Commentaire sur Édouyot 7:6
הֵעִיד רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְרַבִּי פַּפְּיַס עַל וָלָד שֶׁל שְׁלָמִים, שֶׁיִּקְרַב שְׁלָמִים. שֶׁרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר שֶׁוְּלַד שְׁלָמִים לֹא יִקְרַב שְׁלָמִים. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, יִקְרָב. אָמַר רַבִּי פַּפְּיַס, אֲנִי מֵעִיד שֶׁהָיְתָה לָנוּ פָרָה זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים, וַאֲכַלְנוּהָ בַפֶּסַח וְאָכַלְנוּ וְלָדָהּ שְׁלָמִים בֶּחָג:
R. Yehoshua et R. Papyas ont témoigné au sujet de la progéniture d'un shelamim (offrande de paix) qu'il est sacrifié en tant que shelamim. Car R. Eliezer dit que la progéniture d'un Shelamim n'est pas sacrifiée comme Shelamim, [mais elle est placée dans l'étable (et laissée là) jusqu'à ce qu'elle meure—un décret; car si vous dites que la progéniture d'un Shelamim a un amendement (en étant sacrifié), il viendra retarder le (sacrifice de la) mère jusqu'à ce qu'elle donne naissance, et élèvera des troupeaux de progéniture et viendra tondre (leur laine) et travailler leur]. Et les sages disent (que la progéniture d'un Shelamim) est sacrifiée. R. Papyas a dit: Je témoigne que nous avions une vache pour un shelamim (sacrifice), que nous avons mangé à Pessa'h, et nous avons mangé sa progéniture comme Shelamim lors de la fête [de Shavuoth. Car s'il attendait jusqu'à Succoth, il serait en transgression du commandement positif, à savoir. (Deutéronome 12: 5-6): «… et vous y viendrez… et vous y apporterez», l'implication étant que la première fête que vous y venez (après le vœu), y apportera tous les vœux qui vous engagent. (Cependant, il n'est pas en transgression de [Ibid. 23:22]: "… vous ne tarderez pas à le payer" jusqu'à ce que trois fêtes se soient écoulées.)]
Bartenura on Mishnah Eduyot
English Explanation of Mishnah Eduyot
But the sages say: it can be brought.
Rabbi Papias said: “I testify that we had a cow, which was a peace-offering, and we ate it at Passover, and its offspring we ate as a peace-offering at the [next] festival.
This mishnah discusses the offspring of a peace-offering. A peace-offering (shelamim) was a sacrifice that was usually brought either as a voluntary offering, or on festivals. The breast and the right hand leg would go to the priests and the remainder of the animal could be eaten by those who had brought it. The issue in our mishnah is the status of the offspring of an animal that had already been set aside to become a peace-offering. In other words, after the owner declared that he was going to bring the animal to the Temple as a peace-offering, it gave birth.
According to Rabbi Joshua and Rabbi Papias, the offspring of a peace-offering can be brought as a peace-offering. Rabbi Eliezer ruled that it may not be brought as an peace-offering. The Talmud explains that according to Rabbi Eliezer the animal is put into a pen and let to die through starvation. The reason is that if the halakhah were to allow the owner to bring it as a peace-offering he would have incentive to delay bringing the mother , who has already been declared a peace-offering, to the Temple. The owner might wait until she gives birth, perhaps several times, in order that he would be able to bring more peace-offerings (after all he benefits as well by having more meat to eat). This delay in bringing the animal to the Temple would violate a rule in Deuteronomy 23:22 which states that when you offer a voluntary sacrifice, do not delay in bringing it.
The Sages side in this dispute with the testimony of Rabbi Joshua and Rabbi Papias. At the end of the mishnah Rabbi Papias brings his own personal experience of having eaten a peace-offering at one festival and its offspring at the next.