Keritot 2:3-4
משנה כריתות ב:ג-ד
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Keritot | Chapter: 2
📖 Mishna
Mishna 2:3
משנה ב:ג
Hebrew:
חֲמִשָּׁה מְבִיאִין קָרְבָּן אֶחָד עַל עֲבֵרוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וַחֲמִשָּׁה מְבִיאִים קָרְבָּן עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד. אֵלּוּ מְבִיאִין קָרְבָּן אֶחָד עַל עֲבֵרוֹת הַרְבֵּה. הַבָּא עַל הַשִּׁפְחָה בִּיאוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וְנָזִיר שֶׁנִּטְמָא טֻמְאוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וְהַמְקַנֵּא לְאִשְׁתּוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֲנָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה, וּמְצֹרָע שֶׁנִּתְנַגַּע נְגָעִים הַרְבֵּה. הֵבִיא צִפֳּרָיו וְנִתְנַגַּע, לֹא עָלוּ לוֹ, עַד שֶׁיָּבִיא אֶת חַטָּאתוֹ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, עַד שֶׁיָּבִיא אֶת אֲשָׁמוֹ:
English:
There are five individuals who bring one offering for several transgressions; and there are five individuals who bring a sliding-scale offering. These are the five individuals who bring one offering for several transgressions: One who engages in several acts of intercourse with an espoused maidservant, and a nazirite who became ritually impure due to several instances of contact with ritual impurity, and one who issues a warning to his wife declaring himself jealous with regard to several different men, and a leper who was afflicted with several instances of leprosy. If a leper brought the two requisite birds on the first day of his purification, and prior to bringing his offerings on the eighth day he was afflicted with a relapse of leprosy, those birds do not satisfy his obligation until he brings his sin offering. Rabbi Yehuda says: Until he brings his guilt offering.
Claude on the Mishna:
This mishna lists two sets of five:
Five who bring ONE offering for MULTIPLE transgressions:
-
Multiple relations with espoused maidservant - Unlike other forbidden relations (where each act requires a separate offering), multiple encounters with the same shifcha charufa are covered by one guilt offering.
-
Nazirite defiled multiple times - Even if a nazirite became corpse-impure repeatedly before completing purification, one set of offerings suffices.
-
Jealous husband warning about multiple men - If a man issued sotah-warnings regarding several different men, and his wife was found secluded with each, only one meal offering is brought.
-
Leper with multiple afflictions - If someone was afflicted with tzara’at, purified, relapsed, and this happened multiple times, one set of purification offerings covers everything.
The leper’s complication: If a metzora brought the two birds (day 1 of purification) but relapsed before the eighth-day offerings, those birds don’t count. The dispute:
- Sages: Must bring the chatat (sin offering) to “lock in” the bird purification
- Rabbi Yehuda: Must bring the asham (guilt offering) to complete the process
Key Terms:
- קָרְבָּן אֶחָד עַל עֲבֵרוֹת הַרְבֵּה = One offering for many transgressions
- הַמְקַנֵּא לְאִשְׁתּוֹ (hamekane le’ishto) = One who issues jealousy warning to wife (sotah procedure)
- צִפֳּרָיו (tziporav) = His birds - the two birds used in metzora purification
- לֹא עָלוּ לוֹ (lo alu lo) = “Did not count for him” - didn’t satisfy the obligation
Mishna 2:4
משנה ב:ד
Hebrew:
הָאִשָּׁה שֶׁיָּלְדָה וְלָדוֹת הַרְבֵּה, הִפִּילָה בְתוֹךְ שְׁמוֹנִים נְקֵבָה וְחָזְרָה וְהִפִּילָה בְתוֹךְ שְׁמוֹנִים נְקֵבָה, וְהַמַּפֶּלֶת תְּאוֹמִים, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מְבִיאָה עַל הָרִאשׁוֹן וְאֵינָהּ מְבִיאָה עַל הַשֵּׁנִי. מְבִיאָה עַל הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְאֵינָהּ מְבִיאָה עַל הָרְבִיעִי. אֵלּוּ מְבִיאִין קָרְבָּן עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד. עַל שְׁמִיעַת הַקּוֹל, וְעַל בִּטּוּי שְׂפָתַיִם, וְעַל טֻמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו, וְהַיֹּלֶדֶת, וְהַמְצֹרָע…
English:
The fifth case: A woman who gave birth to several offspring - she miscarried a female within eighty days, then miscarried another female within eighty days. Rabbi Yehuda says: She brings an offering for the first and does not bring for the second. She brings for the third and does not bring for the fourth. These are the five who bring a sliding-scale offering: For hearing the voice (oath of testimony), for utterance of the lips (oath about a matter), for defiling the Temple or its sacrificial foods, the woman after childbirth, and the leper. What are the differences between an espoused maidservant and all forbidden relations? She is not equal to them in punishment or offering: all forbidden relations require a sin offering (female animal), the maidservant requires a guilt offering (male animal). For all forbidden relations both man and woman are equal in lashes and offerings; for the maidservant the man is not equal to the woman in lashes nor the woman to the man in offering. For all forbidden relations, initial penetration is like completion, and one is liable for each act of intercourse. This is the stringency regarding the maidservant: intentional is like unintentional (both bring an offering).
Claude on the Mishna:
This long mishna completes the lists and then extensively compares the shifcha charufa to other forbidden relations.
Fifth case - Multiple births: A woman who gives birth/miscarries repeatedly within the 80-day purity period. One offering covers all births within that window.
Rabbi Yehuda’s pattern: Offering for 1st, skip 2nd (within 1st’s period), offering for 3rd (new period), skip 4th (within 3rd’s period), etc.
Five who bring sliding-scale offerings (Oleh v’Yored):
- Oath of testimony (shemi’at hakol)
- Oath about a matter (bitui sefatayim)
- Temple defilement (entering impure or eating kodesh impure)
- Woman after childbirth
- Leper (metzora)
Shifcha Charufa vs. Other Arayot - Key Differences:
| Aspect | Other Arayot | Shifcha Charufa |
|---|---|---|
| Offering type | Chatat (female) | Asham (male) |
| Man’s liability | Lashes + offering | Offering only |
| Woman’s liability | Lashes + offering | Lashes only |
| Initial penetration | Counts as full act | Does not count |
| Multiple acts | Separate offerings | One offering |
| Intentional | Karet, no offering | Brings offering |
Key Terms:
- עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד (oleh v’yored) = Sliding-scale offering - varies by wealth
- שְׁמִיעַת הַקּוֹל (shemi’at hakol) = “Hearing the voice” - oath of testimony
- בִּטּוּי שְׂפָתַיִם (bitui sefatayim) = “Utterance of lips” - general false oath
- הַמְעָרֶה (hame’areh) = Initial penetration
- כַגּוֹמֵר (kagomer) = “Like completing” - full liability