Sifra Emor Chapter 9

¹1) (Vayikra 22:29) ("And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the L–rd, with your acceptance shall you sacrifice it. (Vayikra 22:30) On that day it shall be eaten.") Let this ("On that day, etc.") not be stated (i.e., it is already written in 7:15). If it is not to be understood as referring to eating per se, understand it as referring to slaughtering, i.e., the very beginning of the slaughtering should be with the intention of eating it on the day. ²2) This tells me only of a thanksgiving offering. Whence do I derive the same for all offerings? From "And when you sacrifice a sacrifice," to include (all) sacrifices that are to be eaten in one day. ³3) (Vayikra 22:31) ("And you shall heed My mitzvoth and you shall do them; I am the L–rd.") "And you shall heed them" — this refers to Mishnah (i.e., learning); "and you shall do them" — this refers to performance (of the mitzvoth). And all who are not in learning are not in doing. "And you shall heed My mitzvoth and you shall do them": This subsumes heeding and doing in "mitzvoth" (i.e., the learning, aside from its leading to doing is a mitzvah in itself). "I am the L–rd" — trusted to reward (for both the learning and doing). ⁴4) (Vayikra 22:32) ("And you shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel; I am the L–rd who sanctified you.") From "And you shall not profane" I understand that he should sanctify it. (Why, then, is "that I may be sanctified" needed?) (It means:) Commit yourself (in your thoughts) to the sanctification of My name. I might think (that if he does not give his life for sanctification of the Name even) in private (he incurs the death penalty); it is, therefore, written "in the midst of the children of Israel" — in public (i.e., in the midst of ten Jews). ⁵5) From here they ruled: One who commits himself (to be killed for sanctification of the Name on condition that a miracle be performed for him — a miracle is not performed for him. If not on condition that a miracle be performed for him — a miracle is performed for him. For thus do we find with Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who said to Nevuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:16-18) "We have no need to answer you in this matter. For if so it must be, our G d whom we serve is able to save us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will save us from your power, O king. But even if He does not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the statue of gold that you have set up." And when Toraynus caught Lulianus and his brother, Pappus in Laodicea, he said to them: "If you be the people of Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, let your G d come and save you from my hand, just as He saved Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar!" They answered: "Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were perfectly righteous, and were worthy of having a miracle performed for them; and Nebuchadnezzar was a bona fide king, who deserved having a miracle wrought through him. But you are a wicked king and are not fit to have a miracle wrought through you. And we have incurred the penalty of death, and if you do not kill us, the L–rd has many emissaries. There are many fiery serpents, many scorpions that can kill us. But in the end, the Holy One Blessed be He will exact payment from you for our blood!" It was said: He did not budge from there until officers came from Rome and split his skull with axes. ⁶6) (Vayikra 22:33) ("Who took you out of the land of Egypt to be your G d; I am the L–rd.") "Who took you out of the land of Egypt": On condition did I take you out of the land of Egypt — that you dedicate yourselves to the sanctification of My name. "to be your G d": (even) against your will. "I am the L–rd" — trusted to reward.