Commento su Levitico 14:13

‎ ‎'במקום אשר ישחט וגו‎‎‎ IN THE PLACE WHERE HE SHALL SLAUGHTER etc. — i.e. on the side of the altar on the north. But why is this stated at all? Has it not already been stated in in the law about the guilt-offering in the section צו את אהרן that the guilt-offering requires slaughtering on the north side of the altar? But because this guilt-offering has gone forth from (was made an exception to) the general rule of the guilt- offerings in that it is subject to the law of being placed before the Lord (v. 11), one might think that its slaughtering should be in the spot where it was placed (in the gateway of Nicanor; i. e. it shall be made an exception also in respect to the place where it should be slaughtered); on that account it states, “and he shall slaughter [the lamb] in the place where he slaughters [the sin-offering] etc ” (Sifra, Metzora, Section 3 8).

To be subject to being placed. You might ask: Why does Scripture not reveal with regard to the sin-offering and the burnt-offering that they too must be slaughtered in the north? They too departed from the general rule of sin-offerings and burnt-offerings to be subject to being placed [at the Nicanor Gate], as it is written (v. 11): “The kohein shall place,” which refers to all the offerings needed by the one undergoing the purification. The answer is: Why would you think they do not need to be slaughtered in the north? With regard to the guilt-offering it is understandable that Scripture needs to reveal [that it must be slaughtered in the north], because a guilt-offering is different in that its blood has to be put on the thumb and the ear’s middle ridge of the man undergoing the purification. [Thus,] I might think that it is permitted to slaughter the guiltoffering in the place where the man undergoing the purification is standing, since the kohein brings the blood there to put on his thumbs and the middle ridge of his ear. But with regard to the sin-offering and burnt-offering — no blood is needed there at all!

‎י כחטאת‏‎כ FOR AS THE SIN-OFFERING [SO IS THE GUILT-OFFERING TO THE PRIEST] — This means, for as all sin-offerings so this guilt-offering הוא לכהן is to the priest, i. e. as regards all sacrificial rites which depend upon the priest this guilt-offering is made exactly similar to the sin-offering. In order that you should not say: Since its blood is made an exception to the general rule governing other guilt-offerings in that this is placed upon the tip of the ear and upon the thumbs, it must also form an exception in that it should not require the placing of the blood and the fat portions upon the altar, it therefore expressly states, “for as all sin-offerings so is this guilt-offering to the priest” (לכהן, in reference to the priest, so far as he is concerned). One might also think that its blood must be sprinkled on the upper part of the altar as is the case with the sin-offering! Therefore it says: (Leviticus 7:1, 2) “it is most holy … and its blood shall he sprinkle round about the altar”. So it is set forth in Torath Cohanim (cf. Sifra, Metzora, Chapter 3 1; Zevachim 49a).

Has been made similar. The meaning of, “regarding all the services which depend on the kohein” is that just as with regard to the sin-offering the animal comes from unconsecrated [livestock], [it is offered] in the day, [the service is done] with the right hand, and it requires a [sacred] vessel, so too this guiltoffering. [But] it is not like a sin-offering to be given to the kohein.

Above as a sin-offering. Meaning: It is known that the height of the altar is ten amos, and in the middle of its height there was a red line around the altar to divide between the blood [placed] above and that [placed] below. Regarding the sin-offering it is written (4:25): “[The kohein shall take some blood of the sin-offering with his finger and put it] atop the corners of the altar.” Perforce [the sin-offering is] of the [offerings whose blood is] put above. But, regarding the guilt-offering it is not is written “corners,” perforce its blood is [put] below.

The verse says, etc. The verse says, “This is the teaching of the guilt-offering.” The word תורת always comes to include, so that the guilt-offering of the metzoro should have its blood placed below the red line, even though it is connected to the sin-offering pertaining to other matters.