Translation:Talmud/Seder Kodashim/Tractate Meilah/2a

Mishnah

IF THE MOST HOLY SACRIFICES1 WERE SLAUGHTERED ON THE SOUTH SIDE [OF THE ALTAR].2 THE LAW OF SACRILEGE3 [STILL] APPLIES TO THEM. IF THEY WERE SLAUGHTERED ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND THEIR BLOOD RECEIVED ON THE NORTH OR [SLAUGHTERED] ON THE NORTH SIDE AND THEIR BLOOD RECEIVED ON THE SOUTH, OR IF THEY WERE SLAUGHTERED BY DAY AND [THEIR BLOOD] SPRINKLED DURING THE NIGHT4 OR [SLAUGHTERED] DURING THE NIGHT AND [THEIR BLOOD] SPRINKLED BY DAY,5 OR IF THEY WERE SLAUGHTERED [WITH THE INTENTION OF EATING THE FLESH] BEYOND ITS PROPER TIME OR OUTSIDE ITS PROPER PLACE,6 THE LAW OF SACRILEGE STILL APPLIES TO THEM. R. JOSHUA LAID DOWN THE GENERAL RULE: WHATEVER HAS AT SOME TIME BEEN PERMITTED TO THE PRIESTS DOES NOT COME UNDER THE LAW OF SACRILEGE,7 AND WHATEVER HAS AT NO TIME BEEN PERMITTED TO THE PRIESTS DOES COME UNDER THE LAW OF SACRILEGE. WHICH IS THAT WHICH HAS AT SOME TIME BEEN PERMITTED TO THE PRIESTS? [SACRIFICES] WHICH REMAINED OVERNIGHT8 OR BECAME DEFILED OR WERE TAKEN OUT [OF THE TEMPLE COURT].9 WHICH IS THAT WHICH HAS AT NO TIME BEEN PERMITTED TO THE PRIESTS? [SACRIFICES] THAT WERE SLAUGHTERED [WHILE PURPOSING AN ACT] BEYOND ITS PROPER TIME OR OUTSIDE ITS PROPER PLACE, OR THE BLOOD OF WHICH WAS RECEIVED BY THE UNFIT10 AND THEY SPRINKLED IT.11

Gemarah

It is stated: IF THE MOST HOLY SACRIFICES WERE SLAUGHTERED ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THE LAW OF SACRILEGE [STILL] APPLIES TO THEM. Is this not obvious? Should the Law of Sacrilege cease to apply to them merely because they were slaughtered on the south side?12 — It need be stated, for it might otherwise have entered your mind to say: Since ‘Ulla said in the name of R. Johanan13 that ‘sacrifices which died were, as far as the law of the Torah rules,14 excluded from the Law of Sacrilege’, so were also Most Holy sacrifices when slaughtered on the south side considered as if they were strangled. It is therefore made known to us [that the instance of the Mishnah is different, for] sacrifices which died are in no case of any avail,15 while the south side, though it is not the proper place for Most Holy sacrifices, is, however, the proper place for sacrifices of a minor degree of holiness.16 Why was it necessary to enumerate [in the Mishnah all those cases]? — It was necessary, for if only SLAUGHTERED ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND THEIR BLOOD RECEIVED ON THE NORTH were stated, [I would argue:] The law of Sacrilege still applies to [the sacrifices in] this case, because the receiving [of the blood]17 was after all on the north side, but in the case where they were SLAUGHTERED ON THE NORTH SIDE AND THEIR BLOOD RECEIVED ON THE SOUTH, since [the blood] was received on the south side, [I Would say that] the Law of Sacrilege no longer applies to them. And if only these [first two instances] were stated, I would argue: [The law of Sacrilege still applies to them, because in these cases the sacrifices were at least offered during the day and] the day is the proper time for offering; in the case, however, where they were SLAUGHTERED BY NIGHT AND [THEIR BLOOD] SPRINKLED DURING THE DAY, since night is not the proper time for offering and the sacrifices were slaughtered by night, I might have thought that the Law of Sacrilege would no longer apply to them. And if SLAUGHTERED BY NIGHT [AND THEIR BLOOD SPRINKLED DURING THE DAY] were stated18 I would argue: The Law of Sacrilege still applies to them, because the blood was received during the day. In the case, however, where they were SLAUGHTERED DURING THE DAY AND THEIR BLOOD SPRINKLED BY NIGHT,19 since it is not the proper time for offering,20 the sacrifices are to be considered as if strangled, and the Law of Sacrilege would accordingly not apply to them; therefore [also this instance] has been made known to us. IF SLAUGHTERED [WITH THE INTENTION OF EATING THE FLESH] BEYOND ITS PROPER TIME OR OUTSIDE ITS PROPER PLACE. Of what avail are such sacrifices?21 — [The Law of Sacrilege still applies to them] because [the performance of] the other acts of offering22 [is yet necessary]23 for rendering the sacrifices piggul.24