Yerushalmi Megillah 1:11 ירושלמי מגילה א׳:י״א

MISHNAH: The only difference between a public altar and a private altar was the Pesah sacrifice⁴⁶⁴The public altar is the one constructed for the Tabernacle at Sinai, which was the common altar for all tribes. The rules given in Deut. are interpreted to mean that if the altar and the Tabernacle were at one place, Shilo in the time of the Judges, and Jerusalem, private altars were forbidden, but when altar and Tabernacle were at different places, in the time between the destruction of Shilo and the building of the Temple when the Tent was in Nob, the Ark at Bet Shemesh, Qiryat Yearim, or Jerusalem and the altar at Gibeon, private altars were permitted since a place can be considered to be “selected by the Eternal” only if it is the place both of the altar and the complete Tent. Mishnah Zevaḥim14:4–10.. This is the principle: Anything which can be vowed or donated²²³Dedications of animals as Temple sacrifices. is sacrificed on a private altar; but nothing which cannot be vowed or donated is sacrificed on a private altar.

HALAKHAH: [“The only difference between a public altar and a private altar, etc.”] Rebbi Joḥanan spent three years that he did not visit the house of assembly because of pain. At the end Rebbi Eleazar saw in his dream: Tomorrow Sinai will come down and bring a new insight. He came and said before them, from where is this truth verified that divine service is by firstborns?⁴⁷⁰Mishnah Zevaḥim14:4: Before the Tabernacle was erected private altars were permitted and the service was in the hands of the firstborn. From this verse⁴⁷¹Num. 3:13. The reference is to the later part of the verse, I sanctified for Me every firstborn in Israel., for Mine is every firstborn; on the day when I smote every firstborn in the Land of Egypt, etc. And it is written⁴⁷²Ex. 12:12. The firstborn were sanctified to God because the gods of Egypt were destroyed., and on all gods of Egypt I shall pass judgment, etc. Before that what were they doing? Rebecca took the desirable garments of her older son Esaw, which were with her in the house⁴⁷³Gen. 27:15.. What are “the desirable”? That he was acting as High Priest. Rebbi Levi said, the Eternal broke the staff of the evildoers⁴⁷⁴Is. 14:5., these are the firstborn who were the first to sacrifice to the Calf⁴⁷⁵Num. rabba 4(5)..

⁴⁷⁶Babli Zevaḥim115b, Tosefta Zevaḥim 13:1.“Everything is brought on an altar⁴⁷⁷A private altar when it is legitimate. The detailed rules of sacrifices spelled out in Lev. are valid only for places of public worship., domestic and wild animals⁴⁷⁸On a public altar only cattle, sheep and goats are permitted., large and small birds⁴⁷⁹On a public altar only pigeons and turtle doves are permitted., male and female⁴⁸⁰By the rules of Lev. 1:3,10, an elevation sacrifice can only be a male animal., whole [but not] (and)⁴⁸¹Clearly the text of the [corrector] is the only acceptable one. defective, pure⁴⁸²Kosher animals and birds, Lev. 11. but not impure. All are brought as elevation sacrifice and do not need stripping and partitioning⁴⁸³In the Babylonian sources (Note 476): they need stripping (remove the hide) and partitioning.. Gentiles today are permitted to do this.” From where male and female? Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Yose bar Ḥanina: and the cows they offered as elevation offering to the Eternal.⁴⁸⁴1S. 6:14, referring to the cows which drew the cart on which the Philistines returned the Ark to Bet Shemesh. Since the place at Shilo was inactive without the Ark in the Tabernacle, it was a time when private altars were permitted. From where whole [but not] (and)⁴⁸¹Clearly the text of the [corrector] is the only acceptable one. defective? Rebbi Yasa said, Rebbi Eleazar made it clear to the colleagues, from all living, from integer flesh⁴⁸⁵Gen. 6:19. The animal must be complete from the outside. It does not need inspection of its internal organs as required for kosher consumption of the meat or as sacrifice on a public altar. Babli Zevaḥim 116a., that they should be complete in their limbs. Plucked? Rebbi Eleazar made it clear, any bird, any wing⁴⁸⁶Gen. 7:14. If the feathers are removed, the bird has no more wings., to exclude plucked ones. From where pure but not impure? Rebbi Abba the son of Rebbi Pappai, Rebbi Joshua from Sikhnin in the name of Rebbi Levi: Noah pondered a lesson from the Torah. He said, it already was said to me, like vegetables from the field I gave you everything⁴⁸⁷Gen.9:3. While Adam was created as a vegetarian (Gen. 1:29), Noah was told to be an omnivore.. Why did Scripture increase the pure ones? For sacrifices. And Gentiles today are permitted to do this. Rebbi Abba in the name of Rav Jehudah, it is forbidden to a Jew to help him and it is forbidden to become his agent⁴⁸⁸Since private altars were forbidden after the building of the Temple, Jews cannot be involved in any way in building or serving such an altar. Babli Zevaḥim 116b..

Antoninus⁴⁸⁹A crypto-Jewish Roman Emperor, probably of the Severan dynasty. It is futile to try to determine to whom one refers; cf. Kilaim9:4, Note 79. It was implied already in Halakhah 1 that Gentiles may have part in the World to Come. asked Rebbi, may I build an altar? He said to him, build it and hide its stones. May one make incense for him? He said to him, make it without one of its ingredients. Was it not stated, you may not make for yourselves⁴⁹⁰Ex. 30:37.? You may not make for yourselves [but] others may make for you⁴⁹¹Gentiles may make the incense for non-sacral use.. Rebbi Ḥanania said, this was for Rebbi Romanos⁴⁹²Rebbi’s agent for matters to be done outside the seat of the Patriarchate. whom Rebbi sent to make it for him. ⁴⁹³A parallel, in slightly different order, is in Sanhedrin 10:6 (Notes 331–338). There, in Halakhah 3:12, and in Midrashic sources, the Emperor is called Antolinus. There are indications implying that (Antolinus) [Antoninus] converted; there are indications implying that (Antolinus) [Antoninus] did not convert. One saw him walking with a slight shoe on the Day of Atonement³³²The scroll may not be used for public readings.. What do you infer since even God-fearing people go outside thus? (Antolinus) [Antoninus] said to Rebbi, can I eat from the Leviathan⁴⁹⁵The just feasting on Leviathan meat in the World to Come are also mentioned in Lev. rabba 22(7), Babli Bava batra74b–75a. in the World to Come? He said to him, yes. He told him, from the Passover lamb you would not let me eat, but from Leviathan you make me eat? He answered, what can we do for you since about the Passover lamb it is written that no uncircumcised man may eat from it⁴⁹⁶Ex. 12:48.. When he heard this, he went and circumcized. He came to Rebbi and said to him, look at my circumcision. He answered him, at mine I never looked⁴⁹⁷It is indecent to look at sexual organs. Other references to this insert are Megillah3:3 (74a l.39); Avodah zarah 3:1 (42c l.5); Babli Šabbat 118b, Pesaḥim 104a., and at yours I should look? Why is he called our holy teacher? Because he never in his life looked at his circumcision. And why is his name Naḥum the holiest of holies⁴⁹⁸An otherwise unknown personality.? Because he never in his life looked at the figure on a coin. This implies that (Antolinus) [Antoninus] converted. The statement of the rabbis implies that (Antolinus) [Antoninus] did (not) convert, as ³³¹“Open at the start” means that the writing of the first paragraph starts only in the middle of the line. This is normal for paragraphs following a closed paragraph. Open at the bottom means that the remainder of the last line of the paragraph remains empty; this is the definition of an open paragraph. Open on both sides implies open at the start. Rebbi Ḥizqiah, Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar said: When in the Future World the proselytes come, (Antolinus) [Antoninus] comes at the head of all of them.

Rebbi Eleazar and Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina. Rebbi Eleazar said, the Sons of Noah brought well-being offerings. Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, the Sons of Noah brought elevation offerings⁴⁹⁹Noah certainly sacrificed elevation sacrifices (Gen. 8:20); therefore these are certainly permitted on any private altar. Well-being sacrifices can be permitted on a private altar only if they are permitted to Gentiles, the children of Noah. In order to permit well-being sacrifices on private altars one must find examples of such sacrifices from the time preceding the epiphany on Sinai. Babli Zevaḥim 116a.. Rebbi Eleazar objected to Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: Is it not written, and Abel also brought from the firstlings of his sheep and of their excellence⁵⁰⁰Gen. 4:4. In Torah law, firstlings are sacrificed as special well-being offerings.
In Lev. it is quite clear that “fat” in general is חֵלֶב ;פֶּדֶר is used only for fat destined to the altar and forbidden to humans. The suffixed form is חֶלְבְּהֶ֑ן. In Gen. the suffixed form is וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן; one has to explain חֵלֶב in 4:4 and 45:18 from Accadic ẖilibū “magnificence, splendor, excellence.” This interpretation is accepted here.. What does Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina do with this? From their luxurious ones. Rebbi Eleazar objected to Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: Is it not written, he sent the young men of Israel and they offered elevation offerings⁵⁰¹Ex. 24:5. The argument is the part of the verse which is not quoted: they sacrificed oxen as well-being sacrifices to the Eternal., etc.? What does Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina do with this? Entire in their bodies, without stripping and partitioning⁵⁰²Instead of שְׁלָמִים he reads שְׁלֵמִים. Cf. Babli Ḥagigah 6b.. Rebbi Eleazar objected to Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: [Is it not written, Jethro, Moses’s in-law, took elevation and well-being offerings for God⁵⁰³Ex. 18:12. While the corrector’s addition seems to be a logical necessity, it probably is taken from Babli Zevaḥim116a.?] What does Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina do with this? Following him who said that Jethro came after the giving of the Torah⁵⁰⁴His sacrifices followed all rules of Lev.. Rebbi Ḥuna said, Jehudah the great one and Rebbi Yannai disagreed. One said, Jethro came before the giving of the Torah; but the other one said, Jethro came after the giving of the Torah. We did not know who said what. Let us hear from the following: Jethro, the priest of Midyan, Moses’s in-law, heard⁵⁰⁵Ex. 18:1.. What did he hear? Ḥizqiah said, he heard the parting of the Reed Sea. Rebbi Joshua said, he heard the parting of the Reed Sea. [Rebbi Levi said, he heard the war of Amaleq.] The Great Jehudah said, he heard the giving of the Torah. Therefore he must be the one who said, Jethro came after the giving of the Torah. Rebbi Abba and Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, the following supports Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: Awake North, and come South⁵⁰⁶Cant. 4:16.. Awake North refers to the elevation sacrifice which is slaughtered in the North. What means “awake”? What was sleeping⁵⁰⁷Old practices resurrected. and awoke. And come South refers to well-being sacrifices which are slaughtered in the South. What means “come”? Something new⁵⁰⁸This is R. Yose ben Ḥanina’s argument that well-being sacrifices were introduced only by the Torah.. What does Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina do with this? When the diasporas in the North awake and build the Temple in the South. Rebbi Abba the son of Rebbi Pappai, Rebbi Joshua from Sikhnin in the name of Rebbi Levi: also the following verse supports Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: This is the teaching about the elevation sacrifice⁵⁰⁹Lev. 6:2.. This is the elevation sacrifice which the Sons of Noah were sacrificing. When he comes to well-being sacrifice he says, this is the teaching about the well-being sacrifice⁵¹⁰Lev. 7:11. Again the argument is from the continuation of the verse, not quoted.. It is not written “which one brought” but shall bring from now on..

Where are burned oxen and burned goats burned⁵¹¹Lev. 6:23. Any purification offering whose blood was brought inside the Sanctuary has to be burned (the purification sacrifices of the anointed High Priest, the community, and those of the Day of Atonement.)? On a grave⁵¹²The paradigm of a place of impurity. In Lev. 4:12 it is ordered that the High Priest’s bull be burned on a place of purity. It is stated here that this applies only to the functioning Sanctuary in the desert, at Shilo, and in the Temple, but not at any other public altar.. Since we have stated, the only difference between a public altar and a private altar was the Pesaḥ sacrifice⁵¹³Since purification sacrifices to be burned are public offerings they seem to be improper on private altars. Does the Mishnah authorize them on private altars?? So in the Mishnah: The only difference between a public altar and a private altar was the Pesaḥ sacrifice exclusively⁵¹⁴This means either that all purification sacrifices are permitted on private altars when such altars are permitted, or that no purification sacrifices are permitted on any altar when private altars are permitted.; not following Rebbi Jehudah, since Rebbi Jehudah said, purification sacrifice and Pesaḥ for the individual on the public altar, no purification sacrifice and Pesaḥ for the individual on a private altar. It was stated⁵¹⁵Babli Zevaḥim 117a, Tosephta Zevaḥim 13:15.: “Rebbi Jehudah said, anything the community sacrifices at the Tent of Meeting in the desert it sacrifices at the Tent of Meeting at Gilgal⁵¹⁶The temporary place of the Tabernacle during the conquest of Canaan under Joshua.. What is the difference between the Tent of Meeting in the desert and the Tent of Meeting at Gilgal? At the Tent of Meeting in the desert was no permission of a private altar; at the Tent of Meeting at Gilgal was permission of a private altar. His altar may be on his roof, but he may sacrifice there only elevation and well-being sacrifices. But the Sages are saying, everything which community or private person sacrifice at the Tent of Meeting in the desert they sacrifice at the Tent of Meeting at Gilgal⁵¹⁷Everybody agrees that on a private altar one could bring only voluntary offerings. On the public altar according to R. Jehudah only public sacrifices are possible; according to the rabbis also obligatory sacrifices of individuals..” What is Rebbi Jehudah’s reason? Do not do at Gilgal everything which we are doing here today⁵¹⁸Deut. 12:8.. What may you do there? Anything straight-forward⁵¹⁹A reformulation of the end of Deut. 12:8.. What is that? That are elevation and well-being sacrifices. What is the rabbis’ reason? At a place where any man may do what is right in his eyes. Do not do everything which we are doing here today. What may you do there? Anything straight-forward. What is that? That are elevation and well-being sacrifices. Rebbi Jehudah says, the individual was warned and the individual was permitted. He was warned, and his private altar is on his roof, and he is permitted elevation and well-being sacrifices. The rabbis are saying, also community and individuals were warned. The community was comprehensively permitted. The individual stays in his prohibition⁵²⁰A commandment in the plural is directed to individuals, in the singular it is interpreted as a collective and addressed to the community as a whole. In Deut. 12:8 the first part is in the plural, the second in the singular. R. Jehudah reads the entire verse as addressed to the individual; therefore on a public altar one may not sacrifice what one cannot do on a private altar (except the case of the Pesaḥ treated in the next paragraph which is a private well-being sacrifice required to be brought on the public altar), whereas the majority splits the verse to permit all kinds of public sacrifices on the public altar. In the tradition of the Babli Zevaḥim117a the roles are switched..

It was stated in the name of Rebbi Simeon⁵²¹Tosephta Zevaḥim13:15. The only sacrifices authorized on a public altar are those fixed beforehand, not depending on circumstances. In the Tosephta, the statement is attributed to R. Jehudah. But since the following text starts with “in addition, R. Simeon says …”, the prior text must be R. Simeon’s (Note of Pene Moshe.): “The community only brings what Scripture fixed for it.” Rebbi Simeon is of the opinion that since when Second Tithe was introduced it was not interrupted⁵²²This statement does not belong here, it was copied from Halakhah 14. Second Tithe is the farmer’s property to be consumed in purity “before the Eternal” (Deut. 14:23). When the Tent was at Nob, the altar at Gibeon, and the Ark at Qiryat Yearim, it is difficult to see where “before the Eternal” was. He posits that the duty of Second Tithe was in force in the interval between Siloh and Solomon’s Temple.. What is between them⁵²³R. Simeon and the majority who permit on the public altar anything sacrificed in the desert.? Rebbi Abba bar Mamal said, the bull of hidden things⁵²⁴Lev. 4:13–21, the purification offering for erroneous acts of the community. is between them. Rebbi Yose says, voluntary offerings of the community are between them. It was stated, both men and women⁵²⁵May sacrifice on a private altar.. Rebbi Joḥanan said, there is no woman here, “man” is written in the paragraph⁵²⁶Deut. 12:8.. It was stated, also a nazir’s sacrifices⁵²⁷May be brought on a private altar. Babli Temurah 14b.. Rebbi Joḥanan said, there are no nazir’s sacrifices here; nazir’s sacrifices are an obligation. It was stated, also libations⁵²⁸As detailed in Num. 15:1–16, required for the sacrifices authorized on private altars. Babli Zevaḥim 111a.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, he who states “libations” does not hold with Rebbi, as it was stated, Rebbi says, I am saying that also after Israel entered the Land, libations only are brought inside⁵²⁹At the altar standing in a sanctified enclosure of the Tabernacle.. What is the reason? In the Sanctuary pour alcoholic libations to the Eternal⁵³⁰Num. 28:7.. A prohibition is written only for inside; from where for the outside? Let us hear from the following. From where that one who slaughters as Pesah for an individual on a private altar or the public altar in a time where altars are forbidden, that he transgresses a prohibition? The verse says, you may not slaughter the Pesaḥ at one⁵³¹Deut. 16:6, read as: only at one place for all of Israel.. He is punished with extirpation and you are saying so⁵³²Since the sacrifice as described is one at an unauthorized place and this is punished by extirpation (Lev. 17:4), whereas the verse quoted treats this as a simple misdemeanor.? Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, this is about one who slaughters in the afternoon not for its name⁵³³Which disqualifies the sacrifice from fulfilling any obligation; Mishnah Zevaḥim 1:1. in a time when altars are permitted. Then why does he say, in a time when altars are forbidden? In a time when his altar is forbidden⁵³⁴Since Pesaḥ may not be brought on a private altar and is a modified well-being offering, a private altar on the afternoon of the 14^th of Nisan is disqualified for any kind of well-being offering.. Why not for its name? That you should not say, it is well-being offering⁵³⁵An animal vowed for Pesaḥ but not used for this purpose automatically is dedicated as well-being offering. and qualified. In addition, from the following: I could think that if he slaughtered it in the afternoon it should be qualified. Why do you have (in the afternoon it should be qualified) [in the morning it should be disqualified]⁵³⁶The corrector’s text is to be deleted.? No. It is not for its name⁵³³Which disqualifies the sacrifice from fulfilling any obligation; Mishnah Zevaḥim 1:1.. Rebbi Yose said, this implies that well-being sacrifices brought because of Pesaḥ⁵³⁶The corrector’s text is to be deleted. are qualified on an altar. Would an elevation offering be brought because of a reparation sacrifice be qualified on an altar according to Rebbi Eleazar? Let us hear from the following: “This is the principle: Anything which can be vowed or donated²²³Dedications of animals as Temple sacrifices. is sacrificed on a private altar; but nothing which cannot be vowed or donated is sacrificed on a private altar.”

Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, the altar is permitted only by a prophet. What is the reason? Guard yourself lest you bring your elevation offerings at any place you are seeing, except at a place ⁵³⁷Deut. 12:13–14. The argument is from the part not quoted, except at a place which the Eternal will chose, by informing a prophet of His choice. etc. ⁵³⁸Ta`aniot 2:8, Notes 164–165. And Elijah sacrifices when local altars are forbidden? Rebbi Simlai said, the Word He said to him⁵³⁹1K. 18:36.: I acted on Your saying. I acted following Your Word.