Commentaire sur Zevahim 9:7

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.