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המזבח מקדש את הראוי לו – but the Tannaim dispute in their explanation of our Mishnah what it is that is appropriate to it.

Introduction Exodus 29:37 states, “Whatever touches the altar shall become sanctified.” From this verse the rabbis learn that once certain things have been put on the altar they may not be taken back down, even if they were invalidated from being fit sacrifices. In today’s mishnah there is a debate over how far this rule extends: i.e. what things can be taken off the altar once they have been put on, and what things may not.

ר' יהושע אומר כל הראוי לשאים – to be burned on the fire, even though it was invalidated, if it went up to the altar, the altar sanctified it and it became its food, and if it went up, it should not come down. But a thing that is not appropriate for the fire, as, for example, disqualified/unfit blood and disqualified libations, if they went up, they may be taken down.

The altar sanctifies whatever is eligible for it. The altar sanctifies anything that is “eligible” for it, even if that thing became unfit. Thus if an animal that was fit (such as a sheep) became unfit and the animal is put up onto the altar, it cannot subsequently be removed.

היא העולה על מוקדה – something that is for the hearth where the fire is maintained and it went up, it is its status/condition and should not come down, it, implies that it will be in its status/condition.

Rabbi Joshua says: whatever is eligible for the altar fire does not descend once it has ascended, as it is said, “The olah itself shall remain where it is burned upon the altar [all night until morning, while the fire of the altar is kept going on it]” (Leviticus 6:: just as the olah, which is eligible for the altar fire, does not descend once it has ascended, so whatever is eligible for the altar fire does not descend once it ascended. Rabbi Joshua limits this rule to that which is eligible for the altar’s fire, meaning things that are burned. As we shall see below in section four, this does not include blood and libations, which are not burned on the altar and therefore can be taken down once they have been put onto the altar. Rabbi Joshua understands the words “eligible for it” in section one to refer to that which is eligible for the fires of the altar, and not just eligible to be put up onto the altar.

רבן גמליאל אומר כל הראוי למזבח – and even the blood and its libations that were invalidated, if they were brought up, they should not come down. But there is nothing to exclude other than that thing which was not decided ever as to its appropriate portion of the altar, as for example, the handfuls of he meal-offering which the priest takes to be put on the altar (i.e., Leviticus 6:8) that were not sanctified in a utensil after the taking of a fistful of the meal-offering, for even though that the entire meal-offering was sanctified in a utensil, this is not clearly the portion of On-High (i.e., God), for the meal-offering is not entirely offered. And with a fistful of the meal-offering without the offering of the utensil, this is not sifted/selected for the altar, and it is not sanctified even if it was brought up on to the altar.

Rabbi Gamaliel said: whatever is eligible for the altar does not descend once it ascended, as it is said: “The olah itself shall remain where it is burned upon the altar [all night until morning, while the fire of the altar is kept going on it]” (Leviticus 6:2): just as the olah, which is eligible for the altar, does not descend once it ascended, so whatever is eligible for the altar does not descend once it ascended. Rabban Gamaliel expands the rule to include anything that can be put on the altar, including libations and blood. Once one of these has been put on the altar, it cannot be taken back down.

אלא הדם והנסכים – that are appropriate for the altar, but are not appropriate for the altar-fires.

The only difference between Rabban Gamaliel and Rabbi Joshua is in respect of the blood and libations, for Rabban Gamaliel says that they cannot descend, while Rabbi Joshua says that they can descend. As explained above, the difference between Rabbi Joshua and Rabban Gamaliel is with regard to blood and libations which are not burned. All other matter that is eligible for the altar is burned and therefore all agree that it is not taken down.

ר"ש אומר הזבח כשר והנסכים פסולים – Rabbi Shimon holds like Rabbi Yehoshua regarding the libations of the sacrifice, and that the blood and the libations that come on their own like Rabban Gamaliel, and it is not derived from the hearth where the fire is maintained (Leviticus 6:2 – על מוקדה) but rather from a Biblical verse (Exodus 29:37): “whatever touches the altar shall become consecrated.” And it is written after It (Exodus 29:38,42): “Now this is what you shall offer upon the altar: two yearling lambs each day, regularly...a regular burnt offering throughout the generations,” the altar does not sanctify anything other than what is similar to a burnt-offering, just as a burnt-offering that comes on account of itself, so everything that comes on account of itself, excluding libations that come on account of the animal offering. Therefore, whether the animal offering is kosher and the libations are invalid, as for example, that left or were defiled, or whether the animal offering was invalid and the libations were kosher/fit, for since they come on its account, they are invalidated with tit and the law of being sanctified is nullified from them.

Rabbi Shimon says: if the sacrifice is fit while the libations [which accompanied it] are unfit; or if the libations are fit while the sacrifice is unfit; or even if both are unfit, the sacrifice does not descend, while the libations do descend. Rabbi Shimon distinguishes between libations that accompany a sacrifice (see 4:3) and libations that are put on the altar without a sacrifice. If the libations accompany a sacrifice, then in all cases, regardless of whether the sacrifice is valid and the libations are invalid, vice versa or even both are invalid, the sacrifice stays on the altar and the libations can be taken down. This is like Rabbi Joshua. In contrast, in a case where the libations are put alone on the altar, they remain there even if they become unfit.

ואפילו זה וזה פסולים הזבח לא ירד – from its sanctity.

והנכסים ירדו – since they don’t come on account of themselves, they are not similar to the burnt-offering for the altar does not sanctify them. But the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yehoshua.

הלן – whether blood or the portions of the sacrifice offered on the altar that stayed overnight outside of the altar.

Introduction In yesterday’s mishnah we learned that when a sacrifice is placed on the altar, it is not taken off, even if it turned out to be unfit. Today’s mishnah discusses what types of disqualifications require that the sacrifice be left on the altar.

ר' יהודה אומר שנשחטה בלילה וכו' אם עלתה תרד – as it is written (Leviticus 6:2): “This is the ritual of the burnt offering: The burnt offering itself [shall remain where it is burned upon the altar all night until morning],” there are here three exclusions: it (i.e., the verse) excluded something slaughtered at night, and that its blood was poured, and that its blood left outside of the curtains, that if it went up, it should be brought down.

The following do not descend once they have ascended: [Sacrificial flesh] that was kept overnight, Or that which becomes unclean Or that that which goes out [of its permitted boundaries], Or which was slaughtered [with the intention of consuming it] after the appropriate time or outside the appropriate place; Or if unfit [persons] received and sprinkled its blood. If one of the following disqualifications occurs to a sacrifice and then it is put on the altar, the flesh is not removed from the altar. A) This refers to parts of the sacrifice that are burned on the altar that were outside the Temple overnight. This disqualifies them from being sacrificed. B) Sacrificial flesh is subject to uncleanness. C) Sacrificial flesh cannot be taken out of the Temple courtyard. D) The person offering it had a disqualifying intention (see 2:2). E) Unfit persons can receive and sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice (2:1).

ר' שמעון אומר לא תרד – for he expounds (Leviticus 6:2): “This is the ritual of the burnt offering” - one Torah for all of those that go up, that if they went up, they should not go down [for its invalidity took place in the sanctuary]. But the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yehuda.

Rabbi Judah says: that which was slaughtered at night or whose blood was spilt or whose blood went outside the curtains, if it ascended, it must descend. Rabbi Judah lists a few other cases in which, in his opinion, the sacrifice is taken off of the altar even if it was already put up there. There are three such cases: 1) It was slaughtered at night sacrifices must be slaughtered during the day. 2) If the blood spilled and therefore they could not sprinkle it on the altar, as is done with all sacrifices. 3) If the blood was taken out of the curtains, which is another way of saying that the blood was taken out of the Temple courtyard.

Rabbi Shimon says: it does not descend, because Rabbi Shimon says: anything whose disqualification arose in sanctity, the sacred [altar] receives it; if its disqualification did not arise in sanctity, the sacred [altar] does not receive it. Rabbi Shimon disagrees with Rabbi Judah concerning the last category the blood taken out of the courtyard. He holds that only if the disqualification occured “in sanctity” meaning within the Temple courtyard does the sacrifice not descend from the altar. If the disqualification occurred outside of the sacred Temple courtyard, then the sacred altar does not receive it, and it must be taken down. Tomorrow’s mishnah will explain what disqualifications occur outside the Temple’s courtyard.

מכשיר בבעלי מומין – that if they went up, they should not come down, and especially withered spots in the eye and things similar to them Rabbi Akiva declared valid, for since they are valid/fit ab initio in birds. But not lacking a limb that invalidates birds.

Introduction This mishnah is a continuation of Rabbi Shimon’s rule at the end of yesterday’s mishnah, that if a disqualification occurred outside the Temple courtyard, then if the sacrifice is put up on the altar, it should be taken off. The sacrifices that stay on the altar despite their disqualification are ones which became disqualified only some time after they came into the Temple.

דוחה היה אבא את בעלי מומין – if they went up, he would reject them, as if doing a thing with the back of the hand (i.e., in a manner different from the usual way of doing it), but he would not bring them down in public in a disgraceful manner. And in this, he disagrees with the first Tanna/teacher [of our Mishnah) who stated that they should come down. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Hanina ben Antiginos [the adjutant High Priest].

Which are the ones whose disqualification did not arise in sanctity: An animal which had sexual relations with a woman or with a man, or that was the fee of a whore, or [a dog's] exchange; or that was kilayim; or terefah; or an animal born through the caesarean section, and blemished animals. All of these animals were disqualified even before they entered the Temple courtyard. Hence, if they are put up on the altar, they must be taken down. The list is explained in 8:1.

Rabbi Akiva declared blemished animals fit [to remain on the altar if they had already been put up]. Rabbi Hananya, chief of the priests, said: my father used to push blemished animals off the altar. Rabbi Akiva allows blemished animals to remain on the altar, even though they may have been blemished before they entered the courtyard. Rabbi Hananya, who himself seems to have served in the Temple, says that his father would push blemished animals off the altar. Interestingly, this is another case where the Mishnah does not seem to provide any more authority in Temple matters to priests than it does to non-priests. Rabbi Akiva does not seem to have changed his opinion, despite Rabbi Hananya’s testimony.

כשם שאם עלו לא ירדו – all of these are invalid as it is taught in the Mishnah regarding them that they should not go down.

Just as they do not descend once they have ascended, so they do not ascend if they have descended. Once one of the disqualified sacrifices listed in mishnah two is taken off the altar, it cannot be put back on.

And all of these, if they ascended alive to the top of the altar, they must descend. In contrast, if a live animal is put on the altar it may be taken off. The altar only sanctifies sacrifices that have already been slaughtered.

וכולם שעלו חיים בראש המזבח (see Mishnah 2 of this chapter) – Rabbi Akiva stated this that he declares valid in the case of animals that are blemished. And he agrees that if they went up while living on the top of the altar, they should come down, for the altar does not sanctify animals with a blemish while living.

An olah which ascended live to the top of the altar, it must descend. If an olah is put alive on the altar, it still should be taken off. It should not be slaughtered there, even though all of it will eventually be burned on the altar.

עולה שעלתה חיה לראש המזבח תרד – we are speaking of a kosher burnt-offering, and it is the words of all. But the Mishnah did not take this usage other than because of the concluding clause [of the Mishnah], to teach you that the top of the altar ןדan appropriate place for flaying it and dissecting/dividing it where he transgressed and slaughtered it at the top of the altar.

If one slaughtered it on the top of the altar, he must skin it and dismember it where it lies. If, however, one did slaughter the olah on top of the altar, it has now become sanctified and cannot be taken down. It should be skinned and dismembered there on the altar. Then the skin can be removed for burning elsewhere and the pieces can be burned right there on the altar.

ואלו אם עלו ירדו – and even if they are kosher and ritually pure. Because the altar is not connected with them at all.

The following if they ascended are taken down:
The flesh of most sacred sacrifices
The flesh of lesser sacrifices;
The remnants of the omer;
The two loaves;
The showbread;
The remnants of meal-offerings;
And the incense.
The wool on the heads of lambs, the hair of he-goats’ beards, the bones, tendons, horns and hoofs if they are attached, go up, because it is said, “And the priest shall turn it all into smoke on the altar” (Leviticus 1:9).
If they were severed [from the animal], they do not go up, for it is said, “And You shall offer your olah, the flesh and the blood, [upon the altar of the Lord your God]” (Deuteronomy 12:27).
Our mishnah lists things that are not meant to be on the altar at all, meaning not in any state. Unlike the things listed in mishnah two, which were once valid and then became invalid, these things were never supposed to be put on the altar. Therefore, even if they were put on the altar, the altar doesn’t sanctify them and they may be taken down.
Sections one and two: The flesh of sacrifices, both most holy sacrifices and lesser sacrifices, is meant to be eaten and not burned on the altar.
Section three: The volume of the omer, offered on the sixteenth of the month of Nissan, was a tenth of an ephah. A handful was burned on the altar and the rest was eaten by the priests. If the remnants were put on the altar, they may be taken down.
Section four: The two loaves that are brought on Shavuot are not meant to be put on the altar.
Section five: The showbread (Leviticus 24:5-19) sat on the golden table in the Sanctuary from week to week. It was eaten not sacrificed.
Section six: Part of the meal offering was put on the altar, but the remnant was eaten by the priests.
Section seven: The incense was put on the inner altar, the one in the Sanctuary. If it was mistakenly put on the outer altar, it can be taken down.
Sections eight and nine: This section seems to be based on a contradiction between the two quoted verses. The verse from Leviticus seems to say that the entire olah is burned on the altar, whereas the verse from Deuteronomy says that only the flesh and blood are burned. The first verse implies that non-flesh and blood parts of the animal, the hair, the bones, sinews etc. are burned, whereas the second implies that they are not. The mishnah resolves this contradiction by stating that when the non-flesh and blood parts are detached from the flesh and blood, then they are not burned on the altar and if they are put up there, they should be taken down. If they are put up there while still attached to the animal, then they have been sanctified and cannot be taken down.

בשר קדשי קדשים – that for eating they exist and not for the altar.

והקטורת – it is not appropriate for the outer altar.

הצמר שבראשי כבשים – we have the reading. But the first clause of the gate is the last, for these bones and sinews that are taught [in this Mishnah], and it is one law for them. The wool that is at the top of sheep, is of a burnt-offering. That the head is not included in the flaying and is offered [in sacrifice] with its hide, and this is what we state regarding the ritual slaughtering of unconsecrated animals [Tractate Hullin 27b], from where do we learn to include the head which was already cut off in the slaughter, that it is not included the flaying, it exists within the burning on the altar, the inference teaches us (Leviticus 1:8): “[and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay out the sections,] with the head [and the suet, on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar].” And there is wool at the height of the head of the sheep near its neck, and similar the hair that is in the beard of the he-goat/wether at the time that they are attached, all of them are burnt-offerings.

וכולם – whether invalid that came up as it is taught in the Mishnah (see Mishnah 4 of this chapter) that they don’t go down, whether bones or sinews that were brought up attached and the fire consumed them.

And if any of these sprang off from the altar they are not replaced. If any item that is not supposed to be taken down from the altar, whether it was one of the list of disqualified sacrifices found in mishnah two, or the hair, bones, sinews etc. referred to in yesterday’s mishnah, is flung off the altar by the power of the fires of the altar, it is not put back on. In other words, if a person used his own power to take them off, then they must be put back on. But if they come off the altar due to some other power, they need not be put back on.

ופקעו מעל המזבח – to the ground. ISKALTIR in the foreign tongue.

Similarly, if a coal sprang off from the altar, it is not replaced. The same is true for a coal found on the altar if it comes off on its own, it need not be put back.

לא יחזיר – there is no need to return [them].

Limbs that sprang off from the altar: if before midnight, must be replaced, and they involve trespass; after midnight, they are not replaced and do not involve trespass. Up until midnight, the mitzvah to burn the limbs of the sacrifice has not been fulfilled (see Berachot 1:1). Up until this point, the limbs “belong” to the altar, if you will. Therefore, if they come off on their own, they must be put back. Up until this point, one who unintentionally derives benefit from them has trespassed Temple property. After midnight, their mitzvah has been completed and therefore one who derives benefit from them has not trespassed (although he should not do so). If one of the limbs does fall off the altar after midnight, it need not be replaced.

וכן גחלת שפקעה – there is no need to return [it].

אברים שפקעו כו' – if they have substance, that their flesh is recognized, even after midnight also he should return [them], for they don’t have half-burned pieces/things attacked by fire that bounded off the altar. And if they don’t have substance, that were all burned and became burning coal, even before they became hard on account of the fire that had power over all of them and hey were burned and did not become charcoal but rather like dry wood from inside them.

קודם לחצות ולאחר חצות – We derive it from Scripture as it is written (Leviticus 6:2): “[The burnt offering itself shall remain where it is burned upon the altar] all night until morning, [while the fire on the altar is kept going on it],” from implying that since it states, “all night/כל הלילה“I don’ know that it is until the morning, but rather, grant morning to the very break of the night, that it is not needed to be any longer on the hearth where the fire is maintained , and which addition morning is on the break of night that doesn’t need to be any longer on the hearth where the fire is maintained? This is midnight, for the break of the night is the crack of dawn (i.e., “dawn’s early light”).

ומועלין בהן – for they are yet part of the altar.

ואין מועלין בהן – because they were half-burned pieces/things attacked by fire that bounded off the altar, they are a thing that it’s command was performed and we don’t commit with it religious sacrilege.

הכבש מקדש – as it is written (Exodus 40:10): “Then anoint the altar [of burnt offering and all its utensils to consecrate the altar, so that the altar shall be most holy].”[The word] "את" – [from the phrase: "ומשחת את המזבח"] [comes] to include the ramp.

Just as the altar sanctifies whatever is eligible for it, so does the ascent sanctify whatever is eligible for it;
And just as the altar and the ascent sanctify whatever is eligible for them, so do vessels sanctify.
Vessels for liquids sanctify liquids,
And the measures sanctify dry material.
A liquid vessel does not sanctify dry matter, nor does a dry [measure] sanctify a liquid.
If holy vessels were perforated and they can be used for the same purpose as when whole, they sanctify [what is placed in them]; if not, they do not sanctify.
And all these sanctify only in the holy place.
The final mishnah of our chapter teaches that the altar is not the only item that sanctifies that which is fit for it other items in the Temple do so as well.
Section one: The ascent is the ramp that leads up to the altar. If something that is fit for the altar is brought onto the ascent, it is sanctified and cannot be taken down. The same rules that apply to things that ascend onto the altar will apply to the ascent.
Section two: The ministering vessels, listed in Exodus 30:28-29, also sanctify things that are put in them, as long as they are fit.
Sections three-five: There are vessels meant to hold liquids, such as wine libations, and there are vessels meant to hold dry measures, such as the minhah (grain) offerings. Each type of vessel only sanctifies the type of material it is meant to hold.
Section six: If there is a hole in one of the vessels but it can still be used for its original purpose, then it still sanctifies that which is put in it. But if it can no longer be used, then it has lost its status as a holy vessel and it does not sanctify that which is put in it.
Section seven: The sanctifying effect of the vessels is dependent upon their being in the Temple courtyard. If the vessel is taken out of the courtyard, it will no longer sanctify.

הכלים מקדשים – that regarding the utensils it is also written (Exodus 30:29): “whatever touches them shall be consecrated.”

כלי הלח – dishes and the bowls for the blood and wine and the oil [out of which the sprinkling is done].

מדות היבש – two measurements of dry were there – the Issaron (one-tenth of an Ephah) and the half-Issaron (also known as “Omer”).

שהיו עושין והן שלימים – that they would do as when they were whole. But however, all of the sacred vessels that were perforated or broken, we don’t repair their broken parts but we make them anew. And similarly, a knife that became defective, we don’t sharpen it to remove the defect. And the clothing of the priesthood that became dirty we don’t wash them, but make new ones and place those for the needs of the wicks of the candelabrum/Menorah and the Rejoicing of the Water Drawing [during Sukkot]. Why all so much? Because there is no poverty in a place of wealth. But an altar that was defective is invalid. And any notch that invalidates a knife of ritual slaughtering invalidates the altar. And all the time that the altar is defective, all of the Holy Things that are ritually slaughtered in the Temple courtyard are all invalidated, as it is written (Exodus 20:21): “[Make for Me an altar of earth] and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being,” and it is impossible to state this Scriptural verse as it implies, for the ritual slaughter of Holy Things [takes place] in the Temple courtyard and not on the altar, other than upon it, that is to say, whenever it is complete/whole, you sacrifice but you do not sacrifice when it is defective. And all of the Holy Things that are found in the Temple courtyard at the time that the altar is defective, even though they were ritually slaughtered in a fit manner, all of them are invalid. And even the residue of the meal-offerings are not consumed, as it is written (Leviticus 10:12): “[Moses spoke to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: take the grain that is left over from the LORD’s gifts] and eat it unleavened beside the altar,” on the basis of a tradition we learned that at the time that the altar is whole/complete and not at the time when it is defective.