The eighth chapter of Zevachim deals with when items that hold different statuses get mixed in with one another so that they become indistinguishable from each other. What happens then? The fact that the rabbis ask such questions speaks to their ability and interest in dealing with human fallibility. But what is the logic behind their prescriptions?
Zevachim perek 8
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- משנה זבחים ח:א
כָּל הַזְּבָחִים שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ בְחַטָּאוֹת הַמֵּתוֹת, אוֹ בְשׁוֹר הַנִּסְקָל, אֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד בְּרִבּוֹא, יָמוּתוּ כֻלָּם.
When sacrificial animals get mixed in with an invalid hatat or an ox slated to be stoned,
even if the ratio is 10,000:1, they all must die.
- משנה חולין ז:ה-ו
גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה שֶׁנִּתְבַּשֵּׁל עִם הַגִּידִים, בִּזְמַן שֶׁמַּכִּירוֹ, בְּנוֹתֵן טַעַם, וְאִם לָאו, כֻּלָּן אֲסוּרִין. וְהָרֹטֶב, בְּנוֹתֵן טָעַם.
A sciatic nerve that gets cooked with other sinews: When the sciatic nerve can be identified [it must be removed and then] it forbids the rest of the food if it contributed flavor; if it cannot be identified then all the sinews are forbidden and it forbids the sauce if it contributed flavor to it.
וְכֵן חֲתִיכָה שֶׁל נְבֵלָה, וְכֵן חֲתִיכָה שֶׁל דָּג טָמֵא, שֶׁנִּתְבַּשְּׁלוּ עִם הַחֲתִיכוֹת, בִּזְמַן שֶׁמַּכִּירָן, בְּנוֹתֵן טַעַם. וְאִם לָאו, כֻּלָּן אֲסוּרוֹת. וְהָרֹטֶב, בְּנוֹתֵן טָעַם:
And so too a piece of neveilah or a piece of forbidden fish that gets cooked with other pieces: When the piece can be identified [it must be removed and then] it forbids the rest of the food if it contributed flavor; if it cannot be identified then all the sinews are forbidden and it forbids the sauce if it contributed flavor to it.
- תוספתא ביצה א:ג (מהדורת ליברמן)
כשם שאסורה לוכל, כך אסורה ליטלטל, כשם שספיקה אסור, כך ספק מכונה אסור. נתערבה במאה, כולן אסורות.
As it is forbidden to eat, so it is forbidden to be carried. As its case of doubt is forbidden, so is the case of doubt regarding its existence is forbidden. Mix it up with a hundred others, they are all forbidden.
- משנה ערלה ב:א
הַתְּרוּמָה, וּתְרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁל דְּמַאי, הַחַלָּה וְהַבִּכּוּרִים, עוֹלִים בְּאֶחָד וּמֵאָה, וּמִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה, וְצָרִיךְ לְהָרִים. הָעָרְלָה וְכִלְאֵי הַכֶּרֶם, עוֹלִים בְּאֶחָד וּמָאתַיִם, וּמִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לְהָרִים…
Terumah, terumat maaser of demai, hallah and bikkurim, are neutralized in a hundred-and-one mixture. And they are reckoned together [to form the statutory minimum]. And it is necessary to remove [from the mixture an amount equal to that of the consecrated produce contained in it]. Orlah and kilayim of the vineyard are neutralized in a two-hundred-and-one mixture. And they are reckoned together [to form the statutory minimum]. But it is not necessary to remove [from the mixture an amount equal to that of the consecrated produce contained in it]…
- תוספתא תרומות ה:טו (מהדורת ליברמן)
ר’ שמעון או’ כל דבר שיש לו מתירין, כגון טבל, מעשר שני והקדש והחדש, ולא נתנו להם חכמים שיעור. [וכל דבר שאין לו מתירין, כגון ערלה וכלאי הכרם, נתנו חכמים להם שיעור…
R. Shimon says: Any item that can somehow be permitted, such as level, ma’aser sheni, hekdesh, and hadash, was not given a nullification ratio by the Sages. But any item that
cannot be permitted, such as orlah and kil ’ei hakerem, was given a nullification ratio by
the Sages.
