Din & Daf: Conceptual Analysis of Halakha Through Case Study with Dr. Elana Stein Hain The mishnayot of chapters 4 and 5 of Menachot mention flour offerings brought as korbanot by a non-Jews to the Beit Hamikdash. In this shiur, we will examine the logic and parameters of offerings by non-Jews inside and outside the Mikdash.
Menachot 73
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- ישעיהו נו:ו-ז
וּבְנֵי הַנֵּכָר הַנִּלְוִים עַל ה’ לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְאַהֲבָה אֶת שֵׁם ה’ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים כָּל שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ וּמַחֲזִיקִים בִּבְרִיתִי.
As for the foreigners who are joined to GOD, to render service, and to love GOD’s name, to be devoted servants — all who keep the sabbath and do not profane it, And who hold fast to My covenant—
וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי עוֹלֹתֵיהֶם וְזִבְחֵיהֶם לְרָצוֹן עַל מִזְבְּחִי כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל הָעַמִּים.
I will bring them to My sacred mount and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices shall be welcome on My altar; for My House shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
- דברי הימים ב’ לב:כב-כג
וַיּוֹשַׁע ה’ אֶת יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ וְאֵת יֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם מִיַּד סַנְחֵרִיב מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וּמִיַּד כֹּל וַיְנַהֲלֵם מִסָּבִיב.
Thus GOD delivered Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria, and from everyone—providing for them on all sides.
וְרַבִּים מְבִיאִים מִנְחָה לַה’ לִירוּשָׁלִַם וּמִגְדָּנוֹת לִיחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּנַּשֵּׂא לְעֵינֵי כָל הַגּוֹיִם מֵאַחֲרֵי כֵן.
Many brought tribute to GOD to Jerusalem, and gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah; thereafter he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations.
- משנה מנחות ו:א
אֵלּוּ מְנָחוֹת נִקְמָצוֹת וּשְׁיָרֵיהֶן לַכֹּהֲנִים, מִנְחַת סֹלֶת, וְהַמַּחֲבַת, וְהַמַּרְחֶשֶׁת, וְהַחַלּוֹת, וְהָרְקִיקִין, מִנְחַת גּוֹיִם, מִנְחַת נָשִׁים, מִנְחַת הָעֹמֶר, מִנְחַת חוֹטֵא, וּמִנְחַת קְנָאוֹת. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, מִנְחַת חוֹטֵא שֶׁל כֹּהֲנִים נִקְמֶצֶת, וְהַקֹּמֶץ קָרֵב לְעַצְמוֹ, וְהַשִּׁירַיִם קְרֵבִין לְעַצְמָן:
And these are the meal offerings from which a handful is removed and the remainder of the offering is eaten by the priests: The meal offering of fine flour; and the meal offering prepared in a pan; and the meal offering prepared in a deep pan; and the meal offering baked in an oven that is brought entirely of loaves; and the meal offering baked in an oven that is brought entirely of wafers; the meal offering of gentiles; and the meal offering of women; and the omer meal offering, i.e., the measure of barley brought as a communal offering on the sixteenth of Nisan; and the meal offering of a sinner; and the meal offering of jealousy, brought by a sota. Rabbi Shimon says: Although its remainder is not eaten by priests, as meal offerings of priests are burned in their entirety, as it is written: “And every meal offering of the priest shall be offered in its entirety; it shall not be eaten” (Leviticus 6:16), nevertheless, with regard to the meal offering of a sinner brought by one of the priests, a handful is removed. And the handful is sacrificed on the altar by itself, and the remainder is sacrificed on the altar by itself.
- משנה שקלים א:ה
…העובד כוכבים והכותי ששקלו – אין מקבלין מידן. ואין מקבלין מידן קיני זבין וקיני זבות וקיני יולדות וחטאות ואשמות, אבל נדרים ונדבות מקבלין מידן. זה הכלל: כל שנידר ונידב – מקבלין מידן, כל שאין נידר ונידב – אין מקבלין מידן. וכן הוא מפורש על ידי עזרא, שנאמר: ‘לא לכם ולנו לבנות את בית א-לוהינו’.
…A gentile or a Samaritan [Kuti] who contributed a shekel to participate in the communal offerings, they do not accept it from them. And likewise, they do not accept from a gentile or a Samaritan pairs of birds sacrificed in the purification ritual of a zav, pairs of birds of a zava, or pairs of birds of a woman who gave birth, all of which are brought for ritual purification, or sin-offerings or guilt-offerings. This is the principle: With regard to anything that can be brought to the altar as a vow or as a free-will offering, the priests accept it from gentiles and Samaritans, and with regard to anything that cannot be brought as a vow or as a free-will offering, they may not accept it from them. And this principle was similarly articulated by Ezra, when he recorded the Jewish leadership’s rejection of the Samaritans’ request to assist the Jews in the construction of the Second Temple, as it is stated: “[But Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, said unto them:] You have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; [but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us”] (Ezra 4:3).
- ויקרא כב:יז-יח,כה
יז וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְ-הֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
GOD spoke to Moses, saying:
יח דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־בָּנָ֗יו וְאֶל֙ כׇּל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֩ מִבֵּ֨ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַקְרִ֤יב קׇרְבָּנוֹ֙ לְכׇל־נִדְרֵיהֶם֙ וּלְכׇל־נִדְבוֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִ֥יבוּ לַי-הֹוָ֖ה לְעֹלָֽה׃
Speak to Aaron and his sons, and to all the Israelite people, and say to them:
When anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, presents a burnt offering as their offering for any of the votive or any of the freewill offerings that are offered to GOD,
כה וּמִיַּ֣ד בֶּן־נֵכָ֗ר לֹ֥א תַקְרִ֛יבוּ אֶת־לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם מִכׇּל־אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֣י מׇשְׁחָתָ֤ם בָּהֶם֙ מ֣וּם בָּ֔ם לֹ֥א יֵרָצ֖וּ לָכֶֽם׃ {ס}
nor shall you accept such [animals] from a foreigner for offering as food for your God, for they are mutilated, they have a defect; they shall not be accepted in your favor.
- תוספתא שקלים א:ז
לוקחין מן הגוים קרבנות צבור בכסף, ומקבלין מהן עולות ושלמים עופות ומנחות עצים ולבונה ומלח, דברי ר’ יוסה הגלילי. אמר לו ר’ עקיבא: אפי’ אתה יושב ודורש כל היום, אין מקבלין מהן אלא עולה ושלמים בלבד. אין מקבלין מהן נדבה להקדיש בדק הבית ואם הקדישו הקדישן הקדש.
It is lawful to buy congregational sacrifices from Gentiles for money. And one may accept from them burnt offerings and peace offerings, poultry, and grain offerings, wood, frankincense and salt [These are] words of R. Akiba. R. Jose the Galilean said to him: Even if you spend all day in interpreting the scripture [you will not find any proof of it]; one accepts only burnt offerings and peace offerings from them, but one does not accept a voluntary donation for the dedication of the temple repair fund; but if they have [already] consecrated it, their consecration is [valid] consecration.
- תורת כהנים אמור ז:ב, מהדורת וייס צח.
…למה נא’ איש איש להביא את הגויים שהם נודרים בנדרים ובנדבות כישראל… אשר יקריב לד’ לעולה אין לי אלא עולה מנין לרבות את השלמים, תלמוד לומר נדריהם, מנין את התודה תלמוד לומר נדבותם, מנין לרבות את השלמים, תלמוד לומד נדריהם, מנין את התודה תלמוד לומר נדבותם, מנין לרבות את העופות והמנחות והיין והלבונה והעצים, תלמוד לומר נדריהם לכל נדריהם, נדבותם לכל נדבותם. א”כ למה נאמר אשר יקריבו לה’ לעולה פרט לנזירות דברי ר’ עקיבא. א”ל ר’ יוסי הגלילי אפי’ אתה מרבה כל היום אין כאן אלא עולה בלבד
…Why does it say “every man”? To include nonJews who may donate offerings like a Jew…who will sacrifice a burnt offering to God: this only refers to a burnt offering. Whence to include the peace offering? Hence, “their oaths.” Whence to include a thanksgiving offering? Hence, “their donations.” Whence to include birds, flour offerings, wine, frankincense, and wood? Hence, “their oaths, for all of their oaths,” “their donations, for all of their donations.” If so, why is “that they will offer to God as a burnt offering” said? To exclude (the offerings of) nazariteship, per R. Akiva. R. Yose the Galilean said to him: Even if you add inclusions all day, there is only a burnt offering here.
- תורת כהנים אמור ז : יב, צט ע”א
מנין שאין מקבלין שקלים מן הגוי תלמוד לומד ומיד בן נכר לא תקריבו את לחם א-לוהיכם מכל אלה, אין לי אלא תמידים שהם קרויים לחם שנאמר את קרבני לחמי לאישי שאר כל קרבנות הצבור מנין? תלמוד לומר מכל אלה.
Whence do we derive that we do not accept shekalim (to pay for the public offerings) from a nonJew? Hence, “And from the hand of a gentile, you (pl.) shall not sacrifice the bread of your God from all these.” This only includes daily offerings, which are called “bread,” as is said, “My offering, my bread, by fire (Bamidbar 28:2)” – whence all public offerings? Hence, “from all these.”
- מנחות עג:
דְּתַנְיָא: ״אִישׁ״, מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״אִישׁ אִישׁ״? לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַגּוֹיִם שֶׁנּוֹדְרִין נְדָרִים וּנְדָבוֹת כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
As it is taught in a baraita: The verse cited previously states: “Any man [ish ish] who is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that brings his offering, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their gift offerings, which they will offer to the Lord as a burnt offering.” The verse is now analyzed: The verse could have stated: A man [ish]. Why does the verse state the double expression “ish ish”? This serves to include the gentiles, demonstrating that they can vow to bring vow offerings and gift offerings like a Jew can.
״אֲשֶׁר יַקְרִיבוּ לַה׳ לְעוֹלָה״ – אֵין לִי אֶלָּא עוֹלָה, שְׁלָמִים מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״נִדְרֵיהֶם״. תּוֹדָה מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״נִדְבוֹתָם״.
When the verse states: “Which they will offer to the Lord as a burnt offering,” I have derived only that a gentile can vow to bring a burnt offering. From where is it derived that a gentile can vow to bring a peace offering? The verse states: “Their vows.” From where is it derived that he can bring a thanks offering? The verse states the seemingly superfluous clause: “Their gift offerings.”
מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת הָעוֹפוֹת, וְהַיַּיִן, וְהַלְּבוֹנָה, וְהָעֵצִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״נִדְרֵיהֶם״, ״לְכׇל נִדְרֵיהֶם״, ״נִדְבוֹתָם״, ״לְכׇל נִדְבוֹתָם״.
The baraita continues: From where is it derived that the verse means to include that a gentile can bring birds as burnt offerings, and wine libations, and the frankincense, and the wood for the arrangement upon the altar? The verse states not only: “Their vows,” but also the more comprehensive term: “Any of their vows”; and the verse states not only: “Their gift offerings,” but also the more comprehensive term: “Any of their gift offerings.”
אִם כֵּן מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״עוֹלָה״, ״עוֹלָה״ – פְּרָט לִנְזִירוּת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: ״אֲשֶׁר יַקְרִיבוּ לַה׳ לְעֹלָה״ – אֵין לִי אֶלָּא עוֹלָה בִּלְבָד.
The baraita asks: If so, what is the meaning when the verse states: “They will offer to the Lord as a burnt offering”? The baraita answers: This teaches that a gentile can bring a standard burnt offering, to the exclusion of a burnt offering of naziriteship. Since a gentile is unable to assume the status of a nazirite, he is also unable to bring the offerings of a nazirite. This is the statement of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili. Rabbi Akiva says: When the verse states: “Which they will offer to the Lord as a burnt offering,” it indicates that nothing other than a burnt offering alone may be brought by a gentile.
Private Altars
- ירושלמי מגילה א:יא
הַכֹּל קָרֵב בַּבָּמָה. בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה וְעוֹפוּת גְּדוֹלִים וּקְטַנִּים זְכָרִים וּנְקֵיבוֹת תְּמִימִין [אֲבָל לֹא] (וּ)בַעֲלֵי מוּמִין. טְהוֹרִים אֲבָל לֹא טְמֵאִים. הַכֹּל קָרֵב עוֹלָה וְאֵינָן טְעוּנִין הַפְשֵׁט וְנִיתּוּח. וְגוֹיִם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה רְשָׁאִין לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן…
Everything is brought on an altar: domestic and wild animals, large and small birds, male and female, whole [but not] (and) defective, kosher animals and birds, but not nonkosher. All are brought as burnt sacrifice and do not need stripping and partitioning. Gentiles today are permitted to do this.” …
רִבִּי בָּא בְשֵׁם רַב יְהוּדָה. אָסוּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְסַיְיעוֹ וְאָסוּר לְהֵיעָשׂוֹת לוֹ שָׁלִיחַ.
Rebbi Abba in the name of Rav Jehudah, it is forbidden to a Jew to help the nonJew sacrifice on a private altar or to become their agent for doing so.
- בבלי זבחים קטז:
אָמַר מָר: וְגוֹיִם בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה רַשָּׁאִין לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן. מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי? דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״ – בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצוּוִין עַל שְׁחוּטֵי חוּץ, וְאֵין הַגּוֹיִם מְצוּוִין עַל שְׁחוּטֵי חוּץ.
§ The Master said in the baraita that discussed the sacrifice of offerings before the construction of the Tabernacle: And today gentiles are permitted to do so, i.e., to sacrifice offerings outside the Temple courtyard, despite the fact that this is forbidden for the Jews. The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? As the Sages taught with regard to the verses that prohibit the slaughter of offerings outside the Temple: “Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel” (Leviticus 17:2). This indicates that only Jews are commanded with regard to offerings slaughtered outside the Temple, but gentiles are not commanded with regard to offerings slaughtered outside the Temple.
לְפִיכָךְ כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בּוֹנֶה לוֹ בָּמָה לְעַצְמוֹ, וּמַקְרִיב עָלֶיהָ כׇּל מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצֶה. אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אַחָא אָמַר רַב אַסִּי: אָסוּר לְסַיְּיעָן וְלַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁלִיחוּתָן. אָמַר רַבָּה: וּלְאוֹרֹיִנְהוּ שְׁרֵי.
Therefore, each and every gentile may, if he desires, construct a private altar for himself, and sacrifice upon it whatever he desires. Rabbi Ya’akov bar Aḥa says that Rav Asi says: Although it is permitted for gentiles to sacrifice offerings outside the Temple courtyard, it is prohibited for a Jew to assist them or to fulfill their agency in this matter, as sacrificing in this manner is forbidden for a Jew. Rabba said: But to instruct them how to sacrifice outside the Temple is permitted.
כִּי הָא דְּאִיפְרָא הוֹרְמִיז אִימֵּיהּ דְּשַׁבּוּר מַלְכָּא שַׁדַּרָה קוּרְבָּנָא לְרָבָא, שְׁלַחָה לֵיהּ: ״אַסְּקוּהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם״. אֲמַר לְהוּ לְרַב סָפְרָא וּלְרַב אַחָא בַּר הוּנָא: זִילוּ וּדְבַרוּ תְּרֵי עוּלֵמֵי גּוּלָאֵי, וַחֲזוֹ הֵיכָא דְּמַסְּקָא יַמָּא שִׂירְטוֹן; וּשְׁקֻלוּ צִיבֵי חַדְתֵי, וְאַפִּיקוּ נוּרָא מִמָּרָא חַדְתָּא, וְאַסְּקוּהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם.
This is similar to that incident in which Ifera Hurmiz, the mother of King Shapur of Persia, sent an offering to Rava, with which she sent this message to him: Sacrifice this for me, for the sake of Heaven. Rava said to Rav Safra and to Rav Aḥa bar Huna: Go, take two gentile youths of the same age, i.e., similar to one another, so that the sacrifice will be performed with maximal beauty, and see where the sea currently raises silt [sirton], which is a place that no one has used before. And take new wood and bring out fire from new vessels, and the two youths will sacrifice the offering for her, for the sake of Heaven.
י
