Temurah 1:1-2
משנה תמורה א:א-ב
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Temurah | Chapter: 1
📖 Mishna
Mishna 1:1
משנה א:א
Hebrew:
הַכֹּל מְמִירִים, אֶחָד אֲנָשִׁים וְאֶחָד נָשִׁים. לֹא שֶׁאָדָם רַשַּׁאי לְהָמִיר, אֶלָּא, שֶׁאִם הֵמִיר, מוּמָר, וְסוֹפֵג אֶת הָאַרְבָּעִים. הַכֹּהֲנִים מְמִירִים אֶת שֶׁלָּהֶם, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְמִירִים אֶת שֶׁלָּהֶם. אֵין הַכֹּהֲנִים מְמִירִים לֹא בְחַטָּאת וְלֹא בְאָשָׁם וְלֹא בִבְכוֹר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי, וְכִי מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין מְמִירִים בִּבְכוֹר. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם מַתָּנָה לַכֹּהֵן, וְהַבְּכוֹר מַתָּנָה לַכֹּהֵן. מַה חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם אֵין מְמִירִים בּוֹ, אַף הַבְּכוֹר לֹא יְמִירֶנּוּ בוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי, מַה לִּי אֵינוֹ מֵמִיר בְּחַטָּאת וּבְאָשָׁם, שֶׁאֵין זָכִין בָּהֶן בְּחַיֵּיהֶם. תֹּאמַר בִּבְכוֹר, שֶׁזָּכִין בּוֹ בְחַיָּיו. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר, וְהָיָה הוּא וּתְמוּרָתוֹ יִהְיֶה קֹּדֶשׁ (ויקרא כז), הֵיכָן קְדֻשָּׁה חָלָה עָלָיו, בְּבֵית הַבְּעָלִים, אַף תְּמוּרָה בְּבֵית הַבְּעָלִים:
English:
Everyone substitutes a non-sacred animal for a consecrated animal, both men and women. That is not to say that it is permitted for a person to effect substitution; rather, it means that if one substituted a non-sacred animal for a consecrated animal, the substitution takes effect, and the non-sacred animal becomes consecrated, and the consecrated animal remains sacred. And the one who substituted the non-sacred animal incurs the forty lashes. The priests substitute for their own offerings and Israelites substitute for their own offerings. The priests substitute neither for a sin offering, nor for a guilt offering, nor for a firstborn offering that they received from an Israelite, as those animals are not their property, and one does not substitute an animal that is not his. Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri said: For what reason can priests not substitute for a firstborn offering that they received from an Israelite? Does it not belong to them? Rabbi Akiva said to him: A sin offering and a guilt offering are a gift to the priest, and the firstborn offering is likewise a gift to the priest. Just as in the cases of a sin offering and a guilt offering, priests that receive one of them from an Israelite cannot substitute for it, so too with regard to a firstborn offering, priests that receive it from an Israelite cannot substitute for it. Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri said: What is this comparison for him? If a priest does not substitute for a sin offering and a guilt offering, which priests do not acquire during the animals’ lifetimes, will you say the same with regard to a firstborn, which priests do acquire during the animal’s lifetime? Rabbi Akiva said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “Then both it and its substitute shall be sacred” (Leviticus 27:10), which juxtaposes the consecration of the consecrated animal with that of its non-sacred substitute? Where is the consecrated animal imbued with sanctity? It is in the house of the owner. So too, the substitute animal is consecrated in the house of the owner.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This opening mishna establishes the paradox at the heart of temurah: substitution is FORBIDDEN, yet if someone does it anyway, IT WORKS. Both animals become holy, and the person gets lashes.
The Core Principle:
The Torah states (Leviticus 27:10): “He shall neither exchange it nor substitute it… and if he substitutes an animal for an animal, then both it and its substitute shall be sacred.”
Notice the structure: “Don’t do it… but if you do, here’s what happens.” This creates a unique situation where a forbidden act still has legal effect.
Who Can Substitute:
- Men and women equally
- Only for animals THEY OWN (not received as gifts from others)
The Debate about Firstborn:
Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri challenges Rabbi Akiva: A priest OWNS a firstborn animal (given to him alive), unlike a sin or guilt offering (only given after slaughter). So why can’t he substitute?
Rabbi Akiva’s answer is brilliant: The verse says “it and its substitute shall be holy” - the substitute gets the SAME sanctity as the original. Where did the original become holy? In the ORIGINAL OWNER’S home. Therefore, only the original owner can create a substitute, not a later recipient.
Key Terms:
- תמורה (Temurah) = Substitution; exchanging a non-sacred animal for a consecrated one
- סופג את הארבעים (Sofeg et HaArba’im) = Receives forty lashes; the biblical punishment
- בית הבעלים (Beit HaBe’alim) = House of the owners; where original consecration occurred
- בכור (Bekhor) = Firstborn animal; given to priests
Mishna 1:2
משנה א:ב
Hebrew:
מְמִירִין מִן הַבָּקָר עַל הַצֹּאן וּמִן הַצֹּאן עַל הַבָּקָר, מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים עַל הָעִזִּים וּמִן הָעִזִּים עַל הַכְּבָשִׂים, מִן הַזְּכָרִים עַל הַנְּקֵבוֹת וּמִן הַנְּקֵבוֹת עַל הַזְּכָרִים, מִן הַתְּמִימִים עַל בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין וּמִבַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין עַל הַתְּמִימִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם), לֹא יַחֲלִיפֶנּוּ וְלֹא יָמִיר אֹתוֹ טוֹב בְּרָע אוֹ רַע בְּטוֹב. אֵיזֶהוּ טוֹב בְּרָע, בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין שֶׁקָּדַם הֶקְדֵּשָׁן אֶת מוּמָם. מְמִירִים אֶחָד בִּשְׁנַיִם וּשְׁנַיִם בְּאֶחָד, אֶחָד בְּמֵאָה וּמֵאָה בְּאֶחָד. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, אֵין מְמִירִים אֶלָּא אֶחָד בְּאֶחָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כז), וְהָיָה הוּא וּתְמוּרָתוֹ, מַה הוּא מְיֻחָד, אַף תְּמוּרָתוֹ מְיֻחָדֶת:
English:
One substitutes for consecrated animals from the flock of sheep or goats, and the sanctity takes effect upon animals from the herd of cattle, and one substitutes from the herd and the sanctity takes effect upon animals from the flock. And one substitutes from the sheep and the sanctity takes effect upon the goats, and from the goats upon the sheep; and from the males upon the females, and from the females upon the males; and from the unblemished animals upon the blemished animals, and from the blemished animals upon the unblemished animals. The source for this is as it is stated: “He shall neither exchange it, nor substitute it, good for bad, or bad for good” (Leviticus 27:10). And which is the case of good for bad where the substitution takes effect? It is a case where one substitutes for blemished animals whose consecration preceded their blemish. One substitutes one non-sacred animal for two consecrated animals and two non-sacred animals for one consecrated animal, and one substitutes one non-sacred animal for one hundred consecrated animals and one hundred non-sacred animals for one consecrated animal. Rabbi Shimon says: One substitutes only one non-sacred animal for one consecrated animal, as it is stated: “Then both it and its substitute shall be sacred” (Leviticus 27:10). Just as “it” indicates one specific animal, so too, its substitute can be only one specific animal.
קלאוד על המשנה:
This mishna teaches that substitution works across all types of animals - species, gender, and condition don’t matter. If you try to substitute, it works.
Cross-Category Substitution:
| From | To | Works? |
|---|---|---|
| Cattle | Sheep/Goats | ✓ |
| Sheep | Goats | ✓ |
| Males | Females | ✓ |
| Unblemished | Blemished | ✓ |
The verse says “good for bad or bad for good” - teaching that substitution works in BOTH directions.
What is “Bad for Good”?
A “bad” (blemished) consecrated animal can only exist if it was consecrated BEFORE it became blemished. You can’t initially consecrate a blemished animal for the altar. So “bad for good” means: substituting an unblemished non-sacred animal for a consecrated animal that was perfect when consecrated but later developed a blemish.
The Numbers Dispute:
Sages: You can substitute 1 for 2, 2 for 1, even 1 for 100 or 100 for 1. Multiple substitutions work.
Rabbi Shimon: Only 1 for 1. The verse says “IT and ITS substitute” - singular for singular. The specificity of the language limits substitution to one-for-one exchanges.
This is a classic grammatical/interpretive dispute: do we read the verse’s singular language as merely descriptive (Sages) or as prescriptive/limiting (Rabbi Shimon)?
Key Terms:
- בקר (Bakar) = Cattle; the herd
- צאן (Tzon) = Flock; sheep and goats
- תמימים (Temimim) = Unblemished; fit for sacrifice
- בעלי מומין (Ba’alei Mumin) = Blemished animals