Compelling the Offerer Until He Says I Am Willing

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 436:5

Another matter: "your offering" — from the place the individual brings, from there the community brings. "Burnt offering" (Leviticus 1:3): why does Scripture say it? One might think all these disqualifications apply only to a freewill burnt offering; from where the obligatory burnt offering? Scripture says "burnt offering" — both the freewill and the obligatory; all these disqualifications apply to it. From where that they apply to a substituted offering? Scripture says "if a burnt offering," to include the substitute. From where to peace offerings? It is a matter of inference and of "his offering," to include the peace offerings. "From the herd" — this is what we said, to exclude the mortally wounded. "A male" — and not a female. When it says "male" again below, that teaches only to exclude one of doubtful sex and a hermaphrodite. For could this not be reasoned? If peace offerings, fit to be brought female as male, are unfit to be brought of doubtful sex or hermaphrodite, then the burnt offering, unfit to be brought female, surely should not be brought of doubtful sex or hermaphrodite. The argument is tested against the sin offering, the firstborn, the tithe — and finally Scripture says "male, and not female," and the repeated "male" comes only to exclude the doubtful and the hermaphrodite. "Unblemished" — just as if it is not unblemished it is not acceptable, so if it is not in this manner it is not acceptable. "He shall offer it unblemished" — Rabbi Yose says, he shall inspect it and offer it. Rabbi Yose said: I have heard that one who brings and slaughters the Sabbath daily offering unexamined is liable for a sin offering and must bring another daily offering. "To the entrance of the Tent of Meeting" — he tends to it and brings it to the entrance. Why does it say "he shall offer, he shall offer"? From where, if a burnt offering became mixed with another burnt offering, with unconsecrated animals, or with its substitute, that he offers them? Scripture says "he shall offer, he shall offer." One might think even mixed with disqualified animals unfit to be offered; Scripture says "he shall offer it" — excluding what is mixed with the disqualified. And the back-and-forth proceeds through mixtures with inner and outer sin offerings, peace offerings and thanksgiving, firstborn, tithe, and Passover, until "he shall offer it" teaches: it alone is offered, not what is mixed with others. "He shall offer it" — this teaches that the court compels him. One might think against his will; Scripture says "of his own will." How then? They compel him until he says, "I am willing." So too you find with bills of divorce: they compel him until he says, "I am willing." Those owing valuation-vows are distrained; those owing sin offerings and guilt offerings are not distrained; those owing burnt offerings and peace offerings are distrained, even though there is no atonement for him until he consents, as it says "of his own will" — they compel him until he says, "I am willing." "And you shall make" is a warning to the court to compel you.

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