Keritot 1:2-3
משנה כריתות א:ב-ג
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Keritot | Chapter: 1
📖 Mishna
Mishna 1:2
משנה א:ב
Hebrew:
עַל אֵלּוּ חַיָּבִים עַל זְדוֹנָם כָּרֵת, וְעַל שִׁגְגָתָם חַטָּאת, וְעַל לֹא הוֹדַע שֶׁלָּהֶן אָשָׁם תָּלוּי, חוּץ מִן הַמְטַמֵּא מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו, מִפְנֵי שֶׁהוּא בְעוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אַף הַמְגַדֵּף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טו), תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה לָכֶם לָעֹשֶׂה בִּשְׁגָגָה, יָצָא מְגַדֵּף, שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה:
English:
For any of these prohibitions, one is liable to receive karet for its intentional violation and to bring a sin offering for its unwitting violation. And for their violation in a case where it is unknown to him whether or not he transgressed, he is liable to bring a provisional guilt offering, which provides provisional atonement until he discovers whether or not he transgressed. This is the halacha for all of the transgressions listed above except for one who defiles the Temple, i.e., he enters the Temple while ritually impure, or partakes of its consecrated items while ritually impure. In these cases he does not bring a provisional guilt offering because he is obligated to bring a sliding-scale offering for a definite transgression. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: The halacha is the same even with regard to the one who blasphemes, as it is stated with regard to the sin offering: “You shall have one law for him who performs the action unwittingly” (Numbers 15:29), excluding one who blasphemes, as he does not perform an action but sins with speech.
Claude on the Mishna:
This mishna establishes the three-tiered system of offerings for karet violations based on the violator’s state of knowledge:
- Intentional (זדון) = Karet - no offering can atone
- Unintentional (שגגה) = Sin offering (chatat)
- Unknown (לא הודע) = Provisional guilt offering (asham talui)
The asham talui is a fascinating offering - brought when someone is uncertain whether they sinned. It provides temporary atonement “just in case.” If they later discover they did sin, they bring a chatat.
Two exceptions to this pattern:
Rabbi Meir’s exception - Temple defilement: Someone who entered the Temple or ate sacred food while impure doesn’t follow this pattern. Instead, they bring a “sliding-scale offering” (oleh v’yored) - a sacrifice whose value varies based on the person’s wealth. This special offering applies to definite violations of this particular sin.
The Sages’ additional exception - blasphemy: The Sages note that blasphemy doesn’t fit the chatat/asham talui pattern because the verse specifies “one who PERFORMS an action.” Blasphemy is done through speech alone - no physical action. Therefore, while it carries karet for intentional violation, there’s no sin offering for unintentional blasphemy (which is anyway nearly impossible - how do you accidentally blaspheme?).
Key Terms:
- כָּרֵת (karet) = Spiritual excision - divine punishment for intentional violation
- שִׁגְגָה (shegaga) = Unintentional/unwitting violation
- חַטָּאת (chatat) = Sin offering - brought for unintentional karet violations
- אָשָׁם תָּלוּי (asham talui) = Provisional guilt offering - for uncertain violations
- עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד (oleh v’yored) = Sliding-scale offering - varies by wealth
- מְגַדֵּף (megadef) = Blasphemer - one who curses God’s name
- עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה (oseh ma’aseh) = “Performs an action” - excludes speech-only sins
Mishna 1:3
משנה א:ג
Hebrew:
יֵשׁ מְבִיאוֹת קָרְבָּן וְנֶאֱכָל, וְיֵשׁ מְבִיאוֹת וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל, וְיֵשׁ שֶׁאֵינָן מְבִיאוֹת. אֵלּוּ מְבִיאוֹת קָרְבָּן וְנֶאֱכָל. הַמַּפֶּלֶת כְּמִין בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא בוֹ מִצּוּרַת הָאָדָם. הַמַּפֶּלֶת סַנְדָּל, אוֹ שִׁלְיָא, וְשָׁפִיר מְרֻקָּם, וְהַיּוֹצֵא מְחֻתָּךְ. וְכֵן שִׁפְחָה שֶׁהִפִּילָה, מְבִיאָה קָרְבָּן וְנֶאֱכָל:
English:
There are some women who bring a sin offering of a woman after childbirth and the offering is eaten by the priests. And there are some women who bring a sin offering but it is not eaten. And there are some women who do not bring a sin offering at all. The mishna elaborates: The following women bring a sin offering and it is eaten by the priests: One who miscarries a fetus with a form similar to a domesticated animal, one who miscarries a fetus with a form similar to an undomesticated animal, or one who miscarries a fetus with a form similar to a bird; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: She does not bring a sin offering unless the fetus has the form of a person. With regard to a woman who miscarries a sandal fetus, i.e., one that has the form of a flat fish; or if she miscarries the placenta; or an amniotic sac in which tissue developed; or a fetus that emerged cut, i.e., in pieces; and likewise a Canaanite maidservant, owned by a Jew, who miscarried; in all these cases she brings a sin offering and it is eaten by the priests.
Claude on the Mishna:
The mishna now shifts to a different topic: the childbirth offering (korban yoledet). After giving birth, a woman brings a burnt offering and a sin offering (Leviticus 12). This mishna categorizes different birth situations into three outcomes:
- Brings offering AND it’s eaten - Definite birth occurred
- Brings offering but NOT eaten - Uncertain birth (covered in next mishnayot)
- Doesn’t bring at all - No birth occurred
The debate about animal-like forms:
Rabbi Meir rules broadly: if a woman miscarries anything with a recognizable form (animal, bird, etc.), she brings the childbirth offering. His reasoning: the presence of ANY formed creature indicates pregnancy completion.
The Sages are stricter: only a human-formed fetus triggers the obligation. Animal-shaped miscarriages don’t count as human births.
Cases where she definitely brings (and priests eat):
- Sandal - A flat, fish-shaped fetus (common miscarriage form)
- Placenta (shilya) - Indicates a fetus was present
- Developed amniotic sac (shafir merukam) - Shows pregnancy advanced
- Pieces (mechutach) - Even dismembered, it was a birth
- Maidservant’s miscarriage - A Canaanite maidservant owned by a Jew also brings the offering
The offering being “eaten” means it’s a valid, definite offering - not brought out of doubt.
Key Terms:
- מַפֶּלֶת (mapelet) = Woman who miscarries
- סַנְדָּל (sandal) = Flat fish-shaped fetus - a recognized miscarriage form
- שִׁלְיָא (shilya) = Placenta/afterbirth
- שָׁפִיר מְרֻקָּם (shafir merukam) = Developed amniotic sac with formed tissue
- מְחֻתָּךְ (mechutach) = Cut up/in pieces
- שִׁפְחָה (shifcha) = Canaanite maidservant