What are the implications of "Shor ... Ki Yivaled"?
Rashi: It implies that only an animal that is born naturally can be brought as a Korban, but not one that is born by caesarian section.
Rashi (in Tehilim, 69:32): It teaches us that already on the day that it is born, a calf falls under the category of 'Shor'. 1
See K'li Yakar.
Why does the Pasuk see fit to specify the three animals ? Shor, Kesev and Eiz individually?
Rashi (in Nidah, 40b): The Torah writes "Shor O Kesev" to preclude Kil'ayim 1 from the realm of Korbanos, adding "Eiz" to preclude a Nidmeh (Chulin, 38b). 2
Targum Yonasan: Because the bull represents Avraham ? who brought before Hashem a tender and fat bull (in honor of his guests), 3 the ram, Yitzchak ? in place of whom Avraham brought a ram, and the lamb, Ya'akov ? who brought his father a kid-goat. 4
A baby born from two different species.
A sheep that gives birth to a kid-goat, or a goat that gives birth to a lamb.
See Targum Yonasan who elaborates further.
Targum Yonasan: Because nowadays, when there are no Korbanos, we should remember that our Tefilos, which come in place of the Korbanos, are answered on the merit of the Avos (See Na'ar Yonasan).
Why does the Torah insert the words "O Kesev and "O Eiz" (See Torah Temimah, note 163)?
Chulin, 38b: "O Kesev" precludes Kil'ayim (an animal whose mother is a sheep and whose father is a goat or vice-versa), and "O Eiz"precludes a Nidmeh ? an animal that does not resemble its mother, where a sheep gave birth to a baby that resembles a goat or vice-versa.
Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) words "Ki Yivaled"?
Rashi (in Tehilim, 69:32): To teach us that a calf falls under the category of 'Shor' from the day it is born.
Why does the Torah forbid offering an animal for a Korban before the eighth day?
Moshav Zekenim #1, citing the Rosh: If he offers it during the first six days, it looks like he offers to what was created that day - Shamayim and Aretz, the firmament, the dry land, the luminaries, Sheratzim, or man. Rather, wait seven days, and know that I created My world in six days and rested on the seventh, and offer it for Me.
Moshav Zekenim #, citing R. Eliezer of Garmaiza: The ox that Adam ha'Rishon offered was on day eight of the Creation, for he sinned on Erev Shabbos, and he was not allowed to transgress the first Shabbos [to offer it]. Hashem said, just like he brought on day eight 1 , so [all Korbanos] will be accepted from day eight and onwards.
Targum Yonasan: To ensure that it is not a Nefel (a stillborn baby).
Ba'al ha'Turim: Because on the first day it conveys the impression that one is Shechting to the heaven and earth; on the second day, to the sky; on the third day, to the sea and dry land; on the fourth, to the celestial luminaries; on the fifth day, to the rodents and on the sixth day, to man. One should therefore wait a full seven days, when it will be clear that he is Shechting to the G-d who created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
Oznayim la'Torah: Out of compassion 2 not to imnterfere with the love that exists between mother and child ? since the bond between a mother and a child among animals 3 is short-lived and is at its strongest during the first seven days. 4
Moshav Zekenim: The animals were created on day six, so it was the animal's third day! Really, everything was created on the first day, just each matter was put in its place on its respective day (refer to Bereishis 1:24:1:1).
Oznayim la'Torah: As the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim, chapter 3 and Targum Yonasan explain in connection with Oso Ve'es B'no, and which can also apply to Shilu'ach ha'Kein.
Oznayim la'Torah: As opposed to humans where it is permanent.
See Oznayim la'Torah who elaborates. He concludes that this explains the juxtaposition of this Parshah to that of 'Oso Ve'es B'no. Refer to note #1.
Seeing as the Torah writes "u'va'Yom ha'Shemini Vahal'ah", what will be the Din regarding Shechting the Korban on the eighth day itself?
Sifra: We learn from B'chor, where the Torah writes in Mishpatim, 22:29 "ba'Yom ha'Shemini Titno Li" that it is permitted. 1
Torah Temimah: And we learn from the current Pasuk that one may Shecht a B'chor even after the eighth day has passed.
What about the night before the eighth day?
Zevachim, 12a: The Torah writes "Vehayah Shiv'as Yamim Tachas Imo"- implying that the night of the eighth is permitted, and then "u'va'Yom ha'Shemini Vahal'ah Yeratzeh" ? implying that the night of the eighth is forbidden, to teach us that one may declare it Kadosh on the night of the eighth but may bring it on the Mizbe'ach only on the following day. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 176.
Why does the Torah insert the words "le'Korban", "Isheh and "la'Hashem""?
What is the punishment for sacrificing a Mechusar Z'man?
Chulin, 81a: Mechusar Z'man is a Lav ha'Ba mi'Kelal Asei "u'mi'Yom ha'Shemini Yeratzeh ? ", 'mi'Yom ha'Shemini, In; me'Ikara, Lo!', which is an Asei, for which no punishment is specified.
What is the connection between the current Parshah and the previous one?
Seforno: Having discussed the blemishes that disqualify an animal from the Mizbe'ach - even though sometimes a blemished animal is worth more than its complete counterpart, and even though one would not hesitate to bring it before one's king 1 - the Torah now discusses perfection in time, forbidding the bringing of animals before the eighth day as Korbanos, Shechting a mother and her baby on the same day and disqualifying a Korban even with the thought of eating it after its allotted time.
Seforno: Because Hashem, who is perfect, demands physical perfection regarding the animals that are brought before Him and as close to spiritual perfection as is possible regarding those bringing the Korban.
Why is an ox listed first among the Korbanos?
Hadar Zekenim: This can be compared to an esteemed woman was about whom ward spread that she had commited adultery. After investigation and finding her innocent, the king made a feast and seated her at the head of the table, in front of himself, to publicize the fact that the slander was false. Similarly, the nations derided Yisrael for Chet ha'Eigel. Hashem checked however, and discovered that the Eirev Rav made it ? "ki Shiches Amcha" (refer to Sh'mos 32:7:4:1), and not Yisrael - Therefore he made the ox the head of the Korbanos.
Why does the Torah forbid offering an animal for a Korban before the eighth day?
Moshav Zekenim #1, citing the Rosh: If he offers it during the first six days, it looks like he offers to what was created that day - Shamayim and Aretz, the firmament, the dry land, the luminaries, Sheratzim, or man. Rather, wait seven days, and know that I created My world in six days and rested on the seventh, and offer it for Me.
Moshav Zekenim #, citing R. Eliezer of Garmaiza: The ox that Adam ha'Rishon offered was on day eight of the Creation, for he sinned on Erev Shabbos, and he was not allowed to transgress the first Shabbos [to offer it]. Hashem said, just like he brought on day eight 1 , so [all Korbanos] will be accepted from day eight and onwards.
Moshav Zekenim: The animals were created on day six, so it was the animal's third day! Really, everything was created on the first day, just each matter was put in its place on its respective day (refer to Bereishis 1:24:1:1).
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that "Ki Yivaled" excludes an animal born via Caesarian section. Why do we need another such Pasuk regarding B'chor?
Moshav Zekenim citing the Ri: If not that regarding B'chor, the Torah said that it depends on the first to leave the womb, I would not know to expound here to exclude Yotzei Dofen. And had it written so only about B'chor, I would not learn to other Korbanos, for there are many stringencies that are confined to B'chor.
