Mishneh Torah — Sacrificial Procedure הלכות מעשה הקרבנות, Chapter 3

שְׁנַּיִם שֶׁרָצוּ לְהָבִיא שְׁלָמִים אוֹ עוֹלָה בְּשֻׁתָּפוּת מְבִיאִין בֵּין בְּנֵדֶר בֵּין בִּנְדָבָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ עוֹף יָבוֹא בְּשֻׁתָּפוּת:

When two people desired to bring a peace-offering or a burnt-offering in partnership, they may whether it was pledged or vowed. Even a fowl 110a). may be brought in partnership.

וְאֶחָד אֲנָשִׁים וְאֶחָד נָשִׁים אוֹ עֲבָדִים מְבִיאִין כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת. אֲבָל הָעַכּוּ"ם אֵין מְקַבְּלִין מֵהֶן אֶלָּא עוֹלוֹת בִּלְבַד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כב כה) "וּמִיַּד בֶּן נֵכָר לֹא תַקְרִיבוּ אֶת לֶחֶם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם". אֲפִלּוּ עוֹלַת הָעוֹף מְקַבְּלִין מִן הַנָּכְרִי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. אֲבָל אֵין מְקַבְּלִין מֵהֶן שְׁלָמִים וְלֹא מְנָחוֹת וְלֹא חַטָּאוֹת וַאֲשָׁמוֹת. וְכֵן עוֹלוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן בָּאוֹת בְּנֵדֶר וּנְדָבָה אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן מִן הַנָּכְרִי כְּגוֹן עוֹלַת יוֹלֶדֶת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ מֵעוֹלוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן בָּאוֹת מִשּׁוּם נֵדֶר וְלֹא מִשּׁוּם נְדָבָה:

Men, women, and, servants may bring all of these types of sacrifices. because that is an obligation on the person bringing the sacrifice. From gentiles, by contrast, we accept only burnt offerings, as [derived from Leviticus 22:28]: "From the hand of an alien, you shall not offer the food of your God [from all of these]." 2:1) notes that the prooftext states that it is forbidden to accept an offering from a gentile from a blemished animal. One can infer that if the animal is unblemished, the offering may be accepted.The verse uses the term lechem, "food." That term is understood as referring only to a burnt-offering, as Numbers 28:2 states: "My food for my fires."And the burnt-offering is the only type of offering, consumed entirely by the fire of the altar (Radbaz). Even a burnt offering of fowl may be accepted from a gentile, even if he worships false deities.We do not, however, accept peace-offerings, meal-offerings, sin-offerings, or guilt-offerings from a gentile. Similarly, burnt-offerings that do not come as vows or pledges are not accepted from gentiles, e.g., a burnt-offering from a women who gave birth or the like or other burnt-offerings that do not come as vows or pledges.

נָכְרִי שֶׁהֵבִיא שְׁלָמִים מַקְרִיבִין אוֹתָן עוֹלוֹת שֶׁהָעַכּוּ"ם לִבּוֹ לַשָּׁמַיִם. נָדַר שְׁלָמִים וּנְתָנָם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל מְנָת שֶׁיִּתְכַּפֵּר בָּהֶן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹכְלִין אוֹתָן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִים כְּשַׁלְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכֵן אִם נְתָנָן לַכֹּהֵן כֹּהֵן אוֹכְלָן:

When a gentile brings peace-offerings, they should be sacrificed as burnt-offerings, for [the intention of] a gentile's heart is [for the sake] of heaven. 73b) interprets this as meaning that the gentile desires that his sacrifices be offered entirely to God and not have mortals partake of them. If he gives them to a Jew with the intent that a Jew receive atonement, the Jew may partake of them like the peace-offerings of the Jewish people. Similarly, if he gives them to a priest, the priest may partake of them.

יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא מוּמָר לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אוֹ מְחַלֵּל שַׁבָּת בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא אֵין מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ קָרְבָּן כְּלָל. אֲפִלּוּ הָעוֹלָה שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין אוֹתָהּ מִן הַנָּכְרִים אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָהּ מִן הַמּוּמָר הַזֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא א ב) "אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם" מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ מִכֶּם וְלֹא כֻּלְּכֶם לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַמּוּמָר. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה מוּמָר לִשְׁאָר עֲבֵרוֹת מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר בִּתְשׁוּבָה. הָיָה מוּמָר לַעֲבֵרָה וְהוּא מְפֻרְסָם וְיָדוּעַ לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ וְהֻרְגַּל בָּהּ בֵּין לְהַכְעִיס בֵּין לְתֵאָבוֹן אֵין מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ קָרְבָּן לְאוֹתָהּ עֲבֵרָה. כֵּיצַד. כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיָה רָגִיל לֶאֱכל חֵלֶב בֵּין לְהַכְעִיס בֵּין לְתֵאָבוֹן וְשָׁגַג וְאָכַל חֵלֶב וְהֵבִיא חַטָּאת אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָהּ מִמֶּנּוּ:

When a Jew is an apostate who worships false deities or who desecrates the Sabbath in public, where the Rambam explains that the public desecration of the Sabbath is equivalent to idol worship, because they are both cornerstones of the Jewish faith. "Public" refers to a matter known about by ten people.The Radbaz adds that we do not accept the sacrifices of a Jew who has abandoned Judaism and accepted a faith like Islam which does not involve idol worship. Such a person is included in the category (Hilchot Teshuvah 3:9) of an apostate with regard to the entire Torah. we do not accept any sacrifices from him at all. Even a burnt-offering that is accepted from a gentile is not accepted from this apostate. [This is derived from Leviticus 1:2 which] states: "A man from you who will sacrifice." According to the Oral Tradition, 5a-b. we learned: "From you," i.e., not all of you, excluding an apostate.If, however, one was a heretic with regard to other transgressions, any sacrifice [he brings] is accepted so that he will repent. If, however, he was a heretic with regard to a transgression and it is public knowledge that he commits it and he has become accustomed to doing so, a sacrifice [that he brings atoning for] that transgression - whether committed to anger [God] 47a). or out of desire 10:3, a distinction is not made with regard to the motivations for the transgression. There are other instances - see Hilchot Teshuvah, loc. cit., Hilchot Matanot Aniyim 8;14, Hilchot Gezeilah ViAveidah 11:2, and Hilchot Rotzeach 4:10 - where the Rambam does make such a distinction. -is not accepted. 3:7. What is implied? If a person was accustomed to eat fat - whether committed to anger [God] or out of desire - and then he inadvertently partook of fat and brought a sin-offering [for this transgression], it is not accepted.

עוֹלוֹת הָעַכּוּ"ם אֵין מְבִיאִין עִמָּהֶן נְסָכִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טו יג) "כָּל הָאֶזְרָח יַעֲשֶׂה כָּכָה". אֲבָל נִסְכֵּיהֶם קְרֵבִין מִשֶּׁל צִבּוּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טו יב) "כָּכָה תַּעֲשׂוּ לָאֶחָד כְּמִסְפָּרָם". וְאֵינָן טְעוּנוֹת סְמִיכָה שֶׁאֵין סְמִיכָה אֶלָּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּאֲנָשִׁים לֹא בְּנָשִׁים:

Gentiles do not bring accompanying offerings for the burnt-offerings they bring, as [can be inferred from Numbers 15:13]: "Every native among you shall do this." The accompanying offerings for their sacrifices are, however, brought from communal funds, as [ibid.:12] states: "So shall you do for each one according to their number." [These burnt offerings] do not require semichah, for semichah is performed only by a Jew, and by a male and not a female. speaks of "the children of Israel," and uses the male form. Menachot 93b understands this to exclude gentiles and Chagigah 16b understands it as excluding women. See also Halachah 8.

כָּל קָרְבְּנוֹת בְּהֵמָה שֶׁיַּקְרִיב הַיָּחִיד בֵּין חוֹבָה בֵּין נְדָבָה סוֹמֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶן כְּשֶׁהֵן חַיִּין. חוּץ מִן הַבְּכוֹר וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר וְהַפֶּסַח. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ג ב) "וְסָמַךְ יָדוֹ עַל רֹאשׁ קָרְבָּנוֹ". מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁכָּל קָרְבָּן בְּמַשְׁמָע חוּץ מִפֶּסַח וּבְכוֹר וּמַעֲשֵׂר:

All of the offerings from domesticated animals that an individual brings- whether those in which he is obligated or those promised through a vow - [require] semichah while they are alive with the exception of the firstborn offering, the tithe offering, and the Paschal sacrifice. [This is derived from Leviticus 3:2]: "And he shall lean his hand on the head of his offering." According to the Oral Tradition, to the verse; Menachot 92b. we learned that this refers to all the sacrifices with the exception of the firstborn offering, the tithe offering, and the Paschal sacrifice.

הָעוֹף אֵינוֹ טָעוּן סְמִיכָה. וְכֵן כָּל הַמָּעוֹת שֶׁדִּינָן שֶׁיִּפְּלוּ לַתֵּבוֹת שֶׁל נְדָבָה שֶׁכְּבָר בֵּאַרְנוּ בְּהִלְכוֹת שְׁקָלִים שֶׁכֻּלָּן יָבוֹאוּ עוֹלוֹת אֵין בַּעַל אוֹתָן הַמָּעוֹת סוֹמֵךְ עַל אוֹתָהּ הָעוֹלָה וְאֵינוֹ מֵבִיא עָלֶיהָ נְסָכִים אֶלָּא נְסָכֶיהָ מִשֶּׁל צִבּוּר וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה כֹּהֵן עֲבוֹדָתָהּ וְעוֹרָהּ שֶׁל אַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר:

[A sacrifice of] a fowl does not require semichah. derives this concept from the exegesis of Leviticus 1:4: "And he will lean his hand on the head of the burnt-offering." "The" implies that there are some burnt-offerings to which this does not apply.We already explained in Hilchot Shekalim 2:3; 3:14. that the law is that all the money concerning which it was decided that it should be given to the chest for freewill offerings that was closer to the chest of the freewill offerings. should be used to purchase burnt-offerings. The person to which this money belonged does not perform semichah on that animal, nor does he bring the accompanying offerings. on them. For that same reason, the community brings the accompanying offerings. Instead, the accompanying offerings are brought from communal funds. Even if he was a priest, the service [of offering the sacrifice] and its hide belong to the men of the watch. 4:7), in this instance, he cannot demand the right to offer the sacrifice.

הַכּל סוֹמְכִין חוּץ מֵחֵרֵשׁ שׁוֹטֶה וְקָטָן וְעֶבֶד וְאִשָּׁה וְסוּמָא וְנָכְרִי. וְאֵין הַשָּׁלִיחַ סוֹמֵךְ שֶׁאֵין סְמִיכָה אֶלָּא בִּבְעָלִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ג ב) "וְסָמַךְ יָדוֹ" לֹא יַד אִשְׁתּוֹ וְלֹא יַד עַבְדּוֹ וְלֹא שְׁלוּחוֹ:

All people may perform semichah with the exception of a deafmute, a mentally and/or emotionally unstable individual, a minor, a servant, a woman, a blind man, and a gentile. does not apply to them. An agent does not perform semichah, for semichah is performed only by the owners, as [implied by the prooftext]: "And he shall lean his hand." "His hand" and not the hand of his wife, his servant, or his agent.

חֲמִשָּׁה שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ זֶבַח אֶחָד כֻּלָּן סוֹמְכִין עָלָיו זֶה אַחַר זֶה. לֹא שֶׁיִּסְמְכוּ כֻּלָּן בְּבַת אַחַת. מִי שֶׁמֵּת וְהִנִּיחַ קָרְבָּנוֹ עוֹלָה אוֹ שְׁלָמִים הֲרֵי יוֹרְשׁוֹ מְבִיאוֹ וְסוֹמֵךְ עָלָיו וּמֵבִיא נְסָכָיו:

When five individuals bring a sacrifice [in partnership], they all perform semichah, one after the other. They should not perform semichah at the same time. When a person died and left a sacrifice of a burnt offering or a peace offering, his heir should have it offered, perform semichah on it, and bring its accompanying offerings.

אֵין סְמִיכָה בְּקָרְבְּנוֹת הַצִּבּוּר חוּץ מִשְּׁתֵי סְמִיכוֹת. עַל שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ וְעַל פַּר הֶעְלֵם דָּבָר. וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִן הַסַּנְהֶדְרִין סוֹמְכִין עָלָיו. וְדָבָר זֶה הֲלָכָה מִפִּי משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ שֶׁאֵין בְּצִבּוּר אֶלָּא שְׁתֵּי סְמִיכוֹת:

Semichah is not performed with regard to communal offerings except with regard to two sacrifices: the goat sent to Azazel on it. and the bull brought because of a law being forgotten. for the sacrifice. Three members of the Sanhedrin perform semichah on it. This is a law conveyed by Moses our teacher that semichah is not performed on communal offerings other than these two. for communal offerings from these two instances using Biblical exegesis [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Menachot 9:7)].

אֵין סוֹמְכִין אֶלָּא בָּעֲזָרָה. סָמַךְ חוּץ לָעֲזָרָה חוֹזֵר וְסוֹמֵךְ מִבִּפְנִים. וְאִם הָיָה בַּעַל הַקָּרְבָּן עוֹמֵד בַּחוּץ וְהִכְנִיס יָדוֹ לְפָנִים וְסָמַךְ סְמִיכָתוֹ כְּשֵׁרָה. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּסְמֹךְ בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ. וְאֵין סוֹמֵךְ אֶלָּא טָהוֹר וְאִם סָמַךְ הַטָּמֵא סָמַךְ:

Semichah is performed only in the Temple Courtyard. 32b explains that just as the slaughter of the animal must be performed "before God," in the Temple Courtyard, so too, semichah must be performed "before God," in that same place. If one performed semichah outside the Temple Courtyard, he should perform it again inside. If the one bringing the sacrifice was standing outside [the Temple Courtyard] and he extended his hands into [the Courtyard] and performed semichah, his semichah is valid, provided he performed semichah with all his strength.Only a person who is ritually pure may perform semichah. If a person who is ritually impure performed semichah, the semichah [is acceptable].

וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁסּוֹמְכִין שׁוֹחֲטִין. וְתֵכֶף לִסְמִיכָה שְׁחִיטָה. וְאִם שָׁחַט בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁהָה שְׁחִיטָתוֹ כְּשֵׁרָה. וְהַסְּמִיכָה שְׁיָרֵי מִצְוָה הִיא לְפִיכָךְ אִם לֹא סָמַךְ כִּפֵּר וְאֵינָהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן מַעֲלִין עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ לֹא כִּפֵּר:

The animal should be slaughtered in the place where semichah is performed. 93b derives this concept from the subsequent law: that slaughter must be performed directly after semichah. It thus follows that one must slaughter the animal in the same place where semichah was performed, for otherwise, this is not considered as directly afterwards. The animal must be slaughtered directly after semichah. If one slaughtered it in a different place or waited [before slaughtering it], the slaughter is acceptable.Semichah is an incremental aspect of the mitzvah. Accordingly, if one did not perform semichah, the sacrifice [still] brings atonement; [the semichah] is not an indispensable requirement. Nevertheless, it is considered as if the sacrifice did not bring atonement. 5a, explains that the intent is that although the person is not obligated to bring another sacrifice, in G‑d's eyes, his atonement is lacking.

וְצָרִיךְ הַסּוֹמֵךְ לִסְמֹךְ בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו עַל רֹאשׁ הַבְּהֵמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא א ד) "עַל רֹאשׁ הָעלָה" לֹא עַל הַצַּוָּאר וְלֹא עַל הַצְּדָדִין. וְלֹא יִהְיֶה דָּבָר חוֹצֵץ בֵּין יָדָיו וּבֵין הַבְּהֵמָה:

The person performing semichah must do so with all his power, [placing] both hands on the head of the animal, as [Leviticus 1:4] states: "on the head of the burnt-offering." [Implied is his hands must be placed on the head] and not on the [animal's] neck or the side of its face, 93b). and that there should not be any intervening substance between his hands and the animal.

וְכֵיצַד סוֹמֵךְ. אִם הָיָה הַקָּרְבָּן קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים מַעֲמִידוֹ בַּצָּפוֹן וּפָנָיו לַמַּעֲרָב וְהַסּוֹמֵךְ עוֹמֵד בַּמִּזְרָח וּפָנָיו לַמַּעֲרָב וּמַנִּיחַ שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו בֵּין שְׁתֵּי קַרְנָיו וּמִתְוַדֶּה עַל חַטָּאת עֲוֹן חַטָּאת וְעַל אָשָׁם עֲוֹן אָשָׁם. וְעַל הָעוֹלָה מִתְוַדֶּה עֲוֹן עֲשֵׂה וַעֲוֹן לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנִּתַּק לַעֲשֵׂה:

How is semichah performed? If the sacrifice was one of the offerings of the most sacred order, he should have the animal stand in the northern portion of the Temple Courtyard, 5:16. facing the west. The person performing semichah stands to the east with his face to the west. He should place both his hands between its two horns and recite [the appropriate] confession, for a sin-offering, the sin which warrants a sin-offering and for a guilt-offering, the sin which warrants a guilt offering. For a burnt offering, he confesses the sin of [negating the observance of] a positive commandment or of a negative commandment that can be corrected by the observance of] a positive commandment.

כֵּיצַד מִתְוַדֶּה. אוֹמֵר חָטָאתִי עָוִיתִי פָּשַׁעְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי כָּךְ וְכָךְ וְחָזַרְתִּי בִּתְשׁוּבָה לְפָנֶיךָ וְזוֹ כַּפָּרָתִי. הָיָה הַקָּרְבָּן שְׁלָמִים סוֹמֵךְ בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּרְצֶה מִן הָעֲזָרָה בִּמְקוֹם שְׁחִיטָה. וְיֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְוַדֶּה עַל הַשְּׁלָמִים אֲבָל אוֹמֵר דִּבְרֵי שֶׁבַח:

How does he confess? He says: "I sinned, I transgressed, I committed iniquity, and I did this-and-this, 2:5 which states that a person seeking to repent must mention the particular sins that he violated. and I have repented before You and this is my atonement., a sacrifice will not bring the person atonement (Hilchot Shegagot 3:10).If he is bringing a peace-offering, he should perform semichah with all of his strength anywhere he desires within the Temple Courtyard, where [the animal] will be slaughtered. It appears to me that one does not confess on a peace-offering. Instead, he says words of praise. cites Psalm 100. The popular translation of II Chronicles 30:22 speaks of the people reciting confessions on their peace-offerings. Rashi and Metzudot, however, render the verb as meaning "offer thanks."