פירוש על זבחים 8:7

נתערב בדם הפסולים – as for example in blood that was ritually slaughtered outside of its proper time.

Introduction This mishnah continues to deal with blood from a valid sacrificial animal that is mixed up with other blood.

ישפך לאמה – to the river-arm/sewer that passes in the Temple courtyard and goes down to the Kidron ravine/river-bed. And we don’t state that we view it as if it is water, but if the kosher blood is recognized in them, he would sprinkle it, for we make the decree that perhaps he would come to make fit blood that is disqualified in their eyes. And similarly, the last blood that is oozing out of a vein. For from the Torah, the last blood that is oozing out of a vein is not appropriate for atonement. As it is written (Leviticus 17:11): “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have assigned it to you for making expiation for your lives upon the altar.” The life blood that leaves through it atones, but when the soul doesn’t leave, it does not atone. And we make the decree on the life blood that was mixed with the last blood that is oozing out of a vein, for perhaps it comes to be made to be fit through the sprinkling of the last blood that is oozing out of a vein in his eyes.

If it was mixed with the blood of unfit [animals], it must be poured out into the duct. In this case the blood of the fit animal is mixed up with blood from an animal that either cannot be sacrificed or was sacrificed and became unfit at some point during the sacrificial procedure. It is forbidden to sprinkle blood from such an animal on the altar. Therefore, all of this blood must be poured into the aqueduct that flows through the Temple courtyard. This aqueduct was used to clean out the Temple, so putting blood there is akin to throwing it in the garbage.

רבי אליעזר מכשיר – ab initio with the last blood that is oozing out of a vein that was mixed with the blood of the soul. For he holds that the last blood that is oozing out of a vein of an animal is found to be greater than the life blood, therefore, why do we make a decree, it is to for him like when the blood of an unconsecrated animal is mixed with the blood of Holy Things, that we don’t decree anything regarding it. For when it is mixed with disqualified blood, which is a matter that is frequent, Rabbi Eliezer does not dispute. But the first Tanna/teacher holds that sometimes when the last blood that is oozing out of a vein is greater than the life blood. Therefore, he decreed where it was not greater, on account of the where it is greater. But however, where the Kohen took counsel with the Jewish court if he should give this mixture or if not, and he gave of his own accord, the first Tanna/teacher admits that it is kosher/appropriate, for it is mere decree and de facto it is kosher. But if he came to change his mind, we tell him that to pour it into the sewer because of the decree. And the Halakha is according to the Sages.

[If it was mixed] with the blood that came out after death, it must be poured out into the duct. Rabbi Eliezer declares it fit. The blood that is sprinkled on the altar is the blood that spurts out of the animal as the animal is dying. This is the “life-blood” for it is the blood that carries the animal’s life force. Blood that seeps out after the animal has already died is not sprinkled on the altar. So according to the first opinion, if the life-blood that was supposed to be used is mixed in with this post-mortem blood, it all must be poured into the duct. Rabbi Eliezer allows this blood to be used, at least in this case when it was accidentally mixed in with the valid life-blood.

If he [the priest] did not ask but sprinkled it, it is valid. If the priest didn’t ask what to do in any of these cases, and just went ahead and sprinkled a mixture of valid and invalid on the altar, then his sprinkling is valid. According to the Tosefta, it is valid only if the invalid blood is not of sufficient quantity such that if it were water it would cause the mixture to lose the appearance of blood (see yesterday’s mishnah).