Commentary for Shevuot 2:1

יְדִיעוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה שְׁתַּיִם שֶׁהֵן אַרְבַּע. נִטְמָא וְיָדַע וְנֶעֶלְמָה מִמֶּנּוּ הַטֻּמְאָה וְזָכוּר אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, נֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְזָכוּר אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה, נֶעֶלְמוּ מִמֶּנּוּ זֶה וָזֶה וְאָכַל אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְלֹא יָדַע, וּמִשֶּׁאָכַל יָדַע, הֲרֵי זֶה בְעוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד. נִטְמָא וְיָדַע וְנֶעֶלְמָה מִמֶּנּוּ טֻמְאָה וְזָכוּר אֶת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, נֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ מִקְדָּשׁ וְזָכוּר אֶת הַטֻּמְאָה, נֶעֶלְמוּ מִמֶּנּוּ זֶה וָזֶה וְנִכְנַס לַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְלֹא יָדַע, וּמִשֶּׁיָּצָא יָדַע, הֲרֵי זֶה בְעוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד:

Awarenesses of uncleanliness are two, which are four. If he became unclean and knew [that he was unclean, at the time of contact or afterwards], and the uncleanliness was (afterwards) hidden from him, and he remembered the sanctity, [and because of that "hiddenness" (of the uncleanliness) he ate sanctified food — one; or entered the sanctuary — two. These are the two that are written. (Leviticus 5:2): "And it be hidden from him and he is unclean" implies that the uncleanliness is hidden from him. And because he is not liable unless he is aware in the beginning that he became unclean, after which it was hidden from him, we have "awarenesses."] If the sanctity were hidden from him [i.e., the fact of its being sanctified food or the fact of its being the sanctuary, and he ate the one or entered the other], and he remembered his uncleanliness [—These are the two others, which are not written.] If both were hidden from him and he ate sanctified food unawares, and after he ate he became aware, he is liable for an oleh veyored offering. [This is not part of the number. We are just being apprised that even though when he ate the sanctified food or entered the sanctuary he remembered neither the uncleanliness nor the sanctuary, he is liable for an oleh veyored offering.] If he became unclean and knew it, and the uncleanliness was hidden from him, and he remembered the sanctuary; if the sanctuary were hidden from him, and he remembered his uncleanliness; if both were hidden from him, and he entered the sanctuary unawares, and when he left he became aware, he is liable for an oleh veyored offering.

Bartenura on Mishnah Shevuot

ידיעות הטומאה. נטמא וידע – [that he became defiled and was aware] that he became defiled at the time of of defilement or afterwards.

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English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot

Introduction Mishnah one discusses the second clause of the first mishnah of chapter one, which dealt with the case where a person either entered the Temple or ate holy food without knowing that he was impure.

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Bartenura on Mishnah Shevuot

נעלמה ממנו טומאה – and through that same act of forgetfulness/lack of awareness, he ate Holy Things, which is one [count], and he entered into the Sanctuary/Temple, which is two [counts], as it is written (Leviticus 5:4): “and the fact has escaped him,” and he is unclean/defiled, which implies that the defilement escaped him. But because he is not liable for it other than if he was aware at the beginning that he had become defiled/unclean and afterwards, it escaped him, because of this, it (i.e., the Mishnah) calls it: ידיעות הטמאה/awareness (plural) of uncleanness.

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English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot

The first line of the mishnah is a quote of the second clause of the first mishnah in chapter one. After a long digression in chapter one in which the mishnah discussed which goats offered as sin-offerings atone for which types of crimes, our chapter returns to discuss the main topic at hand: the case where a person unknowingly became impure and entered the Temple or ate holy food. To refresh our memories, according to chapter one in order to enter into this category one must first have awareness then forgetfulness and then awareness. Our mishnah explains the four different possibilities for such a scenario.

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Bartenura on Mishnah Shevuot

ונעלם ממנו הקודש – or the Temple/Sanctuary, but if he ate Holy Things or entered into the Temple, and he was mindful of defilement, there are two other [counts] that are not written [in the Bible].

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English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot

The laws concerning the discovery of having contracted uncleanness are of two kinds, subdivided into four;
[If] he became impure and was aware of it, then he forgot that he had been impure, though he remembered that the food was holy; [If the fact that it was] holy food was unknown to him, though he remembered that he was impure; [If] both were unknown to him; And he ate holy food, and was not aware, and after he had eaten, he became aware: in these cases he brings a sliding scale sacrifice. In all of the cases mentioned in this section the transgression is the eating of holy food while impure. There are actually three different possibilities mentioned in the mishnah, although the mishnah considers them to be two: 1) He knew that had contracted impurity, and then forgot but he knew that the food that he was eating was holy; 2) He forgot that the food that he was eating was holy but he knew that he was impure; 3) He forgot that the food was holy and that he was impure. In all of these cases if he were to eat of the holy food while being unaware either that he was impure or that the food was holy (or both) and afterwards realized that the food was holy or that he was impure, he is obligated to bring a sliding scale sacrifice. A sliding scale sacrifice is a sacrifice brought based on the economic means of the sinner. If he has financial means he must bring either a sheep or goat. If he cannot afford a sheep or a goat he brings two turtledoves. If he can’t even afford these, he may bring a grain offering. This sacrifice is described in Leviticus 5:6-13.

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English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot

[[If] he became impure and was aware of it, then he forgot that he had been impure, though he remembered that [he was entering] the Temple; [If the fact that he was entering] the Temple was unknown to him, though he remembered that he was impure; [If] both were hidden from him; And he entered the Temple and was not aware, and after he had gone out, became aware: in these cases he brings a sliding scale sacrifice. This section teaches the exact same law as in section one, except the sin discussed here is entrance into the Temple while impure. In this case either forgetting that he is entering the Temple or forgetting that he is impure or both will obligate him to bring a sliding scale sacrifice.

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Bartenura on Mishnah Shevuot

נעלם ממנו זה וזה – it is not from the numbers of awareness, but it comes to tell us that even though that at the time of eating Holy Things or entering into the Temple, he was not mindful neither of defilement nor of the holiness [of the Temple], and he Is liable for the sliding-scale offering (depending upon his financial situation).

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English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot

Questions for Further Thought:
• Why does the mishnah consider the three possibilities in each section to be only two?

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