Clothes make the sacrifice TB Pesakhim 77

If yesterday’s daf contained practical halalkha, today’s daf TB Pesakhim 77 is wholly theoretical, because we no longer offer up sacrifices. The Mishnah on TB Pesakhim 76b teaches that some sacrifices may be offered when they are ritually unready (tamei-טמא), but not eaten. Some sacrifices are offered and eaten when they are ritually unready. Some sacrifices, of course, may not be offered at all when they are ritually unready.

The Kohan Hagadol, the high priest plays an integral role concerning the outcome of the tamei sacrifice. He wears eight different vestments as his uniform while he is serving in the Temple. One of the vestments is the tzitz (צִיץ), the Head-plate. “On is forehead the Kohan Hagadol wore a narrow gold plate, two fingerbreadths wide, upon which prescribed the words Kodesh to YHVH (קדש לה), Holy to God. it’s to gain Heavenly favor for blood or sacrificial parts that were offered on the Altar in the state of contamination. Thanks to the merit of the head-plate, such offerings would be accepted by God”  (The Stone Edition of the Humash, page 472) 

This commentary is based on today’s daf. At first it looks like Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yehoshua disagree, but near the end of today’s daf they agree. “Rabbi Yehuda says: When it is still on his forehead it appeases God, but when it is no longer on his forehead it does not appease Him, as indicated in the verse: 'And it shall be on Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the sacred things which the children of Israel shall hallow' (Exodus 28:38). ...Rabbi Yehoshua holds that the frontplate appeases God for the impurity of that which goes up, i.e., the sacrificial parts that are brought onto the altar and burned. These portions may be burned on the altar even when they are impure. This is considered a form of consumption. Since part of meat is therefore suitable for consumption, the blood may be sprinkled..” (Sefaria.org translation)

“Or HaChaim explains why the two words engraved on the Head-plate at this effect.” The word holy is a synonym for the Jewish nation, for they are so described by Jeremiah (2:3). The words ‘to Hashem’ ( meaning God-gg) imply that the nation is completely devoted to Him and His service-and this is sufficient cause for God to accept offerings that would normally be ineligible for placement on the altar.” (Stone Humash, ibid.)