Why are there 2 levels of korbanot – higher sanctity (kodshei kodashim) and lesser sanctity (kodashim kalim)? Zevachim 37a-b discusses the grouping of firstborn, tithed animal and Pesach offerings regarding the rituals related to their blood. But this grouping is indicative of a larger category within korbanot, namely קדשים קלים – the lesser sanctity korbanot. What distinguishes those korbanot from high sanctity korbanot קדשי קדשים?

Zevachim 37a-b

printable sources

Questions? Comments? Email dinanddaf@gmail.com

1. זבחים לז.

…לְכִדְתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״אַךְ בְּכוֹר שׁוֹר אוֹ בְכוֹר כֶּשֶׂב אוֹ בְכוֹר עֵז וְגוֹ׳״ – לָמַדְנוּ לִבְכוֹר, שֶׁטָּעוּן מַתַּן דָּמִים וְאֵימוּרִים לְגַבֵּי מִזְבֵּחַ. מַעֲשֵׂר וּפֶסַח מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְדַם זְבָחֶיךָ יִשָּׁפֵךְ״.

…that which is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yishmael says: Since it is stated: “But the firstborn of a bull, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are sacred. You shall sprinkle their blood upon the altar and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Numbers 18:17), we learned with regard to a firstborn animal, which must be given to a priest to be offered on the altar in the Temple, that it requires placement of its blood and sacrificial portions on the altar. From where is it derived that the same applies to an animal tithe offering and a Paschal offering? The verse states: “And the blood of your offerings shall be poured upon the altar of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 12:27). This verse teaches that all offerings require placement of their blood on the altar.

סָבַר לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי.

The Gemara answers that the tanna of the earlier baraita, who derives from Deuteronomy 12:27 the halakha that if a priest placed the blood with one placement he facilitated atonement, holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili. Rabbi Yosei HaGelili maintains that the halakha that the blood and sacrificial parts of an animal tithe offering and a Paschal offering must be placed on the altar is derived from the aforementioned verse concerning a firstborn animal: “You shall sprinkle their blood upon the altar and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Numbers 18:17).

דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר: ״דָּמוֹ״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״דָּמָם״; ״חֶלְבּוֹ״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״חֶלְבָּם״; לִימֵּד עַל בְּכוֹר, מַעֲשֵׂר וּפֶסַח, שֶׁטָּעוּן מַתַּן דָּמִים וְאֵימוּרִין לְגַבֵּי מִזְבֵּחַ.

This is as it is taught in a baraita, that Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: It is not stated in this verse: Its blood, but rather: “Their blood.” Similarly, it is not stated: Its fat, but rather: “Their fat.” The plural form teaches with regard to the firstborn animal, which is mentioned explicitly in the verse, as well as with regard to the animal tithe offering and the Paschal offering, which have a level of sanctity similar to that of a firstborn animal, that each requires placement of the blood and sacrificial portions on the altar.

2. משנה זבחים ה:ח

הַבְּכוֹר וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר וְהַפֶּסַח, קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים, שְׁחִיטָתָן בְּכָל מָקוֹם בָּעֲזָרָה, וְדָמָן טָעוּן מַתָּנָה אַחַת, וּבִלְבָד שֶׁיִּתֵּן כְּנֶגֶד הַיְסוֹד. שִׁנָּה בַאֲכִילָתָן, הַבְּכוֹר נֶאֱכָל לַכֹּהֲנִים, וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר לְכָל אָדָם, וְנֶאֱכָלִין בְּכָל הָעִיר, לְכָל אָדָם, בְּכָל מַאֲכָל, לִשְׁנֵי יָמִים וְלַיְלָה אֶחָד. הַפֶּסַח אֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל אֶלָּא בַלַּיְלָה, וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל אֶלָּא עַד חֲצוֹת, וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל אֶלָּא לִמְנוּיָו, וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל אֶלָּא צָלִי:

The firstborn offering, the animal tithe offering, and the Paschal offering are offerings of lesser sanctity. Their slaughter is anywhere in the Temple courtyard, and their blood requires one placement, provided that the priest places it so that the blood goes on the base of the altar. The halakha differs with regard to their consumption. The firstborn offering is eaten by the priests, and the animal tithe offering is eaten by any person, i.e., any ritually pure Jew. And they are eaten throughout the city of Jerusalem, prepared in any manner of food preparation, for two days and one night. The Paschal offering is eaten only at night, and it is eaten only until midnight, and it is eaten only by its registrants, i.e., those who registered in advance to partake of the offering, and it is eaten only roasted, not prepared in any other manner.

3. פנחס קהתי, מבוא למסכת זבחים

שבעה מיני זבחים הם: א) העולה, ב) החטאת, ג) האשם, ד) שלמים (ובכללם התודה), ה) הבכור, ו) מעשר בהמה, ז) קרבן פסח.

The seveon types of sacrifices are: a) the burnt offering, b) the sin offering, c) the guilt offering, d) the peace offering (including the thanksgiving), e) the firstborn, f) the tithe of the animal, g) the Passover sacrifice.

שלשת הראשונים – העולה, החטאת והאשם – הם קדשי קדשים. השאר, דהיינו שלמים (חוץ משני כבשי העצרת הקרבים לזבח שלמים, שהם קדשי קדשים), הבכור, מעשר בהמה וקרבן פסח – קדשים קלים הם.

The first three – the burnt offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering – are of greater sanctity. The rest, namely the whole burnt offering (except for the two lambs on Shavuot offered as a whole burnt offering, which are of greater sanctity), the firstborn, the tithe of the animal and the Passover sacrifice – are of lesser sanctity.

4. ויקרא יד:יג

וְשָׁחַ֣ט אֶת־הַכֶּ֗בֶשׂ בִּ֠מְק֠וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁחַ֧ט אֶת־הַֽחַטָּ֛את וְאֶת־הָעֹלָ֖ה בִּמְק֣וֹם הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ כִּ֡י כַּ֠חַטָּ֠את הָאָשָׁ֥ם הוּא֙ לַכֹּהֵ֔ן קֹ֥דֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁ֖ים הֽוּא׃

The lamb shall be slaughtered at the spot *the spot See 1.11; 4.24. in the sacred area where the sin offering and the burnt offering are slaughtered. For the guilt offering, like the sin offering, goes to the priest; it is most holy.

5. רמב”ם משנה תורה הלכות מעילה ב:א-ב

קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים אֵין מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן עַד שֶׁיִּזָּרֵק הַדָּם. נִזְרַק הַדָּם מוֹעֲלִין בְּאֵימוּרֵיהֶן עַד שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ לְבֵית הַדֶּשֶׁן שֶׁהֲרֵי הֵן לָאִשִּׁים וְאֵין מוֹעֲלִין בְּדָבָר הַנֶּאֱכָל כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. אֲפִלּוּ הֶעֱלָה הָאֵימוּרִין שֶׁלָּהֶן לַמִּזְבֵּחַ קֹדֶם זְרִיקָה אֵין מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן עַד שֶׁיִּזָּרֵק הַדָּם. הוֹצִיא אֵימוּרֵיהֶן לַחוּץ קֹדֶם זְרִיקָה אֵין מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן עַד שֶׁיִּזָּרֵק הַדָּם. נִזְרַק הַדָּם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן הֵן בַּחוּץ וְלֹא הֶחְזִירָן מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן. שֶׁהַזְּרִיקָה מוֹעֶלֶת לַיּוֹצֵא בֵּין לְהָקֵל בֵּין לְהַחְמִיר:

The prohibition against me’ilah does not apply to sacrifices of a lesser degree of sanctity until the blood has been cast on the altar. If the blood has been cast on the altar, the prohibition against me’ilah applies to the fats and organs until they are taken to the ash heap, for they are designated for the altar’s pyre. The prohibition against me’ilah does not apply to an entity that is to be eaten, as explained.

Even if the fats and the organs were brought to the altar before the blood was cast upon it, the prohibition against me’ilah does not apply until the blood is cast. If the fats and the organs were taken outside the Temple Courtyard before the blood was cast, the prohibition against me’ilah does not apply until the blood is cast. If the blood was cast while they were outside and they had not been brought back in, the prohibition against me’ilah does apply, for casting the blood has an effect on the status of a sacrifice, whether it leads to a lenient ruling or a stringent one.

כָּל קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן מִשֶּׁהֻקְדְּשׁוּ עַד שֶׁיִּזָּרֵק הַדָּם. נִזְרַק הַדָּם מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן בְּדָבָר שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ לָאִשִּׁים עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׂרֵף וְיֵצֵא לְבֵית הַדֶּשֶׁן וְאֵין מוֹעֲלִין בְּדָבָר הַנֶּאֱכָל כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

The prohibition against me’ilah applies to all the sacrifices of the most sacred order from the time they were consecrated until the blood is cast upon the altar. Once the blood is cast, the prohibition against me’ilah applies to the portions of them that are to be consumed entirely by the altar’s pyre until they are burnt and taken to the ash heap. The prohibition against me’ilah does not apply to the portions that are to be eaten, as explained.

6. במדבר יח:ט-יא

זֶֽה־יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ מִקֹּ֥דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֖ים מִן־הָאֵ֑שׁ כׇּל־קׇ֠רְבָּנָ֠ם לְֽכׇל־מִנְחָתָ֞ם וּלְכׇל־חַטָּאתָ֗ם וּלְכׇל־אֲשָׁמָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָשִׁ֣יבוּ לִ֔י קֹ֣דֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁ֥ים לְךָ֛ ה֖וּא וּלְבָנֶֽיךָ׃

This shall be yours from the most holy sacrifices, the offerings by fire: every such offering that they render to Me as most holy sacrifices, namely, every meal offering, sin offering, and guilt offering of theirs, shall belong to you and your sons.

בְּקֹ֥דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֖ים תֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּ כׇּל־זָכָר֙ יֹאכַ֣ל אֹת֔וֹ קֹ֖דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּֽךְ׃

You shall partake of them as most sacred donations: only males may eat them; you shall treat them as consecrated. *you shall treat them as consecrated Or “they are consecrated for your use.”

וְזֶה־לְּךָ֞ תְּרוּמַ֣ת מַתָּנָ֗ם לְכׇל־תְּנוּפֹת֮ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ לְךָ֣ נְתַתִּ֗ים וּלְבָנֶ֧יךָ וְלִבְנֹתֶ֛יךָ אִתְּךָ֖ לְחׇק־עוֹלָ֑ם כׇּל־טָה֥וֹר בְּבֵיתְךָ֖ יֹאכַ֥ל אֹתֽוֹ׃

This, too, shall be yours: the gift offerings *gift offerings Cf. Lev. 7.29ff. of their contributions, all the elevation offerings of the Israelites, I give to you [and your wives], to your sons, and to the daughters that are with you, as a due for all time; everyone of your household who is pure may eat it.

7. רמב”ם משנה תורה הלכות ביכורים ושאר מתנות כהונה שבגבולין א:י

הֶחָמֵשׁ שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם הֵן קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים וְנֶאֱכָלִין לִזְכָרִים וְלִנְקֵבוֹת וּבָהֶן נֶאֱמַר (במדבר יח יא) “לְךָ נְתַתִּים וּלְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֹתֶיךָ אִתְּךָ לְחָק עוֹלָם”. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין נִתָּנִין אֶלָּא לְזִכְרֵי כְּהֻנָּה שֶׁהֲרֵי לְאַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר הֵן…

The five [presents that may be eaten only] in Jerusalem are all sacrifices of lesser sanctity. [Both] males and females [of the priestly family] may partake of them. Concerning them, [Numbers 18:11] states: ‘To you, and your sons and your daughters with you have I given them as an eternal decree.’ [Although a woman may partake of them,] they are granted only to the males of the priestly family. For they are given to the men of the watch [serving in the Temple].

8. ויקרא ה:כא

נֶ֚פֶשׁ כִּ֣י תֶחֱטָ֔א וּמָעֲלָ֥ה מַ֖עַל בַּי-הֹוָ֑ה וְכִחֵ֨שׁ בַּעֲמִית֜וֹ בְּפִקָּד֗וֹן אֽוֹ־בִתְשׂ֤וּמֶת יָד֙ א֣וֹ בְגָזֵ֔ל א֖וֹ עָשַׁ֥ק אֶת־עֲמִיתֽוֹ׃

When a person sins and commits a trespass against God—by dealing deceitfully with another in the matter of a deposit or a pledge, or through robbery, or by defrauding another,

9. בבא קמא יב:

דְּתַנְיָא: ״וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּה׳״ – לְרַבּוֹת קֳדָשִׁים קַלִּים שֶׁהֵן מָמוֹנוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי.

As it is taught in a baraita that concerning one who steals another’s property and takes a false oath denying he has done so, incurring the obligation to bring a guilt-offering, the verse states: “And commits a trespass against the Lord, and deals falsely with his neighbor” (Leviticus 5:21). The verse serves to include a case in which one denies having in his possession offerings of lesser sanctity, which are property of their owners. This is the statement of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili.

וְהָתְנַן: הַמְקַדֵּשׁ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, בֵּין בְּקׇדְשֵׁי קֳדָשִׁים בֵּין בְּקָדָשִׁים קַלִּים – אֵינָהּ מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת. לֵימָא דְּלָא כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי?

The Gemara asks: But didn’t we learn in the mishna (Kiddushin 52b): In the case of a priest who betroths a woman with his portion of an offering, whether it is from offerings of the most sacred order or from offerings of lesser sanctity, she is not betrothed? Shall we say that this mishna is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili?

אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי, כִּי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי – מֵחַיִּים, אֲבָל לְאַחַר שְׁחִיטָה – אֲפִילּוּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי מוֹדֶה, דְּכִי קָא זָכוּ – מִשֻּׁלְחַן גָּבוֹהַּ קָא זָכוּ.

The Gemara suggests: You can even say that it is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, as when Rabbi Yosei HaGelili said that offerings of lesser sanctity are the property of their owners, that applies only when the animal is still alive. But after its slaughter, even Rabbi Yosei HaGelili concedes that the offering takes on a higher degree of sanctity and is now the property of Heaven. As when they receive their portions, they do not receive them because those portions belong to them; rather, they receive them from the table of the Most High, i.e., they have the right to partake of them, but do not own them.

10. רמב”ם משנה תורה הל’ מעשה הקרבנות י:א-ב

אֲכִילַת הַחַטָּאת וְהָאָשָׁם מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כט לג) “וְאָכְלוּ אֹתָם אֲשֶׁר כֻּפַּר בָּהֶם”. הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹכְלִים וּבְעָלִים מִתְכַּפְּרִים. וְהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׁאָר הַקָּדָשִׁים שֶׁאוֹכְלִין אוֹתָן הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁאֲכִילָתָן מִצְוָה:

It is a positive commandment for the sin offerings and the guilt-offerings to be eaten, as [Exodus 29:33] states: “And they shall eat [the sacrifices] which convey atonement.” The priests eat the sacrifices and the owners receive atonement. This also applies to other sacrifices that are eaten by the priests; partaking of them is a mitzvah.

וְכֵן אֲכִילַת שְׁיָרֵי מְנָחוֹת מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ו ט) “וְהַנּוֹתֶרֶת מִמֶּנָּה יֹאכְלוּ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו”:

Similarly, partaking of the portion that remains from the meal offerings is a positive commandment, as [Leviticus 6:9] states: “What remains of it shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons.”

11. רמב”ם הקדמה לסדר קדשים

המין הראשון והוא קרבן צבור הן הקרבנות שמקריבין בכל יום וכל שבת וכל ר”ח ובחגים עליהם אין להוסיף ומהן אין לגרוע לדורי דורים:…

The first kind, which is a collective sacrifice, are the sacrifices that are offered every day, every Sabbath, every first of the month, and on holidays, to which no additions may be made and from which no subtractions may be made throughout generations:…

והמין השני והוא קרבן יחיד נחלק לה’ חלקים:  

And the second kind, which is an individual sacrifice, is divided into 5 categories:

החלק האחד שיהא היחיד חייב קרבן על מעשה שעשה או (דבר הדבר) [דבור שדבר]:

The first category is a sacrifice that an individual must make on something they did or said. 

החלק הב’ שיתחייב קרבן על ענין מן הענינין שיש בו בגופו:

The second category is where one is obligated to give a sacrifice over something that happened concerning their body.

E.g., יולדת, זב.ה, גירות

והחלק הג’ שיתחייב בזה על שום ענין מהענינים שיהיה בנכסיו:

And the third category is where one is obligated in this over something that happened concerning their possessions.

E.g., בכור, מעשר

והחלק הד’ שיתחייב בזה בהגיע זמן ידוע:

And the fourth category is where one is obligated in this because a certain date/time has arrived.

E.g., עולת ראייה, שלמי שמחה

והחלק החמישי שיתחייב בזה דרך נדבה:

And the fifth category  is where one is obligated in this as a voluntary offering.

…

המין השלישי הוא קרבן צבור דומה לקרבן יחיד.

The third kind is the collective offering that is similar to individual offering.

E.g., פר העלם דבר – אינו דוחה שבת או טומאה

…

והמין הרביעי קרבן יחיד דומה לקרבן צבור והוא קרבן פסח ששוחט כל אחד ביום י”ד בניסן כמו שביארנו בתחלת פסחים:

And the fourth kind is an individual offering that is similar to a collective offering – and that is the Paschal sacrifice that everyone slaughters on 14 Nissan as we explained at the outset of tractate Pesachim.

וכן פר חטאת ואיל העולה שמקריב כה”ג ביוה”כ…דומה זה המין לקרבן צבור. לפי שהוא דוחה את השבת ואת הטומאה. מפני שעיקר הוא בידינו (תמורה דף יד) שכל קרבן שקבוע לו זמן דוחה את השבת ואת הטומאה. וכל שאין לו זמן קבוע אינו דוחה לא את השבת ולא את הטומאה:And likewise the hatat bull and olah ram that the high priest offers on Yom Kippur. This type is similar to a collective offering because it can override Shabbat and ritual impurity. Because we have a principle that any sacrifice that must be offered at a set time overrides Shabbat and ritual impurity. And any one that does not have a set time does not override Shabbat or ritual impurity.