Reeh 12:15 · unit 3

TT #57 · Parashas Reeh · First Aliyah · Passuk 12:15

The Complete Passuk

רַק֩ בְּכָל־אַוַּ֨ת נַפְשְׁךָ֜ תִּזְבַּ֣ח וְאָכַלְתָּ֣ בָשָׂ֗ר כְּבִרְכַּ֨ת יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֖ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ הַטָּמֵ֤א וְהַטָּהוֹר֙ יֹאכְלֶ֔נּוּ כַּצְּבִ֖י וְכָאַיָּֽל׃

However, in all the desire of your soul you may slaughter and eat meat according to the blessing of Hashem your God that He has given you in all your gates; the unclean and the clean may eat it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer.

Chabad.org — 12:15

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei / Temurah.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תִּזְבַּח וְאָכַלְתָּ בָּשָׂר – כָּל הַקָּדָשִׁים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ טְרֵפָה אֵין פּוֹדִין אוֹתָן, שֶׁאֵין פּוֹדִין אֶת הַקָּדָשִׁים לְהַאֲכִילָן לַכְּלָבִים, דְּאָמַר קְרָא רַק בְּכָל אַוַּת נַפְשְׁךָ תִּזְבַּח וְאָכַלְתָּ בָּשָׂר, תִּזְבַּח וְלֹא גִּזָּה, וְאָכַלְתָּ – וְלֹא לַכְּלָבִים, בָּשָׂר וְלֹא חֵלֶב.

English: “You may slaughter and eat meat” — All consecrated animals that became treifah may not be redeemed, for one may not redeem consecrated animals in order to feed them to dogs, as the verse says “however, in all the desire of your soul you may slaughter and eat meat” — slaughter and not shearing; eat — and not for dogs; meat — and not fat.

On the daf / in context: The language restricts redemption to cases that permit human consumption of the meat; animals that cannot be eaten by a Jew are not eligible for redemption.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Sifrei) — limiting redemption of consecrated animals.

What Is Learned

Consecrated animals that become treifah may not be redeemed, because redemption is only for the purpose of human consumption.