DAF DISCUSSIONS - SHEKALIM 12

Shmuel Globus asks:

at end of mishnah, R. Eliezer says that shemen and yeinos etc donated to beis hamikdash, they should be sold, and the money goes for olos.

But earlier in the Mishnah he says that animals are sold, and the money goes for bedek habayis. This is because he holds stam hekdesh is always for bedek habayis.

Why does he hold differently by shemen and yeinos, saying the money goes for olos? This would seem to be the shitah of R. Yehoshua!

the meforshim on mishnayos correct the girsa: it is R. Elazar, not R. Eliezer as printed in shekalim yerushalmi. I assume this girsa change is because of my kasheh.

shmuel globus, jerusalem

The Kollel replies:

Your question is asked by the Rambam in Hilchos Erchin 5:9.

(a) The Rambam answers that the difference between the category of wine, oil, flour, and fowl, and the category of animals is that animals may get a blemish and thereby become disqualified from being offered on the Mizbe'ach, while a blemish does not apply to the four objects in the first category. If the animal develops a blemish it may be redeemed, but the other items can never be redeemed.

(b) Since the animal can be redeemed, this means that it has a monetary value which can belong to the Bedek ha'Bayis. Since the other items cannot be redeemed, this means that they do not possess a monetary value which can be separated from the Kedushah of the Mizbe'ach, and therefore Olos must be brought with the proceeds of their sale.

(c) See also Ra'avad, Radbaz, and Kesef Mishneh on the above Rambam.

Kol Tuv,

Dovid Bloom