Vayikra 4:28 · unit 3

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 5 · Passuk 4:28 · Unit 3 of 5

Complete Passuk

א֚וֹ הוֹדַ֣ע אֵלָ֔יו חַטָּאת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֑א וְהֵבִ֨יא קׇרְבָּנ֜וֹ שְׂעִירַ֤ת עִזִּים֙ תְּמִימָ֣ה נְקֵבָ֔ה עַל־חַטָּאת֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽא׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Kerisos 27b.

E-Daf · Kerisos 27b

Core Text
הַמַּפְרִישׁ חַטָּאתוֹ לֹא יְבִיאֶנּוּ מֵחֵטְא עַל חֵטְא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְהֵבִיא קָרְבָּנוֹ עַל חַטָּאתוֹ״ — שֶׁיְּהֵא קָרְבָּנוֹ לְשֵׁם חַטָּאתוֹ.

One who designated his chatas may not bring it from one sin for another sin, as it is said “and he shall bring his offering for his sin” — that his offering be for the sake of that particular sin.

In the sugya: Once an animal has been designated for a specific chatas, the phrase “al chatato” locks that designation to the particular transgression for which it was set aside.

Type of Learning

Diyuk of “al chatato” — the designation is locked to the specific sin; reassignment to a different sin is invalid.

What Is Learned

A chatas animal that has been designated for one particular transgression cannot later be used to atone for a different transgression. The verse’s language “for his sin” requires that the offering remain tied to the original sin for which it was set apart. Attempting to reassign it voids the effectiveness of that animal for the new purpose.