Commentary for Parah 1:4
חַטֹּאת הַצִּבּוּר וְעוֹלוֹתֵיהֶן, חַטַּאת הַיָּחִיד וַאֲשַׁם נָזִיר וַאֲשַׁם מְצֹרָע, כְּשֵׁרִין מִיּוֹם שְׁלשִׁים וָהָלְאָה, וְאַף בְּיוֹם שְׁלשִׁים. וְאִם הִקְרִיבוּם בְּיוֹם שְׁמִינִי, כְּשֵׁרִים. נְדָרִים וּנְדָבוֹת, הַבְּכוֹר וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר וְהַפֶּסַח, כְּשֵׁרִים מִיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי וָהָלְאָה, וְאַף בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי:
Communal sin offerings and elevation offerings, individual sin offerings, the guilt offering of a nazirite and the guilt offering of a <i>metzorah</i> [one afflicted with a skin illness], these are valid from thirty days [since the animal's birth] and onward, and even on the thirtieth day. If they one brought them on the eighth day, they are valid. Vowed and voluntary offerings, the first born animal, the tithe, and the Passover sacrifice are valid from the eighth day and onward, and even on the eighth day.
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
חטאות הצבור (see Leviticus 4:14) – as for example the goats of the New Moons and the Festivals and their burnt offerings (see Numbers 28:3 and following) , all of them are a year old.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
Introduction
Today's mishnah deals with how old various animals must be before they can sacrificed.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
חטאת היחיד (see Leviticus 4:28, 32 and 5:6) – a female sheep or a female goat.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
The sin-offerings of the congregation and their burnt-offerings, the sin-offering of an individual, the guilt-offering of a nazirite and the guilt-offering of a metzora are valid from the thirtieth day onwards, and also on the thirtieth day. If they were offered on the eighth day they are valid. The sin-offerings of the congregation are the goats that are brought on Rosh Hodesh and other holidays. These must be within their first year. The burnt-offerings are lambs (see Numbers 28). The sin-offering of an individual can be a lamb or goat (Leviticus 4:28ff). The guilt offering of a nazirite (Numbers 6:12) and the guilt offering of a metzora (Leviticus 14:12) are both lambs. Since all of these are mandatory offerings, it is mandated that one let them grow a little bit before they are brought. Although they are valid from the 8th day and onwards, they should not be brought until they are at least 30 days old. No animal can be slaughtered or sacrificed before the 8th day, as is stated explicitly in Leviticus 22:27.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
ואם הקריבום שיום השמיני כשרים – as it is written (Leviticus 22:27): “and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable [as a gift to the LORD},” and it is stated regarding a firstborn (Exodus 22:29): “[You shall do the same with your cattle and your flocks: seven days it shall remain with its mother;] on the eighth day you shall give it to Me,” just as the firstborn that he made the eighth day like the eighth [day] and beyond, so also with the rest of the sacrifices he made the eighth day like the eighth [day] and beyond. However, with a matter that is an obligation of the most preferable way of performing a Mitzvah is to bring it from the thirtieth day onward.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
Vow-offerings and freewill-offerings, firstlings and the tithe of cattle and the pesach are valid from the eighth day onwards, and also on the eighth day. Vow offerings and freewill offerings are voluntary, therefore they can be offered on the eighth day and onwards. Since people are not mandated to bring them, we don't make them wait until the 30th day to do so. As far as the firstling (the first-born animal to its mother) goes, the Torah specifically says that that on the 8th day you should give it to the Lord (Exodus 22:29). The cattle tithe and the pesah are both compared to the firstling (see Zevahim 5:8). Therefore they too can be offered from the 8th day and onwards.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
והפסח – even though it is an obligation, the Sages were not quiet/silent, because they take it according to the number of souls, so that they don’t come to a case of left over (i.e., part of the offering left over after time permitted for it to be eat. One who eats the leftover portions of an offering is punishable by extirpation – see Tractate Zevahim, Chapter 5, Mishnah 8 which states that the Passover offering an only be consumed until midnight) since it is not eaten [other] than for one fellowship.
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