kedushat haguf vs kedushat damim TY Shekalim 12

Today’s daf TY Shekalim 12 is an intricate and difficult page to study. We are dealing the case when somebody consecrate his possessions which contains both animals and property without specifying whether the animals are to be sacrificed upon the Altar or sold and the money used for the upkeep of the Temple (בֶּדֶק הַבָּיִת-bedek habayit). The argument in the Mishna between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua revolves around what kind of sanctity the donated animals acquire. The sanctity of animals designated for the altar (קדושת הגוף-kedushat haguf, sanctification of the animal itself) is greater than the sanctity for things designated for the upkeep of the Temple (קדושת דמים-kedushat damim, the sanctification of its monetary worth).

Rabbi Eliezer holds that these animals only acquire the sanctification of monetary worth and used for the upkeep of the Temple. The animals are sold to people who need them for specific sacrifices like the olah (a whole burnt offering-gg) or shelamim (a well-being offering-gg) and the money is used exclusively for the upkeep of the Temple. Rabbi Yokhanan in Gemara provides the scriptural basis for Rabbi Eliezer’s position. Scripture states (Leviticus 27:14): And if a man consecrate his house to be holy to God, the kohen shall evaluate it… Now, with what are we dealing in this verse? If you will say with the dwelling place, this cannot be, because (a dwelling place) is already written in the next verse (15) If the consecrator will redeem his house. What, then, does Scripture mean when he speaks of “his house,” in the previous verse, Rather, we are dealing in this verse with one who consecrate his property. That is, when the verse states “his house” is to be understood in the more general sense of “his possessions.” (The verse then states holy to God.) From here we derive that unspecific consecration’s or for the upkeep of the Temple. (Art Scroll translation)

Rabbi Yehoshua disagrees and claims that these animals suitable for the Altar acquire kedushat haguf, sanctification of the animal itself and are offered up on the Altar. The rest of the sanctified objects are sold and the money is used for the Temple upkeep. Rabbi Z’eira provides the scriptural basis for Rabbi Yehoshua’s position. The verse (Leviticus 22:18) states Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the children of Israel and say to them: any man of the house of Israel etc. who will bring his offering… to God as an olah. This teaches us that all consecrated items which are of a type that can be offered up upon the altar are brought as olot (plural of olah-gg), unless otherwise specified. The next verse continues To be favorable for you, (it must be) unblemished, male etc. Thus, I might think that the rules that unspecified consecration’s go towards olot applies only to male animals; from where do we know the even female animals that consecrated without specification attain olah sanctification, and thus even though they cannot be offered as olot, they are sold and the proceeds go to the purchase of olot? (This verse) therefore states from the cattle, in order to include females (because both male and female are called “cattle”-Tiklin Chadtin commentary). (Art Scroll translation))