We now begin the third chapter of Maseches Chullin, Mishnah 1. In the coming mishnayos we will examine the law when the status of the anointed Kohen Gadol or of the king at the time he brings his offering is not the status he held at the time of the sin, and which offering he must bring.
"Kohen mashiach shechata v'achar kach avar mimshichuso" - an anointed kohen who sinned and afterward left his anointed office:
The case is an anointed Kohen Gadol who issued a mistaken ruling for himself in a matter carrying kareis and acted upon his own ruling, and now he wishes to bring his offering of atonement - the special bull of the anointed kohen. But by the time the offering is actually to be brought, he no longer serves as the anointed kohen, and another Kohen Gadol serves in his place.
His removal from the office can come about for several reasons:
A permanent blemish - which disqualifies him from serving forever.
A temporary blemish - which prevents him from functioning for the time being.
Tumah - which likewise prevents him from serving temporarily.
Old age - on account of which he is no longer able to serve as Kohen Gadol.
"V'chein nasi shechata v'achar kach avar migedulaso" - and likewise a nasi who sinned and afterward left his position of greatness:
The same law applies to a man who was king and transgressed while he was king. Bear in mind that the special offering of the nasi is a male goat rather than a female. Now, before he managed to bring his special sin offering, he ceased to be king.
Two situations bring this about:
A rebellion of the majority of the people - for once a king has no control over his people, he is no longer a king.
Tzaraas - which likewise removes the kingship from him.
"Kohen mashiach meivi par, v'nasi meivi sa'ir" - the anointed kohen brings a bull, and the nasi brings a goat:
The Mishnah establishes that the offering one is obligated to bring is determined by the moment at which the obligation came into being. Therefore, if the Kohen Gadol committed the transgression while he was Kohen Gadol, he brings the usual bull of an anointed kohen; and if the king committed the transgression while he was still king, he brings the male goat - even though he is now neither king nor anointed kohen.
One point deserves mention, since the wording of the Mishnah could mislead: a king who has ceased to reign is no longer a king at all, and the status of kingship has been taken from him entirely; whereas a Kohen Gadol who was appointed retains his sanctity forever, as will become clear from the coming mishnayos. It emerges that although the Mishnah presents the two of them as one and the same level, they are not on the same level at all.
In the coming mishnayos these differences will be spelled out in greater detail.