That we not place a blemish upon consecrated animals: That we not place a blemish upon consecrated animals; meaning to say that we not make upon a beast consecrated for the altar any wound or any fracture that disqualifies it as an offering — as it is stated (Leviticus 22:21), “and no blemish shall be upon it.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 56b), “Read it as ‘shall not be made in it.’” And the language of Sifra, Emor, Section 7:9 is, “‘No blemish shall be upon it’ — do not place a blemish upon it.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since there would be a disgrace to the consecrated animals with this. And I have already written many times (Sefer HaChinukh 95) [about] the benefit to the heart of man that comes out [from] the endearment of the glory of the Temple, its servants and its offerings.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they said that one who puts a blemish in consecrated animals themselves or their exchanges transgresses a negative commandment and is lashed, except for the firstborn or the tithe. As one who puts a blemish on their exchange is not lashed, because they are not fitting as sacrifices — as is elucidated in Temurah 21b. And the rest of its details are elucidated in scattered places in Zevachim and Temurah.
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. But there is only a liability for lashes at the time that the Temple is in existence; such that the beast would be fitting as a sacrifice, as is elucidated in the Gemara, Avodah Zarah 13b.
שֶׁלֹּא נִתֵּן מוּם בַּקֳּדָשִׁים – שֶׁלֹּא נִתֵּן מוּם בַּקֳּדָשִׁים. כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲשֶׂה בִּבְהֵמָה שֶׁהִיא קְדוֹשָׁה לַמִּזְבֵּחַ שׁוּם חַבּוּרָה אוֹ שׁוּם שֶׁבֶר שֶׁיִּפְסְלָהּ לְהַקְרָבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כב כא) וְכָל מוּם לֹא יִהְיֶה בּוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות נו, ב) קְרִי בֵהּ לֹא יְהַיֶּה בּוֹ. וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרָא (אמור ז ט) כָּל מוּם לֹא יִהְיֶה בּוֹ אַל תִּתֵּן בּוֹ מוּם.
That we not place a blemish upon consecrated animals: That we not place a blemish upon consecrated animals; meaning to say that we not make upon a beast consecrated for the altar any wound or any fracture that disqualifies it as an offering — as it is stated (Leviticus 22:21), “and no blemish shall be upon it.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 56b), “Read it as ‘shall not be made in it.’” And the language of Sifra, Emor, Section 7:9 is, “‘No blemish shall be upon it’ — do not place a blemish upon it.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּזֶה בִּזְיוֹן הַקֳּדָשִׁים, וּכְבָר כָּתַבְתִּי כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים (מצוה צה) הַתּוֹעֶלֶת הַנִּמְצֵאת בְּהִתְיַקֵּר כְּבוֹד בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּמְשָׁרְתָיו וְקָרְבְּנוֹתָיו אֶל לֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since there would be a disgrace to the consecrated animals with this. And I have already written many times (Sefer HaChinukh 95) [about] the benefit to the heart of man that comes out [from] the endearment of the glory of the Temple, its servants and its offerings.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁאֶחָד הַמַּטִּיל מוּם בַּקֳּדָשִׁים עַצְמָן אוֹ בִּתְמוּרָתָן, עוֹבֵר בְּלָאו וְלוֹקֶה, חוּץ מִן הַבְּכוֹר וּמִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר, שֶׁהַמַּטִּיל מוּם בִּתְמוּרָתָן, אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין רְאוּיִין לְקָרְבָּנוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁמִּתְבָּאֵר בִּתְמוּרָה (כא א). וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, מְבֹאָרִים בִּמְקוֹמוֹת מְפֻזָּרִים מִזְּבָחִים וּתְמוּרָה.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they said that one who puts a blemish in consecrated animals themselves or their exchanges transgresses a negative commandment and is lashed, except for the firstborn or the tithe. As one who puts a blemish on their exchange is not lashed, because they are not fitting as sacrifices — as is elucidated in Temurah 21b. And the rest of its details are elucidated in scattered places in Zevachim and Temurah.
וְנוֹהֵג אִסּוּר זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, אֲבָל אֵין חִיּוּב הַמַּלְקוּיוֹת כִּי אִם בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּם שֶׁרְאוּיָה הַבְּהֵמָה לְקָרְבָּן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמִּתְבָּאֵר בַּגְּמָרָא עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (יג, ב).
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. But there is only a liability for lashes at the time that the Temple is in existence; such that the beast would be fitting as a sacrifice, as is elucidated in the Gemara, Avodah Zarah 13b.