1) (Vayikra 3:2): ["vesamach" ("and he shall place") is written four times: once in respect to olah, thrice in respect to shelamim] "And he shall place his hand" — not the hand of his bondsman; "his hand" — not the hand of his messenger; "his hand" — not the hand of his wife. "his hand on the head" — not on the back; "his hand on the head" — not on the throat; "his hand on the head" — not on the back of the head. I would exclude all of these, but not the breast; and it would follow by kal vachomer, viz.: Now if the head, which does not require tenufah, requires semichah — the breast, which requires tenufah, should it not require semichah! It is, therefore, written "on the head" — and not on the breast. 2) "korbano" ("his offering") is written three times, to include (in the requirement of semichah) all the partners to an offering (one after the other). (For without the inclusion provision) would it not follow (that they would not all perform semichah?), viz.: If tenufah, which obtains both with living animals (e.g., the Atzereth lambs and the guilt-offering of the metzorah) and with slaughtered animals (e.g., the breast and thigh of peace-offerings and thanksgiving offerings), are excluded (from tenufah by all of the partners, [one performing tenufah for all of them]) — semichah, which obtains only with living animals, how much more so should all of the partners be excluded from it, (and only one perform it for all)! It is, therefore, written: "his offering" — to include (as performing semichah) all of the partners to the offering. 3) "his offering," and not the offering of another; "his offering," and not the offering of a gentile; "his offering," and not the offering of his (deceased) father. These are the words of R. Yehudah, who says that an heir does not perform semichah. 4) "his offering" — not a bechor (first-born). For (I would say): Does it not follow (that a bechor should require semichah?), viz.: If shelamim, which are not consecrated from the womb, require semichah — a bechor, which is consecrated from the womb — how much more so should it require semichah! It is, therefore, written: "his offering" — not a bechor. 5) "his offering" — not ma'aser (the tithe). For (I would say): Does it not follow (that ma'aser should require semichah?), viz.: If shelamim, which are not required to be brought, require semichah — ma'aser, which is required to be brought — how much more so should it require semichah! It is, therefore, written (to negate this): "his offering" — not ma'aser. 6) "his offering" — not a pesach (offering). For (I would say): Does it not follow (that the pesach offering should require semichah?), viz.: If shelamim, for which Scripture did not add numerous mitzvoth, require semichah — the pesach, for which Scripture did add numerous mitzvoth — how much more so should it require semichah! It is, therefore, written: "his offering" — not the pesach. 7) "and he shall slaughter it" "and he shall slaughter it" (Vayikra 3:8), "and he shall slaughter it" (Vayikra 3:13): Why three times? Because it is written (Devarim 12:21): "If the place be distant from you in which the L–rd your G d shall choose to place His name, (and you will not be able to come and bring peace-offerings every day, as you can now that the mishkan travels with you), then you shall slaughter of your herd and of your flock … and you shall eat in your gates with all the desire of your soul" — At a distance from the place (i.e., the Temple), you may slaughter (and eat), and not in proximity to the place — to exclude chullin (a non-consecrated animal) from being slaughtered in the azarah. 8) This tells me only of unblemished animals, which are kasher for sacrifice (as being excluded from "mundane" slaughter in the azarah). Whence do I derive the same for blemished animals? I include them (in the exclusion) because they are of the variety of animals that are kasher (for sacrifice). And whence do I derive the same for animals, (which are not kasher for sacrifice [as opposed to beasts])? (I include them) because shechitah obtains with them as it does with beasts. And whence do I derive the same for birds, (for which the severing of only one shechitah sign is sufficient)? From the triple repetition of "and he shall slaughter it." 9) I might think that he may not slaughter it (in the azarah), but that if he does, he may eat it; it is, therefore, written: "If the place be distant from you … then you shall slaughter … and you shall eat." What you slaughter at a distance you may eat, and not what you slaughter in proximity (to the Temple) — to exclude (from eating) chullin that were slaughtered in the azarah. 10) I might think that he may not eat it but that he may feed it to a dog; it is, therefore, written (Shemoth 22:30): "To the dog shall you throw it" — You shall throw it (treifah) to the dog, but not chullin which was slaughtered in the azarah. 11) (Vayikra 3:2): "at the door of the tent of meeting," "before the tent of meeting" (Vayikra 3:8), "before the tent of meeting" (Vayikra 3:13) — to permit all the sides (of the azarah as slaughtering sites). It goes without saying that the north side (is permitted), viz.: If the other sides, which were not permitted for the slaughtering of higher-order offerings, were permitted for the slaughtering of lower-order offerings — the north side, which was permitted for the slaughtering of higher-order offerings, how much more so should it be permitted for the slaughtering of lower-order offerings! R. Eliezer says: "before the tent of meeting" — to permit the north side. 12) For (without the permitting clause), does it not follow (that it should be forbidden?), viz.: If the slaughtering sites of shelamim, which may be slaughtered on all sides, are not permitted for the slaughtering of higher-order offerings, then the slaughtering site of a burnt-offering, which may be slaughtered only in the north — how much more so should it not be permitted for the slaughtering of lower-order offerings! It is, therefore, written (to negate this): "before the tent of meeting," to permit (slaughtering of lower-order offerings in) the north.
Sifra Nedavah Chapter 17
Tap any verse to see what it echoes — and start a chain or echo from it.