Before us is the second Mishnah in the tenth chapter of Tractate Zevachim, which explains another central principle determining the order of precedence in the sacrificial service. When we have before us two offerings to sacrifice, or two bloods to sprinkle, and the like - the more sacred offering takes precedence over the other. "More sacred" is not limited to simple sanctity alone, but includes any additional stringency, application, or significance that indicates its greater importance. The Mishnah now lists a series of examples of this principle.
"Dam hachatat kodem ledam ha'olah" - The blood of the sin-offering precedes the blood of the burnt-offering:
One who is about to sprinkle two bloods, one of a sin-offering and one of a burnt-offering - the blood of the sin-offering takes precedence, because it effects atonement, and atones for severe sins. Even though the burnt-offering also comes for a lighter sin, such as neglecting a positive commandment, the sin-offering atones for the most severe of sins committed unintentionally, which otherwise would carry the punishment of karet. Therefore, the blood of the sin-offering takes precedence.
"Eivarei ha'olah kodmin le'eimurei hachatat" - The limbs of the burnt-offering precede the eimurim of the sin-offering:
On the other hand, when one is about to burn two things on the fire - the limbs of a burnt-offering and the eimurim of the sin-offering (the parts offered on the altar) - the limbs of the burnt-offering take precedence. The reason: the burnt-offering is entirely burned on the altar, whereas only a certain part of the sin-offering is burned. In terms of what is burned on the altar, the burnt-offering is more important and more sacred.
"Hachatat kodemet la'asham" - The sin-offering precedes the guilt-offering:
Aside from the burnt-offering and the sin-offering, there is another type of offering - the guilt-offering. The sin-offering takes precedence over the guilt-offering for two reasons:
The blood of the sin-offering is not applied in two placements that are four, but rather in four separate placements of blood, and four is greater than two.
Its blood is applied to the base. The verse teaches that the remaining blood, which is not applied to the altar, is poured on the base of the altar, at the southwestern corner, into the hole in the southern corner - and this verse was stated specifically regarding the sin-offering. Since the verse is appropriate to discuss specifically in the context of the sin-offering, it is proven that the sin-offering is more central and important.
It is worth clarifying: even if there was blood remaining in the cup after the two sprinklings of the guilt-offering, it would be poured on the base in the same place. However, with the sin-offering, there is always remaining blood, since only the amount of four finger-dips is applied from it and the rest remains in the cup; whereas with the guilt-offering, after the second sprinkling, most or all of the blood would likely have been poured out onto that southwestern corner.
"Ha'asham kodem latodah ule'eil nazir" - The guilt-offering precedes the thanksgiving-offering and the ram of the nazirite:
The guilt-offering receives priority over these two offerings - the thanksgiving-offering and the ram of the nazirite, which is a type of peace-offering brought for the nazirite. The similarity between them is that the blood of them all is sprinkled in two placements that are four, but the guilt-offering takes precedence because it is most holy. As we have learned, this status entails various restrictions: it is eaten by kohanim alone and in the Temple courtyard, and it is slaughtered specifically in the north of the courtyard, and so on. These restrictions do not apply to the thanksgiving-offering and the ram of the nazirite, and therefore these offerings are less restricted, their sanctity is lesser, and they come after it.
"Hatodah ve'eil hanazir kodmin leshlamim" - The thanksgiving-offering and the ram of the nazirite precede the peace-offering:
The reason, in the words of the Mishnah: "Mepnei shehen ne'echalin leyom echad ute'unin lechem" - because they are eaten for one day and require bread. Even though these are very similar offerings, two stringencies apply to the Todah and the Nazirite's ram that do not apply to the Shelamim:
Time of eating: The Shelamim are eaten for two days, whereas the Todah and the Nazirite's ram are eaten within a more restricted timeframe - only that day and the following night.
Requiring bread: Both of them carry an obligation to bring loaves of bread with them - four types of bread for the Todah and two types for the Nazirite's ram - which is not the case for the Shelamim.
We find that these two offerings are more significant and important, and therefore they precede the Shelamim.
The Shelamim precede the Bechor:
The Bechor is the first male born to a cow, goat, or sheep. The Shelamim precede it for several reasons, in the words of the Mishnah: "Mepnei shete'unin mattan arba vesemichah unesachim uthenufat chazeh veshok" - because they require four placements of blood, leaning, libations, and the waving of the breast and thigh:
Mattan arba: The blood of the Shelamim is placed on four walls, whereas the Bechor requires only one wall.
Semichah: The placing of the hands and pressing on the head of the animal, which is a requirement of the Shelamim and does not apply to the Bechor.
Nesachim: A meal offering and wine that come with every Shelamim, and do not come with a Bechor.
Tenufat chazeh veshok: For the Shelamim, there is an obligation to give the kohen the breast (the chest) and the thigh (the right hind leg), and beforehand they are waved as part of the process - something that does not exist at all for the Bechor.
Here too the principle is the same: because the Shelamim have more stringencies, they are considered more sacred than the Bechor.
In summary: In this Mishnah, we learn the order of precedence among the offerings according to the rule that whatever is more sacred precedes the other, where the level of sanctity is measured by the multitude of stringencies and requirements: the blood of the Chatat precedes the blood of the Olah because it brings atonement; the limbs of the Olah precede the sacrificial portions of the Chatat because it is entirely burned; the Chatat precedes the Asham because of the four placements of blood and because the remainder is placed on the base; the Asham precedes the Todah and the Nazirite's ram because it is Most Holy; the Todah and the Nazirite's ram precede the Shelamim because of their restricted time of eating and the obligation of bread; and the Shelamim precede the Bechor because of four placements of blood, leaning, libations, and the waving of the breast and thigh.