[Si] uno trae un Asham Talui [una ofrenda de culpa provocada por la posible comisión de un pecado] y luego se le hace saber que no pecó: Si fue antes de que el animal fuera sacrificado, sale a pastar entre los rebaño, estas son las palabras del rabino Meir. Y los Sabios dicen: sale a pastar hasta que se mancha, con lo que se vende, y el dinero se destina a ofrendas voluntarias. El rabino Eliezer dice: Se ofrece, porque si no viene [expiación] por este pecado, puede venir [expiación] por otro pecado. Si se sabe [que no pecó] después de ser sacrificado, la sangre se derrama y la carne sale al lugar de la quema. Si la sangre ya ha sido derramada [en el altar], se puede comer la carne. El rabino Yose dice: Incluso si la sangre está [todavía] en el vaso, se rompe y se come la carne.
Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot
המביא אשם תלוי. יצא ויראה בעדר – with the rest of his [flock of] sheep like completely unconsecrated [animals], For Rabbi Meir holds that since he doesn’t need it, he doesn’t sanctify it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Keritot
Introduction
An asham talui is brought when a person is not sure if he has sinned. Our mishnah discussed what happens if after he brought it, he finds out that he did not sin (i.e. he ate the right piece of meat, or perhaps he had sex with his wife and not his sister).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot
ירעה עד שיסתאב (sent out to pasture until it is made unclean) – but since he may have scruples (i.e., he has no clear conscience) at the time of the separation and he fears from doubtful sin, he resolved and sanctified it, and even though it might not be necessary. Therefore, it is sent out to pasture until a defect befalls it (i.e., the animal) and its monetary value falls to a free-will contribution to bring with them a donation of a burnt-offering. But the Halakha is according to the Sages.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Keritot
If a person brought an asham talui and then found out that he did not sin: If it was before the animal was slaughtered, it may go out to pasture among the flock, the words of Rabbi Meir. The sages say: it goes out to pasture until it becomes blemished and it is then sold, and the money goes for freewill-offerings. Rabbi Eliezer says: it shall be offered up, for if it does not expiate this sin, it will expiate another sin. If before the animal is slaughtered he finds out that he didn’t sin, Rabbi Meir holds that the animal is not at all holy. It can go out to the flock with the rest of the hullin animals. The other sages say that it is holy and therefore it does not automatically revert to being hullin. However, it also cannot be sacrificed, because now it is not necessary. The solution is to let it go out to pasture until it becomes blemished. At this point the animal may be sold and he must use the money from the sale to buy freewill offerings. Rabbi Eliezer assumes that a person might frequently commit sins which require expiation, and he might not even know that he has done so. Therefore, he can go ahead and sacrifice this asham talui, and it will expiate for other unknown sins. Note that the rest of the mishnah does not go according to Rabbi Eliezer.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot
הדם ישפך – to the arm-pit (i.e., the name of an opening in the Temple door) that is in the Temple [one needs to say: that is in the Temple courtyard].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Keritot
If he learns of it after it was slaughtered, the blood shall be spilled out and the flesh is removed to the place of burning. If he learns that he didn’t sin after the animal was already slaughtered, then the blood must be poured out into the aqueduct that runs through the Temple, and the flesh must be burned. In other words, it is a disqualified sacrifice.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot
לבית השריפה (the place of burning) – and even though that unconsecrated meat that is ritually slaughtered I the Temple courtyard require burial, this is like an disqualified sacrifice that requires burning.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Keritot
If the blood had already been tossed [onto the altar], the flesh may be eaten. Rabbi Yose says: even if the blood is still in the vessel, it should be tossed and the flesh then eaten. Once the blood has been tossed onto the altar, the sacrifice is valid, even if it turns out that he didn’t sin. The flesh can be eaten. Rabbi Yose holds that once the blood is in the vessel, where it is put immediately after the animal is slaughtered, the sacrificial process can continue even if it turns out that the person didn’t sin.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot
נזרק הדם – before he became aware [that he had not sinned].
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Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot
יאכל – the flesh/meat is eaten, as the All-Merciful stated (Leviticus 5:18): “[The priest shall make expiation on his behalf for he error that he committed] unwittingly, and he shall be forgiven,” at the time of pardon/ forgiveness, he doesn’t have awareness/knowledge. But here also, at the time of the sprinkling of the blood, that is at the time of pardon/forgiveness, he did not have knowledge, and hence, he completed all the atonement of his doubt, and he should have a kosher suspensive guilt-offering.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Keritot
אפילו הדם בכוס יזרק – for Rabbi Yossi holds that the service vessels [of the Temple] sanctify the disqualification to be offered, and everything that stands to be sprinkled is considered as if it was sprinkled, and it is as if the blood had already been sprinkled before he had awareness. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yossi.
