What do you do with leftovers? TB Shavuot 10-11

Some introductory remarks are needed to understand today’s dappim TB Shavuot. 10-11. There are two categories of sanctification, kedushat haguf (קְדוּשַּׁת הַגּוּף) and kedushat damim (קְדוּשַּׁת דָּמִים). Kedushat haguf the body of the item is sanctified. For example, when somebody sanctifies an animal for the altar, the very body of the animal is sanctified. It has been endowed with inherent sanctity. The only time a person may redeem it for money is when the animal has a blemish that makes it unfit for the altar. The animal is sanctified forever. On the other hand, kedushat damim signifies only the value of the item is sanctified. For example, if I sanctified a piece of property as a gift to the Temple, I am only sanctifying its value. I can desanctify the piece of property by redeeming it and give the proceeds to the Temple.

Two daily sacrifices the temidin (תְּמִידִין) are offered up in the Temple. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each tamid sacrifice has a four day waiting period before being offered up on the altar. Each day the tamid sacrifice is checked for any blemishes. On the fourth day the morning and afternoon tamid sacrifice is offered up. That means that there are six more temidin in the queue each day.

The Temple’s fiscal year begins on 1 Nisan. Money for the new fiscal year is collected during the month of Adar. Once the new fiscal year begins all new sacrifices have to be purchased with money collected during the month of Adar. The question arises on 1 Nisan what do you do with the temidin that remain in last year’s queue? These sacrifices have kedushat haguf and cannot be redeemed.

“Animals purchased with funds collected for public offerings may be sacrificed only during the fiscal year in which those funds were given. For this purpose, the fiscal year begins on the first of Nisan. Generally, once an animal has been consecrated as an offering, then even if for some reason it may no longer be sacrificed, it still cannot be redeemed unless it develops a blemish. Rabbi Yoḥanan teaches an exception to this halakha: Ulla says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Lambs consecrated for the daily offerings that were not needed by the public during the fiscal year in which they were purchased are redeemed, even if they are unblemished, and they may then be used for non-sacred purposes.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Rav Ḥisda is incredulous. “Rabba was sitting and reciting this halakha. Rav Ḥisda said to him: Who will listen to you and Rabbi Yoḥanan, your teacher, with regard to this halakha? Rav Ḥisda clarified: But the sanctity that was inherent in them, to where has it gone? Since these animals were consecrated as offerings, they should have been endowed with inherent sanctity. Only sanctity that inheres in an item’s value, i.e., an item consecrated to the Temple treasury, can be desacralized through redemption, but an item with inherent sanctity can never be desacralized.” (Sefaria.org translation)

The Gemara’s answer is quite surprising. “Rabba said: With regard to the consecration of items for public offerings such as the daily offerings and incense, the court tacitly stipulates concerning them as follows: If they are ultimately required to be used as offerings that year, then they are required for that, and they should be consecrated as offerings. But if they are not required that year, then they are only to be consecrated for their value, i.e., for them to be sold and then for their proceeds to be used toward the purchase of offerings.” (Sefaria.org translation)

The same is true with the ketoret (קְּטוֹרֶת), the incense which was prepared at one time for the entire year, and the red heifer. The court tacitly stipulates concerning the as follows: if they are ultimately required to be used as offerings that year, then they are required for that, and they should be consecrated as offerings. But if they are not required that year, then they are only to be consecrated for their value.