EXTRA 11 — Vayikra 3:14 · Sifra

Extra Credit · Toras Kohanim

The Complete Passuk

וְהִקְרִ֤יב מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ קָרְבָּנ֔וֹ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה אֶת־הַחֵ֙לֶב֙ הַֽמְכַסֶּ֣ה אֶת־הַקֶּ֔רֶב…

And he shall offer from it his offering, a fire-offering to Hashem: the fat that covers the innards…

Source

Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura deNedavah, on 3:14 (“from it”).

Sefaria — Sifra

The Midrash (longer context)

Core Text
״וְהִקְרִיב מִמֶּנּוּ קָרְבָּנוֹ״ — מִן הַמְּחֻבָּר: יָרִים אֶת הָאֵמוּרִין כְּשֶׁהֵן עֲדַיִן מְחֻבָּרִים לַגּוּף, קֹדֶם שֶׁיְּחַתֵּךְ אֶת הַבָּשָׂר.

English: “And he shall offer from it his offering” — while still attached: he shall remove the devoted portions while they are still attached to the body, before he cuts the flesh.

In Sifra: “From it” is not mere wording. The fats of the goat shelamim (and parallel cases) are taken off the intact carcass; the butcher does not first joint the meat and then hunt for membranes.

Type of Learning

Custom (attached removal).

What Is Learned

Emurim are separated from the still-whole animal, not after the meat has been cut apart.