Sifra 7.0.5

Metzora, Section 3

1) (Another proof for the above") R. Yehudah b. Betheirah says: It is written (Vayikra 14:21): "And if he is poor … (then he brings) a tenth-part of fine flour." Just as we find that a poor man brings one beast and one tenth-part, so a rich man, who brings three beasts, brings three tenth-parts. How, then, am I to satisfy "and three tenth parts of (an ephah of) fine flour for a meal-offering mixed with oil"? (That it is to be understood as) for the beasts.

2) (Vayikra 14:10) "and one log of oil": (Why write "one" instead of "a"?) For (if it were written "a," I would think that) just as we find that a poor man, who brings one tenth-part brings one log of oil, so, a rich man, who brings three tenth-parts, requires three logs of oil. It must, therefore, be written "and one log of oil."

3) (Vayikra 14:11) ("And the Cohein who cleanses shall stand the man who is to be cleansed and those (things) before the L–rd at the door of the tent of meeting.") "And the Cohein who cleanses shall stand the man who is to be cleansed and those" — whereby we learn that they all require standing. I might think that the standing of all (man, sin-offering, burnt-offering) is indispensable; it is, therefore, written "the man" (The (standing of) the man is indispensable, and not(that of) the sin-offering and not (that of) the burnt-offering.

4) But perhaps "man" (is singled out) to exclude woman and child. (This is not so, for) it is written "who is to be cleansed," whether man, woman, or child. Why, then, is "the man" singled out? To indicate not the sin-offering and not the burnt-offering.

5) If so, (if sin-offering and burnt-offering are excluded), why is it written (Vayikra 14:12) "it for a guilt-offering"? (i.e., if sin-offering and burnt-offering have already been excluded, why exclude them again?) — For I might think that since the guilt-offering comes to cleanse, (for its blood is sprinkled on him), and the man comes to be cleansed, then just as the guilt-offering requires waving, so the man requires waving; it is, therefore, written "as a guilt-offering … and he shall wave" — the guilt-offering ("it") requires waving, but the man does not require waving.

6) "before the L–rd, before the tent of meeting": He places them at the gate of Nikanor, their backs to the east, and their faces to the west.

7) (Vayikra 14:11): "And the Cohein shall take the one he-lamb, and he shall bring it near as a guilt-offering, and the log of oil, and he shall wave them as a waving before the L–rd.": We are hereby taught that they (the guilt-offering and the log of oil) require waving as one. Whence is it derived that if he waved each individually it is valid? From "it as a guilt-offering … and he shall wave." I might think that he should (first) wave (both) and then wave (each individually); it is, therefore, written "a waving" — a "waving," and not "wavings." "before the L–rd": in the east, (the Shechinah being in the west).

8) (Vayikra 14:13) ("And he shall slaughter the lamb in the place where he slaughtered the sin-offering and the burnt-offering, in the holy place. For as the sin-offering is the guilt-offering, for the Cohein. It is holy of holies.") What is the intent of "And he shall slaughter … burnt-offering"? (i.e., We already know that the place of the guilt-offering is in the north.) — Because it was excluded for standing (viz. Vayikra 14 verse 12), I might think that the slaughtering is in the place of its standing; it is, therefore, written "in the place where he slaughters the sin-offering and the burnt-offering."

9) I might then think (that he must slaughter the guilt-offering) on the same (slaughtering) ring (on which he slaughtered) the sin-offering and the burnt-offering; it is, therefore, written "in the holy place," to validate the entire (north) side (of the altar).

10) This (i.e., the above verse) tells me only that the guilt-offering must be (slaughtered) "in the holy place." Whence do I derive the same for the sin-offering and the burnt-offering? From "the sin-offering and the burnt-offering in the holy place."