iTorah

Loading, Please Wait...

v3.3.0
A Yissachar / Zebulun Partnership in Loving Memory of Yishak ben Simcha A"H & Felicia bat Miriam A"H
Rabbi Joseph Dana

Torah Lecture

Mishnah Zevahim 5-6

Lectured by Rabbi Joseph Dana

Published
July 29, 2025
Duration
2:43
Lecture code
RJD-ZEVAHIM-5-6

This transcript was auto-generated and polished for readability. While we aim for accuracy, errors may occur. If you notice a mistake, please click to submit corrections.

We concluded talking about the Kodshei Kodashim (most sacred offerings) in the last Mishnah. Now we'll talk about the Kodashim Kalim, the Korbanot (offerings) of lesser holiness. The Mishnah says that Todah (thanksgiving offering), the Korban Todah, is brought by somebody who survived something very dangerous. We would say Birkat HaGomel for these things nowadays. The four that the Gemara brings down are somebody who traveled by sea, somebody who traveled by desert, somebody who was released from a jail sentence, and somebody who was very sick in a life-threatening way. All of these people would bring a Korban Todah. Together with the animal, they would bring 40 loaves of bread, four different types of bread, 10 of each. One loaf of each type was given over to the Kohanim (priests), and the other ones would be eaten by the owner.

So the Korban Todah, which we just spoke about, and also the Eil Nazir, the ram of a Nazir (Nazirite) who finished his time of Nazirut (Nazirite period) and brought a certain ram as a Korban, are Kodashim Kalim. They're considered to be Korbanot of lesser holiness. Shechitatan, the slaughter of them, happens anywhere in the courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash. The blood is applied to two different corners that become four. It's thrown on the northeast and the southwest corners of the outer Mizbeach (altar), so it splashes on all four sides. The meat of the Korban Todah is allowed to be taken anywhere within the city of Yerushalayim, and anybody, even non-Kohanim, is allowed to eat it. So it can be prepared in any way possible in terms of the cooking. You're allowed to eat it until the middle of the night after the day that the Korban was offered.

The Korban Todah is offered. The parts separated from the Korban are given over to a Kohen: the chest, the thigh, and other parts of the Korban. They're eaten in the same way as the Korbanot themselves. The Korbanot themselves are eaten by the owner and the people, or his family or his friends, whoever he wants. These parts are eaten in the same way. They can be cooked in any way. They can be eaten anywhere in the city. But the only difference is the offerings, because the Korban, like we said, can be eaten by anybody. But what we separate away from them is only allowed to be eaten by the Kohanim, their wives, their children, and their Canaanite slaves.