All of the sacrifices of living animals comes from five species alone: a) cattle, b) sheep, c) goats, d) turtle doves, and e) small doves.¹ 3:2 with regard to the differences between these species. In this chapter, the Rambam outlines the different types of animal sacrifices and which animals are offered for each one.

footnotes: ¹ See Hilchot Issurei Mizbeiach

All of the sacrifices - whether those brought by the community or by individuals - are of four types: a) burnt-offerings, b) sin-offerings, c) guilt-offerings, and d) peace-offerings.

There are also three other types of individual sacrifices: a) the Paschal sacrifice, b) the sacrifice of the firstborn,² and d) the tithe³ sacrifice.⁴, the Rambam speaks of "peace-offerings and [offerings] that resemble peace-offerings." He later explains that the term "[offerings] that resemble peace-offerings" refers to the three types of sacrifices mentioned here, because they resemble peace-offerings." He elaborates on that theme in his commentary to Zevachim 5:5, explaining that the procedure in which these three sacrifices are offered resembles that of the peace-offerings with only minor differences. For that reason and because they are offerings which a person is required to bring only on specific and infrequent occasions, he does not consider them as a separate category of sacrifices.

footnotes: ² The sacrifice of the firstborn of one's cattle or flocks. ³ I.e., the tithing of one's cattle or flocks. ⁴ In his Commentary to the Mishnah, in the introduction to the order of Kodshim

All of the communal offerings are burnt-offerings or sin-offerings. There are no communal peace-offerings except the two sheep offered with the bread that is waved on Shavuot.⁵ They are called "the sacrifices of communal peace offerings." The community never offers a guilt offering, nor a fowl.

footnotes: ⁵ I.e., the two loaves offered that day. The Rambam is borrowing the wording of Leviticus 23:17.

The communal offerings are the two temidim⁶ offered every day,⁷ 1:1-3. the additional offerings of the Sabbaths,⁸ 4:9. Rashei Chodashim, and the festivals,⁹, chs. 7-10. and the sin-offering of a goat brought on Yom Kippur.¹⁰ 10:2. Similarly, if [the High] Court¹¹ of 71 judges who would hold their sessions in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. inadvertently gave an erroneous ruling with regard to the worship of false deities, every tribe is required to bring a bull and a goat. The bull is brought as a burnt-offering and the goat as a sin-offering. These goats are called "the goats of false deities." If they inadvertently gave an erroneous ruling with regard to other mitzvot, they bring a bull as a sin-offering. It is called "the bull associated with the overlooking of a matter by the community."¹² 12:1.

footnotes: ⁶ Literally "continuous offerings." ⁷ See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim ⁸ See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim ⁹ See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim ¹⁰ See Hilchot Temidim UMusafim ¹¹ The Sanhedrin ¹² Both of these sacrifices are described in Hilchot Shegagot

The sacrifices [brought by] individuals include: a) the firstborn offerings,¹³, ch. 1. b) the tithe offerings,¹⁴, ch. 6. c) the Paschal offerings,¹⁵, ch. 1. d) the chagigah offerings, i.e., the peace offerings [brought in association with the pilgrimage festivals], e) the pilgrimage offering which is a burnt-offering,¹⁶, ch. 1. f) the sacrifice brought by a convert, that involves a burnt-offering from a domesticated animal, two small doves or two turtle doves; both of them are burnt-offerings, or two domesticated animals, one as a burnt-offering and one as a peace-offering,¹⁷, ch. 1. g) one who vows¹⁸ or pledges¹⁹ a burnt-offering or a peace offering,²⁰) which describes these sacrifices. h) peace-offerings that are accompanied by bread; they are called thanksgiving offerings,²¹ i) the sacrifices of a nazirite,²² which are a burnt-offering, a sin-offering, and a peace-offering,²³, ch. 8. j) the sacrifices of a *metzora,*²⁴ a skin ailment, similar, but not identical, to leprosy. which are a sin-offering, and a guilt-offering, and a burnt-offering,²⁵, ch. 4. k) the sacrifices of a zav²⁶ a zavah,²⁷ and a women after childbirth; they are a sin-offering and a burnt-offering,²⁸ 1:3. l) the sacrifice brought by a person who inadvertently violated a negative commandment punishable by karet;²⁹ it is a sin-offering,³⁰, ch. 1. m) if a person was unsure of whether he transgressed or not, that transgressor brings a guilt-offering; it is called a conditional guilt-offering,³¹ n) there are certain sins³² must bring this offering. for which one brings a guilt-offering [to atone for their transgression]; this is called a definite guilt-offering,³³ o) similarly, the ram brought as a burnt-offering and the bull the High Priest brings from his own resources as a sin-offering on Yom Kippur,³⁴, ch. 4, which describes the offering of these sacrifices. are individual offerings; the bull is called "the bull of Yom Kippur." All of these sacrifices are explicitly mentioned in the Torah and the laws governing each of them are explained in the appropriate places.

footnotes: ¹³ See Hilchot Bechorot ¹⁴ See Hilchot Bechorot ¹⁵ See Hilchot Korban Pesach ¹⁶ Both of these sacrifices are described in Hilchot Chagigah ¹⁷ See Hilchot Mechusrei Kapparah ¹⁸ A person vows to bring either a burnt-offering or a peace-offering. ¹⁹ A person pledges to bring a particular animal as a burnt-offering or a peace-offering. ²⁰ See Chapter 14 of these halachot (Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot ²¹ See Chapter 9, Halachah 5, and onward which describe this sacrifice. ²² One who took a vow not to drink wine. ²³ See Hilchot Nizirut ²⁴ A person afflicted with tzara'at ²⁵ See Hilchot Mechusrei Kaparah ²⁶ A male who has emissions from his sexual organ similar to those resulting from a gonorrheal infection. ²⁷ A woman who experiences vaginal bleeding outside her menstrual cycle. ²⁸ See Hilchot Mechusrei Kaparah ²⁹ Premature death at the hand of heaven and the soul being cut off in the World to Come. ³⁰ See Hilchot Shegagot ³¹ See Chapter 9 which describes both these types of sacrifices. ³² When he engaged in relations with a maid-servant who was married, robbed, made mundane use of consecrated property. Similarly, a nazirite who became impure and a person afflicted with tzara'at ³³ See Chapter 9 which describes both these types of sacrifices. ³⁴ See Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim

[The person bringing] any of the individual offerings is responsible for them and for their accompanying offerings³⁵ with the exception of an animal pledged as sacrifice.³⁶ [The community at large] is not responsible for sacrifices or their accompanying offerings.³⁷ 26a states: "If the time passes, the sacrifice is nullified." If a sacrifice was offered, they are responsible for its additional offerings.³⁸ When an individual's sacrifice was required to be offered at a fixed time,³⁹ it is like a communal offering and the person is not responsible for it.⁴⁰

footnotes: ³⁵ I.e., if the animal he designated as a sacrifice dies or the meal or wine offering designated for the sacrifices was spoiled, he must bring another one in its place. ³⁶ As will be explained in ch. 14, in that instance, the person is not vowing to bring a sacrifice, he designated a particular animal as a sacrifice. Hence if that animal is lost, he is not obligated to replace it. ³⁷ We are speaking about sacrifices that are required to be brought at a specific time. If for some reason, the community was unable to bring them at that time, they are not required to bring them afterwards. As Berachot ³⁸ For these additional offerings may be brought even at a later date, as will be explained in Chapter 2, Halachah 12. ³⁹ Like the Paschal or festive offerings. ⁴⁰ In this instance as well, since the time passed, the sacrifice cannot be brought. In truth, the matter is not at all dependent on whether an individual's sacrifice or a communal offering is involved. The determining factor is whether there is a specific time associated with the sacrifice or not (Radbaz).

All of the animals brought as burnt-offerings must only be male.⁴¹ It may be brought from sheep, goats, or cattle, whether large or small.⁴² They may also be brought from turtle doves and small doves, whether male or female.⁴³

footnotes: ⁴¹ Leviticus 22:18-19 speaks of bringing the three species mentioned as burnt offerings and specifies that they must be male. ⁴² Provided they are eight days old, as explained in Halachah 11. ⁴³ The Torah does not make any specification with regard to fowl.

A sin-offering may be brought from these five species, from both males and females, from small ones and large ones.

A guilt-offering may be brought only from male sheep. There are guilt-offerings that come from large members of this species⁴⁴ and others which come from small members of this species.⁴⁵

footnotes: ⁴⁴ Those brought for the sins mentioned in note 32. ⁴⁵ The guilt offering brought by a nazirite.

Peace offerings may be brought from sheep, goats, or cattle, from males and females, whether large or small. A fowl may not be brought as a peace offering. [When describing an animal as] small, [the intent] is one between the eighth day⁴⁶ 3:4. and a full year, from day to day. If the year was declared a leap year, [the extra month is included]. "Large" implies until three full years from day to day for cattle, for flocks,⁴⁷ until two full years from day to day. From this age onward, [the animal] is considered as "old" and it should not be brought as an offering.

footnotes: ⁴⁶ Before eight days, it is forbidden to bring an animal as a sacrifice, as stated in Hilchot Isssurei Mizbeiach ⁴⁷ Both sheep and goats.

Although all of the sacrifices are acceptable if they are brought from the eighth day onward, as an initial preference, we do not bring [an animal] as a sacrifice until it is 30 days old or older⁴⁸ with the exception of a firstborn offering,⁴⁹ a Paschal offering, and a tithe offering.⁵⁰ 1:4)]. The Radbaz and the Kessef Mishneh note that the mishnah cited also states that the same laws apply to offerings that were vowed or pledged and question why the Rambam does not mention them in this halachah. The Radbaz notes that the Rambam does not mention pledges and vows in his Commentary to the Mishnah and maintains that he possessed a different version of the mishnah. If one desires to offer these sacrifices from the eighth day onward, he may.

footnotes: ⁴⁸ If it was brought earlier, it is acceptable after the fact (Radbaz). ⁴⁹ Since Exodus 22:29 explicitly states that a firstborn animal may be offered on its eighth day of life, our Sages did not desire to place any restrictions on the offering. It may be offered on the eighth day even as an initial preference. ⁵⁰ The tithe offering and the Paschal sacrifice are, like the firstborn offering, sacrifices of lesser sanctity and the laws governing the pouring of their blood on the altar are the same. Hence, our Sages considered them the same in this instance as well [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Parah

Hours are counted with regard to consecrated animals,⁵¹ 18b uses Biblical exegesis to teach that we count from the hour of an animal's birth. i.e., if their [lives] were an hour longer⁵² or an hour was subtracted from their [lives],⁵³ they are unacceptable. What is implied? When it is required that a sacrifice be less than a year old, if an hour was added to its year, it is invalidated. Even if it was merely a year old when it was slaughtered and additional time was added before its blood was sprinkled [on the altar], it is invalidated. It must be less than a year until the time the blood is sprinkled [on the altar]. Similar [laws] apply with regard to all the sacrifices.

footnotes: ⁵¹ Generally, years are counted from day to day and not from hour to hour. For example, with regard to a child becoming Bar Mitzvah at age 13, if he was born at 3 PM on the sixteenth of Elul, he reaches Bar Mitzvah at nightfall on the sixteenth of Elul. He need not wait until 3 in the afternoon. With regard to sacrifices, however, Zevachim ⁵² As the Rambam describes in the following clause. ⁵³ This refers to an animal like a ram that is not acceptable for sacrifice until it is a year and 30 days old. It is not acceptable until the hour of its birth passes on the thirty-first day.

Whenever the Torah uses the expressions, "a male sheep," "a female sheep," "sheep," the intent is [an animal] in its first year [of life]. "A ram" or "rams"⁵⁴, Hebrew for ram, is identified with strength. Implied is that the animal must reach a stage of maturity that endows it with strength and power. implies males in their second year [of life]. When is an animal called a ram? When 31 days of its second year of life pass. On the thirtieth day, however, it is not acceptable, neither as a sheep, nor as a ram. [At this stage,] it is called a pilgas.⁵⁵ 1:3), the Rambam explains that the term carries an allusion to the Hebrew phrase peleg gas, implying that it has passed its limits exceedingly. Similarly, this animal is in an intermediate state, having left one category, but not entered another. Whenever the expression "a calf" is used, the intent is [an animal] in its first year [of life]. The term "bull" implies that the animal is in its second year of life. The term "a goat kid" implies that it is in its first year, "a goat," that it is in its second year. Throughout the second year, it is called a goat.⁵⁶ with regard to goats.

footnotes: ⁵⁴ The term, ayil ⁵⁵ This is a Greek term. In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Parah ⁵⁶ Perhaps the Rambam's intent is that there is no concept of a pilgas

All of the communal offerings are male. All⁵⁷. The standard printed text has a slightly different version. of the communal sin offerings⁵⁸ come from goats or from cattle, none are brought from sheep. All of the communal burnt offerings are from sheep or cattle; there are no burnt-offerings brought from goats. All of the sin-offerings brought by individuals are female. They may be eaten by the priests and they do not come from cattle except three: a) the sin-offering of a nasi⁵⁹ 15:6. which is a goat⁶⁰ and is eaten, b) the sin-offering of the anointed priest which is a bull,⁶¹). which is burnt;⁶² it is called "the bull that comes because of [the violation of] any mitzvah;" c) the bull brought by the High Priest on Yom Kippur;⁶³ 1:1; 4:1. it is a sin-offering that is burnt.

footnotes: ⁵⁷ Our translation is based on early printing and authoritative manuscripts of the Mishneh Torah ⁵⁸ Brought on Rosh Chodesh or the festivals and those mentioned in the following halachot. ⁵⁹ I.e., a king as stated in Hilchot Shegagot ⁶⁰ I.e., as opposed to ordinary sin-offerings which can be either a goat or a sheep, the prince's offering must be a goat and it must be male in contrast to those offerings which are female. ⁶¹ I.e. the High Priest, but only one who was anointed. If he assumed his office through wearing the garments of the High Priest (as did the High Priests of the Second Temple), he is not required to bring this sacrifice (Hilchot Shegagot, loc. cit. ⁶² I.e., and not eaten. ⁶³ See Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim

All of the communal sin-offerings are eaten with the exception of the goat offered on Yom Kippur whose partner is sent [to Azazel],⁶⁴ 1:1; 4:1. the goats brought [because of the violation⁶⁵ of the prohibition against] idol worship,⁶⁶ 12:1. and the bull [brought because of the violation of] a law forgotten [by the High Court].⁶⁷ "The bull that comes because of [the violation of] any mitzvah"⁶⁸). and the bull [brought because of] a law forgotten [by the High Court] are called "the bulls that are burnt." The goats brought [because of the violation of the prohibition against] idol worship are called "the goats that are burnt." Thus there are five sin-offerings that are burnt: two are individual offerings⁶⁹ and three are communal offerings.⁷⁰ 12:5)]. Significantly, in his Commentary to Parah 8:3, the Rambam does not mention the goat offered on Yom Kippur among the goats that are burnt.

footnotes: ⁶⁴ See Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim ⁶⁵ By people at large due to a erroneous ruling by the High Court. ⁶⁶ See Hilchot Shegagot ⁶⁷ By people at large due to a erroneous ruling by the High Court. ⁶⁸ I.e. the High Priest, but only one who was anointed. If he assumed his office through wearing the garments of the High Priest (as did the High Priests of the Second Temple), he is not required to bring this sacrifice (Hilchot Shegagot, loc. cit. ⁶⁹ The two bulls brought by the High Priest mentioned in the previous halachah. ⁷⁰ The bulls and the goats brought because of transgressions performed due to a erroneous ruling by the High Court and the goat offered as a sin offered on Yom Kippur [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Zevachim

All of these offerings are called zevachim.⁷¹ 47a. He questions the reason for the Rambam's inclusion of this point and explains that it can resolve a question that might arise if a person made a particular pledge. All of the burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, guilt-offerings, and the two sheep brought as peace-offerings on Shavuos are called "sacrifices of the highest order of sanctity."⁷² Peace offerings brought by an individual, the firstborn offerings, the tithe offerings, and the Paschal offerings, are called "sacrifices of a lesser degree of sanctity."⁷³

footnotes: ⁷¹ The Radbaz notes that this appellation is found in Zevachim ⁷² See Chapter 5, Halachot 2-3. ⁷³ See Chapter 5, Halachah 4.

The limbs and organs that are burnt on the altar from the sin-offerings that are eaten, from the guilt-offerings, and from the peace-offerings⁷⁴ are called eimorim.⁷⁵), the Rambam explains that this term is derived from the term emar, "spoke," i.e., these are the organs spoken about, i.e., specified by God to be burnt. These are the eimorim of an ox or a goat: the fat that is on the inner organs,⁷⁶ (Leviticus 3:3, et al) refers to the inner digestive organs. That verse speaks of "the fat that covers the inner organs" and "all the fat on the inner organs." The first term refers to a large membrane that covers all of these organs like a sack. The second term refers to the fat on the organs themselves. included with that is the fat that is on the maw,⁷⁷, "all," our Sages understood that additional fat was to be brought. the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, together with the fat that is on the flanks, the lobe of the liver, and a small portion of the liver should also be taken with its lobe.⁷⁸. If the sacrifice is from sheep, he should add to these the fat tail⁷⁹, "fat tail" is not appropriate with regard to them and their tails are not offered (Radbaz). in its entirety⁸⁰. In this context, temimah means "entire." together with the vertebrae from the spine until the place of the kidneys, as [Levitcus 3:9] states: "he shall remove it opposite the kidneys." All of the eimorim are burnt on the outer altar.⁸¹ 2:11.

footnotes: ⁷⁴ The Rambam does not mention the burnt offering, because then the entire animal is burnt. ⁷⁵ In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Introduction to the Order of Kodshim ⁷⁶ The Biblical term kerev ⁷⁷ I.e., one of the animals four stomachs. Since the verse uses the term kol ⁷⁸ These are also mentioned explicitly in Leviticus 3:10, et al ⁷⁹ The tails of goat and cattle do not collect fat. Hence the term alyah ⁸⁰ Leviticus 3:9 speaks of haalyah temimah ⁸¹ The inner altar is used only for incense and the blood sprinkled on it on Yom Kippur. See Hilchot K'lei HaMikdash

If a [sacrificial] animal was pregnant, even though the fetus had been carried for a full term, and even if it was discovered to be alive [after the mother was slaughtered],⁸² 7:3. its fat should not be offered together with the fat of its mother. Instead, only the fat of the mother is offered. The fetus is considered as one of its limbs.⁸³ from each must be offered on the altar. Instead, only the mother is considered as the sacrifice and the fetus is considered as an appendage to it. If the sacrifice is a sin offering, it is given to the priests to partake of. If it is a peace offering, it is given to the owner. Females are not sacrificed as guilt offerings.

footnotes: ⁸² In which instance, its fat is forbidden to be eaten, as stated in Hilchot Ma'achalot Assurot ⁸³ We do not consider it as if two animals were offered as this sacrifice and the eimorim