Commento su Deuteronomio 12:15

רק בכל אות נפשך HOWEVER [THOU MAYEST SLAUGHTER AND EAT FLESH IN ALL THY GATES] IN EVERY LONGING OF THY SOUL — About what is Scripture here speaking? If you say that it speaks about בשר תאוה (flesh eaten for satisfying the appetite — an ordinary meal of meat and not a sacrificial meal) and that this verse is intended to permit it to them without offering the fat portions on the altar, behold, it states in another passage (v. 20) “When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy boundary … and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, [because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh in every longing of thy soul]”! About what, then, is this verse speaking? About consecrated animals which had become blemished, — that they must be redeemed and may then be eaten in anyplace (בכל שעריך). One might think that they may be redeemed and thus divested of their holy character also on account of a transitory blemish! Scripture, however, uses the expression רק (which word has a limitative force) (Sifrei Devarim 71:1).

בכל אות נפשך, in parts of the country where the Temple does not stand, where it is not acceptable to G’d for us to offer sacrifices. In such locations meat may be eaten without first having become an offering on the altar.

Perhaps they may be redeemed even with a transient blemish?, etc. I.e., even if they were afflicted with a blemish that will definitely heal, perhaps they may be redeemed and eaten immediately after being afflicted — even though it will ultimately heal. The Torah therefore teaches, “except.” For the terms, “except,” and “only,” are intended to exclude; and here it comes to exclude a transient blemish [from being redeemed].