Sifra 3.0.4

Tzav, Chapter 3

1) (Vayikra 6:10) ("It shall not be baked with leaven. Their portion have I given it of My fire-offerings; it is holy of holies, as the sin-offering and as the guilt-offering.") "It shall not be baked with leaven": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Vayikra 2:1) "It shall not be made of leaven," I would think that there was one negative commandment for all of them (i.e., for all of the operations that go into making it); it is, therefore, written: "It shall not be baked with leaven." Baking was in the category (of "It shall not be made of leaven.") Why did it leave that category (to be singled out here)? So that it serve as the basis for a comparison, viz.: Just as baking is characterized by its being a particular act and subject to liability in and of itself, so I include its kneading, its rolling and all of its particular acts as being subject to individual negative commandments in and of themselves.

2) "Their portion have I given it of My fire-offerings": They are permitted to take of it only what is left over from the fire (i.e., they are not permitted to apportion the meal-offering among themselves until after consigning the fistful to the fire. This tells me only of this instance. Whence do I derive the same for all offerings, (that they are not to be apportioned until their devoted portions have been burned)? From "It is holy of holies." I might think that what has become unfit must also be apportioned; it is, therefore, written ("Their portion have I given) it" — one that is fit, and not one that is unfit. I might think that if it were apportioned (before the burning of the fistful) it becomes unfit; it is, therefore, written "it (is holy of holies") — it remains in its state of holiness.

3) "as the sin-offering": Just a sin-offering comes (only) from what is non-consecrated (chullin, and not from the tithe, ma'aser), and (is offered only) in the daytime, and (its blood is applied only) with his right hand, so this. If so, we should say: Just as a sin-offering not slaughtered for that specific end is unfit, so this, if its fistful is not taken for that specific end, is unfit. It is therefore, (to negate this) written "as the guilt-offering." Just as a guilt-offering not slaughtered for that specific end is fit, this, too, if its fistful is not taken for that specific end is fit.

4) R. Shimon says: There are of them (meal-offerings) which are like a sin-offering, and there are of them which are like a guilt-offering. The meal-offering of a "sinner" (in defilement of the sanctuary or of sanctified objects) is similar to a sin-offering. Therefore, if its fistful were not taken for the express purpose of that offering, it is unfit. A gift meal-offering is similar to a guilt-offering, so that if its fistful were not taken for the express purpose of that offering it remains fit.

5) (Vayikra 6:11) ("Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat it. It is a statute forever for your generations of the fire-offerings of the L–rd. Whatever touches them shall become sanctified.") "Every male": to include those who are blemished. To what end? If for eating, this is already written (viz. Vayikra 21:22). If so, why is "Every male" written? To include those who are blemished for apportionment. "shall eat it": if it is fit, but not if it has become unfit. "It is a statute forever." — for the eternal house (the Temple). "For your generations" — to span the generations (for the second Temple and beyond). "of the fire-offerings of the L–rd": They may not eat it (even if it had been apportioned earlier) until after the fire-offering.

6) "Whatever touches them shall become sanctified": I might think that this were so even if it (what touched them) had not absorbed (its oiliness); it is, therefore, written ("whatever touches, lit.) "in them" — only if it had absorbed it. I might think that if it touched only a part of it, it became entirely unfit (if the offering itself were unfit); it is, therefore, written: "Whatever touches them shall become sanctified." Only the part touching it becomes unfit. What does he do? He cuts off that part. "shall become sanctified" — to become like it. If it is unfit, then it (what touches it) becomes unfit; and if it is fit, then what touches it is to be eaten with its attendant stringencies.