1When a sin-offering of a dove becomes intermingled with a burnt-offerings of doves or a burnt-offering of a dove becomes intermingled with sin-offerings of doves,1 even one in a myriad, they should all be consigned to death.2אחַטַּאת הָעוֹף שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבָה בְּעוֹלַת הָעוֹף, אוֹ עוֹלַת הָעוֹף שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבָה בְּחַטַּאת הָעוֹף, אַפִלּוּ אֶחָד בְּרִבּוֹא - כֻּלָּן יָמוּתוּ.
When does the above apply? When their identity had been explicitly determined when they were purchased by the owner, saying: “This is a sin-offering. This is a burnt-offering.” Different rules apply, however, of one brought doves to fulfill his obligation, some for a sin-offering and some for a burnt-offering, without stating explicitly what each was, instead, they were brought without specification and then a dove designated as a sin-offering or as a burnt-offering became mixed with these undesignated doves brought to fulfill his obligation.בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּשֶׁהָיוּ מְפֹרָשׁוֹת בִּשְׁעַת לְקִיחַת הַבְּעָלִים 'זוֹ חַטָּאת וְזוֹ עוֹלָה'; אֲבָל אִם הֵבִיא עוֹפוֹת לְחוֹבָתוֹ, מֵהֶן חַטָּאת וּמֵהֶן עוֹלָה, וְלֹא פֵּרַשׁ אֶלָא כֻּלָּן סְתוּמוֹת, וְנִתְעָרְבָה חַטָּאת אוֹ עוֹלָה בְּחוֹבָה זוֹ הַסְּתוּמָה - יֵשׁ לָהֶן דִּינִים אֲחֵרִים.
2What are the appropriate laws? If a dove designated as a sin-offering becomes intermingled with this unspecified group of doves brought to fulfill one’s obligation, only the number of doves to be brought as sin-offerings in the unspecified group are acceptable.3 The number of burnt-offerings in the unspecified group and the sin-offering that became intermingled with them are disqualified, for a sin-offering has become intermingled with burnt-offerings.4בוְכֵיצַד דִּינֵיהֶן? אִם נִתְעָרְבָה חַטָּאת בְּחוֹבָה זוֹ הַסְּתוּמָה, אֵין כָּשֵׁר אֶלָא מִנְיַן חַטָּאוֹת שֶׁבַּחוֹבָה בִּלְבַד; אֲבָל מִנְיַן הָעוֹלוֹת שֶׁבַּחוֹבָה עִם הַחַטָּאת שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבָה בָּהֶן - פְּסוּלִין, שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְעָרְבָה חַטָּאת בְּעוֹלוֹת.
3Therefore if the unspecified group is at least twice as large as the number of sin-offerings that became intermingled with them, half of the unspecified group is acceptable,5 and half are disqualified. It appears to me that the priest offering the sacrifices should offer all of them on the lower portion of the altar according to the rites appropriate for a sin-offering.6 גלְפִיכָךְ אִם הָיְתָה הַחוֹבָה שְׁתַּיִם בַּחַטָּאת - חֲצִי הַחוֹבָה כָּשֵׁר, וְחֶצְיָהּ פָּסוּל. וְיֵרָאֶה לִי, שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה כֻּלָּן לְמַטָּה, כְּמַעֲשֵׂה חַטָּאת.
4Similarly, if a burnt-offering7 becomes intermingled with this unspecified group of doves, only the number of doves to be brought as burnt-offerings in the unspecified group are acceptable. The number of sin-offerings in the unspecified group and the burnt-offering that became intermingled with them are disqualified, for a burnt-offering has become intermingled with sin-offerings.8דוְכֵן אִם נִתְעָרְבָה עוֹלָה בְּחוֹבָה זוֹ הַסְּתוּמָה, אֵין כָּשֵׁר אֶלָא מִנְיַן עוֹלוֹת שֶׁבַּחוֹבָה; אֲבָל מִנְיַן הַחַטָּאוֹת שֶׁבַּחוֹבָה, עִם הָעוֹלָה שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבָה בָּהֶן - פְּסוּלִין, שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְעָרְבָה עוֹלָה בַּחַטָּאוֹת.

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.

Whether there are more doves in the unspecified group than the number of burnt-offerings that became intermingled with them, there were more burnt-offerings than doves in the unspecified group, or they were of equal amounts, only the amount of burnt-offerings in the unspecified group are acceptable. Therefore if the unspecified group was twice as large as the number of doves that became intermingled with them, half of the unspecified group is acceptable, and half are disqualified. It appears to me that the priest offering the sacrifices should offer all of them on the upper portion of the altar according to the rites appropriate for a burnt-offering.בֵּין שֶׁהָיְתָה הַחוֹבָה הַסְּתוּמָה מְרֻבָּה עַל הָעוֹלוֹת שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ בָּהּ, בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ הָעוֹלוֹת מְרֻבִּין עַל הַחוֹבָה הַסְּתוּמָה, בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁתֵּיהֶן שָׁווֹת - אֵין כָּשֵׁר אֶלָא מִנְיַן עוֹלוֹת שֶׁבַּחוֹבָה. לְפִיכָךְ אִם הָיְתָה הַחוֹבָה שְׁתַּיִם בָּעוֹלָה - חֲצִי הַחוֹבָה כָּשֵׁר, וְחֶצְיָהּ פָּסוּל. וְיֵרָאֶה לִי, שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה כֻּלָּן לְמַעְלָה, כְּמַעֲשֵׂה עוֹלָה.
5When one unspecified group becomes intermingled with another unspecified group—whether they were all for one purpose, e.g., doves brought by zavim together with doves brought by zavim, or for two purposes, doves brought by zavim together with doves brought by women after childbirth, whether they were both brought by the same person, or they were brought by two separate people, if they were both similar, half are acceptable and half are disqualified.9החוֹבָה סְתוּמָה וְחוֹבָה אַחֶרֶת סְתוּמָה שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ, בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁתֵּיהֶן מִשֵּׁם אֶחָד, כְּגוֹן קִנֵּי זָבִים עִם קִנֵּי זָבִים, אוֹ מִשְּׁנֵי שֵׁמוֹת, כְּגוֹן קִנֵּי זָבִים עִם קִנֵּי יוֹלְדוֹת, בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁתֵּיהֶן לְאָדָם אֶחָד, בֵּין שֶׁהָיוּ לִשְׁנַיִם, אִם הָיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן שָׁווֹת - מֶחְצָה כָּשֵׁר וּמֶחְצָה פָּסוּל.
This applies whether the priest offered all of them on the upper portion of the altar or all on the lower portion of the altar, or half were offered on the upper portion of the altar and half on the lower portion, half are always acceptable and half are always disqualified, because half of the mixture are burnt-offerings and half are sin-offerings and a sin-offering is offered on the lower portion of the altar and a burnt-offering is offered on the upper portion. בֵּין שֶׁעָשָׂה הַכֹּל לְמַעְלָה, אוֹ הַכֹּל לְמַטָּה, אוֹ עָשָׂה חֶצְיָן לְמַעְלָה וְחֶצְיָן לְמַטָּה - לְעוֹלָם מֶחְצָה כָּשֵׁר וּמֶחְצָה פָּסוּל. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַכֹּל חֶצְיָן עוֹלָה וְחֶצְיָן חַטָּאת, וְהַחַטָּאת לְמַטָּה וְהָעוֹלָה לְמַעְלָה.
To explain: If he offered them all on the upper portion, half are acceptable and they are burnt-offerings.10 If he offered them all on the lower portion, half are acceptable and they are sin-offerings.11אִם עָשָׂה הַכֹּל לְמַעְלָה, חֶצְיָן כְּשֵׁרוֹת וְהֵן הָעוֹלוֹת; וְאִם עָשָׂה כֻּלָּן לְמַטָּה, חֶצְיָן כְּשֵׁרוֹת וְהֵן הַחַטָּאוֹת.
If half were offered on the lower portion of the altar and half on the upper portion, half of the half offered on the upper portion are acceptable and the other half are disqualified, because of the mixture.12 The acceptable ones are burnt-offerings. And half of the half of those offered on the lower portion are acceptable and they are sin-offerings.עָשָׂה חֶצְיָן לְמַטָּה וְחֶצְיָן לְמַעְלָה - חֲצִי הַחֵצִי שֶׁעָשָׂה לְמַעְלָה כָּשֵׁר, מִפְּנֵי הַתַּעֲרֹבֶת, וְהוּא עוֹלוֹת; וַחֲצִי הַחֵצִי שֶׁל מַטָּה כָּשֵׁר וְהוּא חַטָּאוֹת.
6The following rules apply if two unspecified groups became intermingled with each other and one was larger than the other, e.g., one had four doves and one had six. If he offered them all on the upper portion of the altar, or all on the lower portion, half are acceptable and half are disqualified for the reason we explained.13והָיוּ שְׁתֵּי הַחוֹבוֹת הַסְּתוּמוֹת שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ זוֹ גְּדוֹלָה מִזּוֹ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיְתָה אַחַת אַרְבָּעָה עוֹפוֹת וְהַשְּׁנִיָּה שִׁשָּׁה: אִם עָשָׂה הַכֹּל לְמַעְלָה אוֹ עָשָׂה הַכֹּל לְמַטָּה - מֶחְצָה פָּסוּל וּמֶחְצָה כָּשֵׁר, מִטַּעַם שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
Different laws apply if he offered half on the lower portion of the altar and half on the upper portion. If he did this after he asked,14 the lesser amount are acceptable.15 If he did this on his own initiative, the greater amount are acceptable.16 עָשָׂה חֶצְיָן לְמַטָּה וְחֶצְיָן לְמַעְלָה: אִם אַחַר שֶׁשָּׁאַל עָשָׂה כֵּן, הַמּוּעָט כָּשֵׁר; וְאִם מִדַּעְתּוֹ עָשָׂה, הַמְּרֻבֶּה כָּשֵׁר.
7This is the general principle: Whenever, on his initiative, the priest offered half on the upper portion of the altar and half on the lower portion, and it is impossible that the doves of one owner will not have been offered on both halves of the altar, the greater amount is acceptable.17 Since it is known that a portion of this person’s18 sacrifices will be offered on the upper portion of the altar and a portion on the lower half, all of his sacrifices are acceptable.זזֶה הַכְּלָל: כָּל שֶׁעָשָׂה הַכּוֹהֵן מִדַּעְתּוֹ חֶצְיָן לְמַעְלָה וְחֶצְיָן לְמַטָּה, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה מִשֶּׁל אֶחָד לְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה - הֲרֵי זֶה הַמְּרֻבֶּה כָּשֵׁר; הוֹאִיל וְדָבָר יָדוּעַ שֶׁמִּקְצַת קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו לְמַעְלָה וּמִקְצָתָן לְמַטָּה, יִהְיוּ כָּל קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו כְּשֵׁרִים.
8When two individuals purchase pairs of doves together or give the money for them to the priest to purchase them, the priest may offer whichever he desires as sin-offerings and whichever he desires as burnt-offerings.19 For the identity of the sacrifices in the pair is determined only when purchased by the owners or when offered by the priest, as we explained.20 חשְׁנַיִם שֶׁלָּקְחוּ קִנֵּיהֶם בְּעֵרוּב אוֹ שֶׁנָּתְנוּ דְּמֵי קִנֵּיהֶם לַכּוֹהֵן - לְאֵיזֶה שֶׁיִּרְצֶה הַכּוֹהֵן יַקְרִיב חַטָּאת, וּלְאֵיזֶה שֶׁיִּרְצֶה יַקְרִיב עוֹלָה; שֶׁאֵין הַקִּנִּים מִתְפָּרְשִׁין אֶלָא בִּלְקִיחַת הַבְּעָלִים אוֹ בַּעֲשִׂיַּת הַכּוֹהֵן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
9If there were groups of doves, some groups of sin-offerings and others, burnt-offerings, before a priest and he offered21 both groups on the upper portion of the altar or both on the lower portion, half are acceptable and half are not.22טהָיוּ לִפְנֵי הַכּוֹהֵן חַטָּאוֹת וְעוֹלוֹת, עָשָׂה שְׁתֵּיהֶן לְמַעְלָה אוֹ שְׁתֵּיהֶן לְמַטָּה - מֶחְצָה כָּשֵׁר וּמֶחְצָה פָּסוּל.
If he offered half on the upper portion and half on the lower portion without knowing whether it was the sin-offerings or the burnt-offerings that he offered on the lower portion, they are all unacceptable. For we surmise that it was the burnt-offering that were offered on the lower portion and the sin-offerings on the upper portion.עָשָׂה חֶצְיָן לְמַעְלָה וְחֶצְיָן לְמַטָּה, וְלֹא יָדַע אִם הַחַטָּאוֹת הֵם שֶׁעָשָׂה לְמַטָּה אוֹ הָעוֹלוֹת - הֲרֵי הַכֹּל פָּסוּל; שֶׁאֲנִי אוֹמֵר: הָעוֹלוֹת הֵם שֶׁעָשָׂה לְמַטָּה וְהַחַטָּאוֹת לְמַעְלָה.
10If there were three groups of doves before him:23 one sin-offerings, one burnt-offerings, and one undefined, half burnt-offerings and half sin-offerings, without the purpose for any given dove being defined, if he offered all of them on the upper portion or on the lower portion, half are acceptable and half are not.24 יהָיוּ לְפָנָיו שְׁלוֹשָׁה צִבּוּרֵי עוֹפוֹת, אֶחָד חַטָּאוֹת וְאֶחָד עוֹלוֹת וְהָאֶחָד סָתוּם, חֶצְיוֹ עוֹלוֹת וְחֶצְיוֹ חַטָּאוֹת, וְלֹא פֵרְשׁוּ: אִם עָשָׂה כֻּלָּם לְמַעְלָה אוֹ לְמַטָּה, מֶחְצָה כָּשֵׁר וּמֶחְצָה פָּסוּל.
11If he offered half on the upper portion and half on the lower portion,25 only the group that was undefined that was offered half on the upper portion and half on the lower portion is acceptable.26 It is divided between the owners27 and the portion allotted to each one is considered as valid for them, for the priest does not know which groups were specified as being sin-offerings and which one was left undefined.יאעָשָׂה חֶצְיָן לְמַעְלָה וְחֶצְיָן לְמַטָּה - אֵין הַכָּשֵׁר אֶלָא הַסָּתוּם בִּלְבַד, שֶׁעָשָׂה חֶצְיוֹ לְמַעְלָה וְחֶצְיוֹ לְמַטָּה, וְהוּא מִתְחַלֵּק בֵּין הַבְּעָלִים, וְעוֹלֶה לִשְׁנֵיהֶן: שֶׁהֲרֵי הַכּוֹהֵן אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְאֵיזֶה מֵהֶן פֵּרֵשׁ וּלְאֵיזֶה מֵהֶן הָיָה הַסָּתוּם.
The two specified groups are not acceptable, because it is not known which one was offered on the upper portion of the altar and which one, on the lower portion and it is possible that the burnt-offerings were offered on the lower portion and the sin-offerings on the upper portion.וּשְׁנֵי הַצִּבּוּרִין הַמְּפֹרָשִׁין - פְּסוּלִין, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא יָדַע אֵיזֶה עָשָׂה לְמַעְלָה וְאֵיזֶה עָשָׂה לְמַטָּה וְשֶׁמָּא הָעוֹלָה נַעֲשֵׂית לְמַטָּה, וְהַחַטָּאת לְמַעְלָה.