The Torah tells us that the Mizbeach (altar) is going to be holy. Whatever touches the Mizbeach is going to be sanctified. We understand this Pasuk (verse) to tell us that the Mizbeach sanctifies even korbanot (sacrifices) that are invalid and are put onto it. Even though you're not allowed to put an invalid korban (sacrifice) on the Mizbeach, if it's put there, you're not allowed to remove it. But this only applies to certain items. Here in this Perek (chapter), we'll talk about what is included in this rule and what is not. The Mishnah says that the Mizbeach sanctifies things that are fit for it. Certain items that are fit for the Mizbeach, if they were valid, become sanctified automatically by the Mizbeach, even if they're invalid. Rabbi Yehoshua says that the Tannaim (early rabbinic sages) disagree about what we're including in this rule. According to Rabbi Yehoshua, we are talking about anything that's fit for the fires of the Mizbeach: the limbs of the Olah (burnt offering) and the emurim of every korban, these things that are meant to be burned on the Mizbeach. Once they go on top of the Mizbeach, we don't bring them down. Shene'emar, because the Pasuk tells us: It is the Olah that goes on the fire of the Mizbeach. By adding the words “It is”—the Olah—we're saying here that the korban should remain as it is: hi, like it is currently; it shouldn't be removed from the Mizbeach. We learn from here, even if it's invalid and should not have been put there in the first place, by telling us, “on the fire,” the Pasuk is limiting the rule to things that are supposed to be burned on the Mizbeach. Therefore, Mah Olah, just like the Olah, which is fit for the fires of the Mizbeach, once it goes up on the Mizbeach, we don't bring it down. So too, anything that's fit for the fires of the Mizbeach, which are the emurim of all the korbanot, once it goes up on the Mizbeach, it doesn't come down, even if it's invalid.
The next Tanna, Rabban Gamliel, gives a different definition of what's fit for the Mizbeach. He says that whatever is fit for any part of the Mizbeach, even something that's not put on the fire, once it goes onto the Mizbeach, you don't bring it down. As the same Pasuk as before tells us, it is the Olah that goes on the fire of the Mizbeach. By adding the words, we're coming to include anything that belongs normally on the Mizbeach, even if it's not a burnt item. Therefore, Mah Olah, just like the Olah, which is fit to be put on the Mizbeach, once it goes up on the Mizbeach, we don't bring it down. So too, anything that's fit in some way for the Mizbeach, even if it doesn't include the burning, once it goes up on the Mizbeach, we don't bring it down. The only difference between the opinion of Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua is this last opinion we mentioned: Rabban Gamliel says that anything that goes up is included in this, as opposed to Rabbi Yehoshua, who says, “No, only things that are burnt.” The only difference between the two of them is the blood of the korban and the Nesachim of wine. She-Rabban Gamliel omer lo yerdu (they descend). According to Rabban Gamliel, he would say, once they're on the Mizbeach, they may not come down because anything that goes up is not allowed to be brought down. Rabbi Yehoshua omer yerdu. According to Rabbi Yehoshua, he would say, they do come down because, according to Rabbi Yehoshua, these items aren't burnt, and only things that are burnt stay up there on the Mizbeach.
The Mishnah is now going to bring a third opinion about the Nesachim of wine. There are two different types of Nesachim: the ones that are brought together with a korban, with the Olah and the Shelamim (peace offerings), and those that are brought as korbanot on their own. The wine is brought alone. Rabbi Shimon omer—Rabbi Shimon says—in terms of the Nesachim that are brought together with the korban, there is the case where the korban is valid and the Nesachim are invalid. Let's say the wine was taken out of the courtyard or became tamei (ritually impure), while the animal is fit. Or there's a case where the Nesachim are valid and the korban is invalid. So automatically in that case, let's say the korban was removed from the proper spot but the Nesachim never were. But the korban brings along the status of the Nesachim with it. Even though we say that when the korban became invalid, the Nesachim became invalid as well, this can also be the case even if both the korban and the Nesachim were invalid. Once they were brought up to the Mizbeach, the korban does not come down, but the Nesachim should come down according to Rabbi Shimon. Nesachim that are invalid and were put on the Mizbeach are taken down. But Rabbi Shimon says this is only if the Nesachim are brought together normally with the korban. For Nesachim that are brought on their own, Rabbi Shimon would agree with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel that once they're put on the Mizbeach, they're left alone. So, in terms of the wine that's brought together with the korban, he would agree with Rabbi Yehoshua that they have to be taken down. But if the Nesachim are brought on their own, he would agree with the opinion of Rabban Gamliel that once they're put on the Mizbeach, they are left there. He learns this from the Pasuk as well: only invalid items that are similar to an Olah, which is an independent korban, have to be left on the Mizbeach once they're put there. Therefore, he would apply it that way: just like the Olah, which is independent, has to be left there, the wine that is brought alone has to be left there as well. But if it's brought together with the korban, it follows whatever is happening with that korban.