Temurah 7:2-3
משנה תמורה ז:ב-ג
Seder: Kodashim | Tractate: Temurah | Chapter: 7
📖 Mishna
Mishna 7:2
משנה ז:ב
Hebrew:
יֵשׁ בְּקָדְשֵׁי בֶדֶק הַבַּיִת מַה שֶּׁאֵין בְּקָדְשֵׁי מִזְבֵּחַ, שֶׁסְּתָם הֶקְדֵּשׁוֹת לְבֶדֶק הַבָּיִת. הֶקְדֵּשׁ בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת חָל עַל הַכֹּל, וּמוֹעֲלִין בְּגִדּוּלֵיהֶן, וְאֵין בָּהֶם הֲנָאָה לְכֹהֲנִים:
English:
There are elements that apply to items consecrated for Temple maintenance that do not apply to animals consecrated for the altar, in that unspecified consecrations are designated for Temple maintenance; consecration for Temple maintenance takes effect on all items; and one is liable to bring a guilt offering and pay an additional payment of one-fifth for misuse of consecrated property, not only for the items themselves, but for their by-products, e.g., milk of a consecrated animal or eggs of a consecrated chicken; and there is no benefit for the owner from items consecrated for Temple maintenance, in contrast to some animals consecrated for the altar, e.g., a peace offering, from which there is benefit for the owner.
Claude on the Mishna:
Having listed the stringencies of altar-sanctity in 7:1, this mishna balances the picture by listing four stringencies of Temple-maintenance sanctity:
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Default goes to bedek habayit - If someone says “this is hekdesh” without specifying, it goes to Temple maintenance, not the altar. This is the default interpretation of unspecified consecration.
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Takes effect on everything - You can consecrate anything for Temple maintenance: animals, objects, land, money. Altar-sanctity is limited to appropriate sacrificial animals. A chair or a field can become bedek habayit but not a korban.
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Me’ilah on by-products - The prohibition against unauthorized use of hekdesh (me’ilah) extends to by-products like milk and eggs. For altar-animals, some by-products have different rules. Maintenance-sanctity is more pervasive.
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No benefit to owner - With peace offerings (shelamim), the owner gets to eat most of the meat. There’s personal benefit built into the system. Maintenance items provide no benefit to the donor - they go entirely to Temple upkeep.
These stringencies reflect that bedek habayit sanctity is purely monetary/financial, while altar-sanctity has a sacrificial/ritual dimension that creates complexity (and sometimes leniency).
Key Terms:
- סְתָם הֶקְדֵּשׁוֹת (setam hekdeshot) = Unspecified consecrations - default to maintenance
- חָל עַל הַכֹּל (chal al hakol) = “Takes effect on everything” - broader scope
- מוֹעֲלִין (mo’alin) = Commit me’ilah - unauthorized use of sacred property
- גִדּוּלֵיהֶן (giduleihen) = By-products/growth (milk, eggs, offspring)
- הֲנָאָה לְכֹהֲנִים (hana’ah lakohanim) = Benefit to priests - or here, benefit to anyone
Mishna 7:3
משנה ז:ג
Hebrew:
אֶחָד קָדְשֵׁי מִזְבֵּחַ וְאֶחָד קָדְשֵׁי בֶדֶק הַבַּיִת, אֵין מְשַׁנִּין אוֹתָן מִקְּדֻשָּׁה לִקְדֻשָּׁה, וּמַקְדִּישִׁין אוֹתָן הֶקְדֵּשׁ עִלּוּי, וּמַחֲרִימִין אוֹתָן. וְאִם מֵתוּ, יִקָּבְרוּ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, קָדְשֵׁי בֶדֶק הַבַּיִת, אִם מֵתוּ, יִפָּדוּ:
English:
With regard to both animals consecrated for the altar and items consecrated for Temple maintenance, one may not alter their designation from one form of sanctity to another form of sanctity. But one may consecrate animals already consecrated for the altar by a consecration of their value, and that value is donated to the Temple treasury for maintenance. And one may dedicate them for the purpose of giving their value to the priests. And if animals consecrated either for the altar or for Temple maintenance died, they must be buried. Rabbi Shimon says: Although that is the halacha with regard to animals consecrated for the altar, if animals consecrated for Temple maintenance died, they can be redeemed.
Claude on the Mishna:
This mishna lists rules that apply equally to both types of sanctity, along with one dispute:
Cannot change sanctity type - You cannot take an olah and make it a shelamim, or take a maintenance-animal and make it an altar-offering. Once consecrated for a specific purpose, that designation is fixed.
Can add value-consecration (hekdesh ilui) - You CAN layer additional consecration on top. If an animal is already an olah, you can consecrate its monetary value for Temple maintenance. This doesn’t change what the animal IS, but adds that its appraised value also goes to the Temple.
Can dedicate to priests (cherem) - Similarly, you can dedicate the value to go to the priests rather than Temple maintenance. Again, this doesn’t change the animal’s sacrificial status.
If they die - burial required (Tanna Kamma) - Dead consecrated animals cannot simply be discarded. They must be buried with dignity.
Rabbi Shimon’s distinction - He agrees that dead altar-animals need burial (their bodily sanctity persists). But dead maintenance-animals only have monetary sanctity, which can be transferred through redemption even after death. The carcass can be redeemed (sold), and the money goes to Temple maintenance. Since there’s no bodily sanctity, no burial is needed.
Key Terms:
- מְשַׁנִּין מִקְּדֻשָּׁה לִקְדֻשָּׁה (meshanin mikdusha likdusha) = Changing from sanctity to sanctity - forbidden
- הֶקְדֵּשׁ עִלּוּי (hekdesh ilui) = Consecration of value/enhancement - permitted on top of existing sanctity
- מַחֲרִימִין (macharirnin) = Dedicate as cherem - goes to priests
- יִקָּבְרוּ (yikavru) = Must be buried - dignified treatment of sacred remains
- יִפָּדוּ (yipadu) = Can be redeemed - Rabbi Shimon’s position on maintenance items