Keritot 6:8-9
משנה כריתות ו:ח-ט
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Keritot | Chapter: 6
📖 Mishna
Mishna 6:8
משנה ו:ח
Hebrew:
מְבִיאִין מֵהֶקְדֵּשׁ כִּשְׂבָּה, שְׂעִירָה. מֵהֶקְדֵּשׁ שְׂעִירָה, כִּשְׂבָּה. מֵהֶקְדֵּשׁ כִּשְׂבָּה וּשְׂעִירָה, תּוֹרִין וּבְנֵי יוֹנָה. מֵהֶקְדֵּשׁ תּוֹרִין וּבְנֵי יוֹנָה, עֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה. כֵּיצַד. הִפְרִישׁ לְכִשְׂבָּה אוֹ לִשְׂעִירָה, הֶעֱנִי, יָבִיא עוֹף. הֶעֱנִי, יָבִיא עֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה. הִפְרִישׁ לַעֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה, הֶעֱשִׁיר, יָבִיא עוֹף. הֶעֱשִׁיר, יָבִיא כִשְׂבָּה וּשְׂעִירָה. הִפְרִישׁ כִּשְׂבָּה אוֹ שְׂעִירָה וְנִסְתָּאֲבוּ, אִם רָצָה יָבִיא בִדְמֵיהֶן עוֹף. הִפְרִישׁ עוֹף וְנִסְתָּאֵב, לֹא יָבִיא בְדָמָיו עֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה, שֶׁאֵין לָעוֹף פִּדְיוֹן:
English:
One may bring a female goat from money consecrated for a sin offering of a female lamb, and a female lamb from money consecrated for a sin offering of a female goat. And likewise, one may bring doves and pigeons from money consecrated for a sin offering of a female lamb and a female goat; and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour from money consecrated for a sin offering of doves and pigeons. How so? If one unwittingly performed a sin for which he is liable to bring a sliding-scale sin offering, which varies based on economic status, and he designated money to purchase a female lamb or for a female goat and then became poorer, he may bring a bird, and the remaining money is non-sacred. If he became yet poorer, he may bring one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour. Likewise, if he designated money to purchase one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour and became wealthier, he shall bring a bird. If he became yet wealthier, he shall bring a female lamb or a female goat. If one designated a female lamb or goat as an offering and it developed a blemish, he must redeem the animal and bring another offering with the money. If he became poorer, he may bring a bird with its money. But if one designated a bird as an offering and it developed a blemish, he may not bring one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour with its money, as there is no possibility of redemption for birds.
Claude on the Mishna:
This mishna addresses the korban oleh v’yored (sliding-scale offering) - an offering whose type varies based on the person’s economic status.
The sliding scale (Leviticus 5:1-13):
| Economic Status | Offering Type |
|---|---|
| Wealthy | Female lamb or goat |
| Middle | Two birds (doves or pigeons) |
| Poor | 1/10 ephah fine flour |
Flexibility in designation:
Within the same “tier,” one can switch:
- Lamb ↔ Goat
- Dove ↔ Pigeon
Between tiers when status changes:
| Original Designation | Status Change | New Offering |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb/goat | Became poorer | Bird |
| Lamb/goat | Became very poor | Flour |
| Flour | Became wealthier | Bird |
| Flour | Became wealthy | Lamb/goat |
The blemish complication:
If the designated animal becomes blemished:
| Animal | Blemished | Can Redeem? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb/goat | Yes | Yes | Redeem, buy appropriate offering |
| Bird | Yes | NO | Cannot convert to flour |
Why can’t birds be redeemed? The Torah doesn’t provide a mechanism for pidyon (redemption) of birds. Unlike animals, birds cannot be transferred to chulin status through monetary redemption.
This creates an interesting asymmetry: You can “downgrade” from lamb to bird, but you can’t “downgrade” from bird to flour if the bird becomes unusable.
Key Terms:
- כִּשְׂבָּה (kisvah) = Female lamb
- שְׂעִירָה (se’irah) = Female goat
- עֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה (asirit ha’eifah) = 1/10 ephah of flour
- הֶעֱנִי (he’eni) = Became poor
- הֶעֱשִׁיר (he’eshir) = Became wealthy
- פִּדְיוֹן (pidyon) = Redemption
Mishna 6:9
משנה ו:ט
Hebrew:
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, כְּבָשִׂים קוֹדְמִין לָעִזִּים בְּכָל מָקוֹם. יָכוֹל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן מֻבְחָרִין מֵהֶן. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא ד), וְאִם כֶּבֶשׂ יָבִיא קָרְבָּנוֹ לְחַטָּאת, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם שְׁקוּלִין. תּוֹרִין קוֹדְמִין לִבְנֵי יוֹנָה בְכָל מָקוֹם. יָכוֹל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן מֻבְחָרִים מֵהֶן. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שם יב), וּבֶן יוֹנָה אוֹ תֹר לְחַטָּאת, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶן שְׁקוּלִין. הָאָב קוֹדֵם לָאֵם בְּכָל מָקוֹם. יָכוֹל שֶׁכְּבוֹד הָאָב עוֹדֵף עַל כְּבוֹד הָאֵם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שם יט), אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם שְׁקוּלִים. אֲבָל אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, הָאָב קוֹדֵם לָאֵם בְּכָל מָקוֹם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא וְאִמּוֹ חַיָּבִין בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו. וְכֵן בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, אִם זָכָה הַבֵּן לִפְנֵי הָרַב, קוֹדֵם אֶת הָאָב בְּכָל מָקוֹם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא וְאָבִיו חַיָּבִין בִּכְבוֹד רַבּוֹ:
English:
Rabbi Shimon says: Lambs precede goats almost everywhere in the Torah that they are both mentioned, as in the verse: “You shall take it from the lambs or from the goats” (Exodus 12:5). One might have thought that it is due to the fact that sheep are more select than goats. Therefore, the verse states: “And he shall bring for his offering a goat” (Leviticus 4:28), after which it is written: “And if he bring a lamb as his offering for a sin offering” (Leviticus 4:32), which teaches that both of them are equal. Similarly, doves precede pigeons almost everywhere in the Torah, as in the verse: “And he shall bring his guilt offering…two doves, or two pigeons” (Leviticus 5:7). One might have thought that it is due to the fact that doves are more select than pigeons. Therefore, the verse states: “And a pigeon or a dove for a sin offering” (Leviticus 12:6), with the usual order reversed, which teaches that both of them are equal. Likewise, mention of the father precedes that of the mother almost everywhere in the Torah, as in the verse: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). One might have thought that it is due to the fact that the honor of the father takes precedence over the honor of the mother. Therefore, the verse states: “Every man shall fear his mother and his father” (Leviticus 19:3), with the order reversed, which teaches that both of them are equal. But the Sages said: Honor of the father takes precedence over honor of the mother everywhere, due to the fact that both the son and his mother are obligated in the honor of his father. And likewise with regard to Torah study, if the son was privileged to acquire most of his Torah knowledge from studying before the teacher, honor of the teacher takes precedence over honor of the father, due to the fact that both the son and his father are obligated in the honor of his teacher, as everyone is obligated in the honor of Torah scholars.
Claude on the Mishna:
This final mishna of Masechet Keritot moves from technical offering laws to a beautiful teaching about equality and honor - a fitting conclusion to the tractate.
The pattern Rabbi Shimon identifies:
| Pair | Usual Order | Reversed Order | Teaching |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb / Goat | Lamb first | Goat mentioned first (Lev. 4:28) | Equal |
| Dove / Pigeon | Dove first | Pigeon first (Lev. 12:6) | Equal |
| Father / Mother | Father first | Mother first (Lev. 19:3) | Equal in intrinsic honor |
The Torah’s methodology: By reversing the usual order in certain verses, the Torah signals that the order doesn’t imply preference. Both options are equally valid.
The practical ruling about parents:
While INTRINSICALLY the honor due to father and mother is equal, PRACTICALLY the father takes precedence.
Why? “Because both he (the son) AND his mother are obligated in the honor of the father.”
The mother herself owes honor to her husband (in the traditional understanding), so when there’s a conflict, the father’s honor comes first.
The teacher principle:
If the son acquired most of his Torah knowledge from a specific teacher:
- Teacher > Father in honor
- Why? Both son AND father are obligated to honor Torah scholars
The underlying logic: When Person A owes honor to Person B, and Person A also owes honor to Person C who is ALSO obligated to Person B, then B takes precedence over C.
Key Terms:
- מֻבְחָרִין (muvcharin) = More select/preferred
- שְׁקוּלִין (shekulin) = Equal in weight/value
- כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם (kibbud av va’eim) = Honoring father and mother
- יִרְאָה (yir’ah) = Fear/reverence
- רַב (rav) = Teacher/rabbi
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