calf, he should bring an ox.33וְכֵן הַנּוֹדֵר עוֹלָה מִן הַבָּקָר, וְקָבַע נִדְרוֹ, וְשָׁכַח מַה קָבַע, אִם שׁוֹר אִם עֵגֶל - הֲרֵי זֶה יָבִיא שׁוֹר.
Similarly, if he designated a sheep and forgot what he designated,34 he should bring a ram. If he designated a goat and forgot what he designated,35 he should bring a grown goat.וְכֵן אִם קָבַע בַּכְּבָשִׂים, וְשָׁכַח מַה קָבַע - יָבִיא אַיִל. קָבַע בָּעִזִּים, וְשָׁכַח - יָבִיא שָׂעִיר.
If he forgot the species from which he designated the burnt-offering, he should bring an ox, a ram, and a grown goat.36שָׁכַח בְּאֵיזֶה מִין מִן הַבְּהֵמָה קָבַע עוֹלָתוֹ, יָבִיא שׁוֹר וְאַיִל וְשָׂעִיר.
If he was in doubt that perhaps he designated the burnt-offering from fowl, he should also add a turtle-dove and an ordinary dove.37 וְאִם נִסְתַּפֵּק לוֹ שֶׁמָּא בָּעוֹף קָבַע עוֹלָתוֹ, יוֹסִיף תּוֹר וּבֶן יוֹנָה.
10When a person vowed to bring a thanksgiving-offering or a peace offering, specifying that it would be brought from cattle, but forgot what he designated to bring, he should bring an ox and a cow.38ינָדַר תּוֹדָה אוֹ שְׁלָמִים, וְקָבַע נִדְרוֹ בַּבָּקָר, וְשָׁכַח בְּמַה קְבָעוֹ - יָבִיא פַּר וּפָרָה.
Similarly, if he is unsure with regard to sheep, he should bring a ram and a ewe.וְכֵן אִם נִסְתַּפֵּק לוֹ בַּכְּבָשִׂים, יָבִיא אַיִל וְרָחֵל.
If he is unsure with regard to goats, he must bring a he-goat and a she-goat.נִסְתַּפֵּק לוֹ בָּעִזִּים, יָבִיא שָׂעִיר וּשְׂעִירָה.
If he forgot the species from which he designated the sacrifice, he should bring an ox, a cow, a ram, a ewe, a he-goat, and a she-goat.39שָׁכַח בְּאֵיזֶה מִין קָבַע נִדְרוֹ - מֵבִיא פַּר וּפָרָה, אַיִל וְרָחֵל, שָׂעִיר וּשְׂעִירָה.
If he said: “I promise to bring a burnt-offering of fowl,” he should bring a turtle-dove or an ordinary dove.40הָאוֹמֵר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי עוֹלַת עוֹף', מֵבִיא תּוֹר אוֹ בֶּן יוֹנָה.
If he designated one particular species in his vow and forgot which one, he should bring both a turtle-dove and an ordinary dove.פֵּרֵשׁ וְשָׁכַח בְּאֵיזֶה מִין קָבַע נִדְרוֹ - מֵבִיא תּוֹר וּבֶן יוֹנָה.
11When one says: “I promise to bring an offering for the altar,” he should bring a handful of frankincense,41 for there is nothing that is offered entirely on the altar in its immediate state except for frankincense.42יאהָאוֹמֵר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי לַמִּזְבֵּחַ' - יָבִיא קֹמֶץ לְבוֹנָה, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁקָּרֵב כֻּלּוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ כְּמוֹת שֶׁהוּא אֶלָא לְבוֹנָה.
If he specified his vow, but forgot what he specified to bring, he should bring every type of entity that is offered on the altar in its entirety.43 Therefore he should bring a burnt-offering of an animal, a burnt-offering of fowl, a meal-offering of flour, frankincense, and wine alone.44 פֵּרֵשׁ נִדְרוֹ וְשָׁכַח מַה פֵּרֵשׁ - יָבִיא מִכָּל דָּבָר שֶׁקָּרֵב כֻּלּוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ; לְפִיכָךְ מֵבִיא עוֹלַת בְּהֵמָה, וְעוֹלַת עוֹף, וּמִנְחַת נְסָכִים, וּלְבוֹנָה, וְיַיִן בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ.
12When a person says: “I promise to bring an offering worth a sela45 to the altar,” he should bring a sheep,46 for there is nothing offered on the altar worth exactly a sela except a sheep.יבאָמַר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי בְּסֶלַע לַמִּזְבֵּחַ' - יָבִיא כֶּבֶשׂ, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁקָּרֵב בְּסֶלַע לַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֶלָא כֶּבֶשׂ.
If he specified a particular entity, but forgot what he specified, he should bring a sela’s worth of everything that is offered on the altar.47 פֵּרֵשׁ, וְשָׁכַח מַה פֵּרֵשׁ - יָבִיא בְּסֶלַע מִכָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר שֶׁקָּרֵב לַמִּזְבֵּחַ.
13When a person says: “I promise to bring frankincense,” he should not bring less than a handful.48יגהָאוֹמֵר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי לְבוֹנָה', לֹא יִפְחֹת מִקֹּמֶץ.
If one says: “I promise to bring wood,” he should not bring less than two49 logs as thick as a leveling rod that are a cubit long.50 “I promise to bring a piece of wood,” he should bring one log a cubit long. If he desires to bring the worth of the logs, he may.51 'הֲרֵי עָלַי עֵצִים' - לֹא יִפְחֹת מִשְּׁנֵי גְּזָרִים, עָבְיָן כְּמָחוֹקוֹת וְאָרְכָּן אַמָּה. 'הֲרֵי עָלַי עֵץ' - מֵבִיא גֶּזֶר אֶחָד, אָרְכּוֹ אַמָּה. וְאִם רָצָה לְהָבִיא דְּמֵי הָעֵצִים, יָבִיא.
14What should a person who vowed or pledged to bring oil do? He should take a handful of it,52 put salt on it,53 and toss it on the fire. The remainder is eaten by the priests like the remainder of the meal offerings.54ידמִי שֶׁנָּדַר אוֹ הִתְנַדֵּב שֶׁמֶן, כֵּיצַד עוֹשִׂין בּוֹ? קוֹמֵץ מִמֶּנּוּ קֹמֶץ, וְנוֹתֵן עָלָיו מֶלַח, וְזוֹרְקוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי הָאִשִּׁים, וְהַשְּׁאָר נֶאֱכָל לַכּוֹהֲנִים כִּשְׁיָרֵי מְנָחוֹת.
What is done with wine that is brought independently? It is salted55 and then poured entirely56 down the shittin57 like the other libations.58 Frankincense which is brought independently should be salted and then offered on the pyre in its entirety.וְכֵיצַד עוֹשִׂין בַּיַּיִן הַבָּא בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ? נוֹתֵן עָלָיו מֶלַח, וּמְנַסְּכוֹ כֻּלּוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי הַשִּׁיתִין כְּכָל הַנְּסָכִים. וְהַלְּבוֹנָה הַבָּאָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ - נוֹתֵן עָלֶיהָ מֶלַח וְכֻלָּהּ לָאִשִּׁים.
15When a person vowed to bring a sacrifice, he should not bring it from money for which the second tithe was redeemed.59 The rationale is that he became obligated60 to bring this sacrifice and anyone who is obligated to bring a sacrifice may bring it only from ordinary property.61 טומִי שֶׁנָּדַר נֶדֶר, לֹא יְבִיאֶנּוּ מִמָּעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי; שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְחַיֵּב בְּקָרְבָּן זֶה, וְכָל הַמְּחֻיָּב בְּקָרְבָּן, לֹא יָבִיא קָרְבָּנוֹ אֶלָא מִן הַחֻלִּין.
16If a person states: “I promise to bring a thanksgiving-offering from ordinary funds and its bread from the second tithe,” he should bring its bread only from ordinary funds. The rationale is that he vowed to bring a thanksgiving-offering and that offering comes only when accompanied by bread which is from ordinary property.62 טזאָמַר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי תּוֹדָה מִן הַחֻלִּין, וְלַחְמָהּ מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר' - לֹא יָבִיא לַחְמָהּ אֶלָא מִן הַחֻלִּין; שֶׁהֲרֵי נָדַר בְּקָרְבַּן תּוֹדָה, וְהַתּוֹדָה אֵינָהּ בָּאָה אֶלָא עִם הַלֶּחֶם.
17If he explicitly said: “I promise to bring a thanksgiving offering from money from the second tithes and its bread from ordinary property,” he may bring the sacrifice as he vowed.63 If he brought it all from ordinary property, he fulfilled his obligation.64יזפֵּרֵשׁ וְאָמַר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי לְהָבִיא תּוֹדָה מִמָּעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי, וְלַחְמָהּ מִן הַחֻלִּין' - יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהָבִיא כְּמוֹ שֶׁנָּדַר. וְאִם הֵבִיא הַכֹּל מִן הַחֻלִּין, יָצָא.
Similarly, if he explicitly said: “I promise to bring a thanksgiving-offering and its bread from the second tithe,” he may bring it as vowed.65וְכֵן אִם פֵּרֵשׁ וְאָמַר 'הֲרֵי עָלַי תּוֹדָה, הִיא וְלַחְמָהּ מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר' - יָבִיא.
He should not bring the bread from wheat that is the second tithe, but from flour purchased with money for which the second tithe was redeemed like the animal which was purchased with such money.וְלֹא יָבִיא לַחְמָהּ מֵחִטֵּי מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי - אֶלָא מִמָּעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי, כְּמוֹ הַבְּהֵמָה שֶׁהִיא מִמָּעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי.
Even though he explicitly stated that he would bring the bread from the money of the second tithe, he should not bring its libations from the money of the second tithe, for at all times, libations must be brought solely from ordinary funds, as explained.66 The rationale is that concerning the libations,67 Numbers 15:4 states: “The one who offers them shall offer his sacrifice.” Implied is that the sacrifice must be his without having any dimension that belongs to the Most High.וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ שֶׁיָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר, לֹא יָבִיא נְסָכֶיהָ מִמָּעוֹת מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי, שֶׁאֵין הַנְּסָכִים בָּאִין לְעוֹלָם אֶלָא מִן הַחֻלִּין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ, לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶן "וְהִקְרִיב הַמַּקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹ" (במדבר טו, ד) - עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָּהֶן צַד לְגָבוֹהַּ כְּלָל.