Who Is Fit to Slaughter a Sacrifice and at What Hour

It was taught: Rabbi Yose says: The House of Shammai and the House of Hillel did not disagree that the laying-on of hands is required. About what did they disagree? About whether slaughter must follow immediately upon the laying-on of hands. The House of Shammai say it need not, and the House of Hillel say it must. (Leviticus 1:5) Those who are otherwise unfit, if they slaughtered, their slaughter is valid. But all of these, if they slaughtered, it is valid only after the fact; from the outset, it is not permitted. They raised a contradiction: "and he shall slaughter" teaches that slaughter performed by a non-priest is valid, for slaughter is valid when done by non-priests, by women, by slaves, and by the impure, even with the most holy offerings. Or perhaps it is valid only with priests? You said: From where would such a notion even come? From the general rule stated, "You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood in everything pertaining to the altar" (Numbers 18:7). One might think this includes slaughter; Scripture teaches, "and he shall slaughter the bull before the LORD, and the sons of Aaron shall bring near" (Leviticus 1:5), meaning that from the receiving of the blood and onward it is the duty of the priesthood. This teaches that slaughter is valid when done by a non-priest, and the same law applies even from the outset. And because the teaching wished to include the impure, for whom it is not permitted from the outset, there is a decree lest they touch the flesh, so it taught "if they slaughtered." But for the impure, after the fact, it is fine. They raised a contradiction: "and he shall lay his hand and slaughter" teaches that just as the laying-on of hands is done by the clean, so too the slaughter is by the clean. This is by rabbinic decree. Why is the laying-on of hands different, since "before the LORD" is written of it? Of slaughter too is "before the LORD" written. It is possible to make a long knife and slaughter from outside; for the laying-on of hands too, one could insert his hand and lay it on. He holds that partial entry is called entry. Rav Chisda taught the reverse: "and he shall lay his hand and slaughter" teaches that just as slaughter is by the clean, so too the laying-on of hands is by the clean. Whose view is this? It is Shimon the Temanite's, as it was taught: "and he shall slaughter the bull before the LORD" (Leviticus 1:5) means the bull is before the LORD, but the slaughterer need not be before the LORD. Shimon the Temanite says: From where do we learn that the hands of the slaughterer must be inside, closer in than the animal being slaughtered? As it is said, "and he shall slaughter the bull before the LORD," the bull being before the LORD, and he who slaughters the bull is before the LORD. The laying-on of hands and the slaughter are both performed by day, as it is written "and he shall lay his hand and slaughter," and of slaughter it is written, "on the day you sacrifice it" (Leviticus 19:6).