Why the Sliding Offering Belongs Only to Defilement of the Sanctuary

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 471:8

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

From where do we know that Scripture speaks only of the impurity of the Sanctuary and its holy things? It is a matter of reasoning: since the Torah warned and punished concerning impurity, and obligated an offering concerning impurity - just as when it warned and punished concerning impurity it warned only concerning impurity of the Sanctuary and its holy things, so too when it obligated an offering concerning impurity it obligated only concerning impurity of the Sanctuary and its holy things. But say it refers to terumah, concerning which it also warned and punished! We do not find a sin punishable by death for which an offering is imposed. Then say these words apply to a fixed offering, but let a sliding-scale offering come, as in the case of "hearing a voice" and "uttering with the lips." Scripture says "by it," to exclude terumah. But say "by it" excludes the Sanctuary, for which a sliding-scale offering does not suffice until one brings a fixed offering! Rava recited concerning Rabbi [Judah the Prince]: "He draws water from deep wells," for it was taught: Rabbi says, I might read this of a wild animal; why is a domestic animal mentioned? It says here "unclean beast" and it says elsewhere "unclean beast" - just as there it refers to impurity of holy things, so too here it refers to impurity of holy things. We have found impurity of holy things; from where do we learn impurity of the Sanctuary? The scholars of Nehardea said in the name of Rava: the threefold mention of "by it" is a limitation after a limitation, and a limitation after a limitation serves only to include.

Themes

PurityTempleOral Torah

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