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Zevachim Chapter 3, Mishnah 5: Female Korbanos and Their Contents

Chavrusa Learning
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3:5. This Mishnah continues in the same line of thought as the previous Mishnah, except that here the focus is on female sacrifices - which have additional parts, because a female may give birth.

Defining the term "mukdashim":

The Mishnah opens with the word "hamukdashim". Literally, this means consecrated items, but it is a halachic term used to denote female sacrifices. A female cow, goat, or sheep can carry a fetus in its womb.

An intention to eat the fetus and the placenta:

  • "Shelil" - the developing fetus that has not yet been born, located in the mother's womb.

  • "Shilya" - the amniotic sac, a sort of tissue envelope in which the developing fetus functions.

One who slaughters a cow, goat, or sheep, and at the time of slaughter had the intention to eat the fetus or the placenta outside - "lo piggel" - he has not made it piggul. As in the previous Mishnah, these are not things that are normally eaten, and due to their repulsive nature, they are not considered meat for which an improper intention would invalidate the sacrifice or make it piggul.

It is worth noting: The Mishnah mentioned an intention to eat it "outside," which seemingly presents an inconsistency, since an intention to eat outside its proper place does not create piggul in any case. Rather, the Mishnah's intent includes both scenarios: if he intended to eat it outside its proper place - the sacrifice is not invalidated; and if he intended to eat it outside its proper time - it does not become piggul.

Melikah of turtledoves and an intention regarding their eggs:

The Mishnah uses the term melikah rather than shechitah, and rightly so: shechitah is done with a knife at the front of the neck, whereas for bird sacrifices, the procedure is done through melikah - with the thumbnail at the back of the neck. Torim are wild turtledoves.

A person who performed melikah on a turtledove inside, in the Courtyard, according to halachah - and this refers to a bird chatas - and had the intention regarding the egg found inside the bird that he would eat it outside the Courtyard, the sacrifice is not invalidated; and if he intended to eat it outside its proper time, "lo piggel" - he has not made it piggul. This is because the eggs are not considered a part of the bird itself.

"Chalav hamukdashim ubeitzei torim, ein chayavin aleihen mishum piggul, nosar, vetamei" - the milk of consecrated animals and the eggs of turtledoves, one is not liable for them due to piggul, nosar, or tumah:

The milk in the udders of the cow, goat, or sheep that was slaughtered, as well as the eggs inside the turtledove that underwent a valid melikah, are not considered part of the animal's body, but rather something external to it. Even though they are located inside it, they are not of its flesh but a different entity. Therefore, even in a sacrifice that became piggul, nosar, or tamei, one who eats from the eggs or the milk inside it - does not incur the punishment of kares.

Observation: Why were the fetus and the placenta not mentioned in the seifa?

In the second part of the Mishnah, there is no mention of the fetus and the placenta - the unborn fetus and the amniotic sac surrounding it inside the mother. Even though they are not normally eaten, and in this respect they are similar to the cases of the previous Mishnah regarding an intention for the sinews, the spinal cord, the horns, and the like, they are nevertheless meat. Therefore, if one eats from an offering that became piggul, nosar, or tamei, and the part he ate was the fetus or the placenta - he is liable for kares.

In summary: In this Mishnah we learned that an intention to eat the fetus, the placenta, or the eggs inside a bird does not invalidate the offering or render it piggul, because these are not things that are normally eaten, and the eggs are not considered part of the bird. We also learned that the milk in the udders and the eggs inside the turtledove are external to the animal, and therefore one is not liable for eating them under the prohibitions of piggul, nosar, and tamei. In contrast, the fetus and the placenta, even though they are not normally eaten, are meat, and one who eats them from an offering that is piggul, nosar, or tamei - is liable for kares.