Translation:Mishnah/Seder Moed/Tractate Chagigah/Chapter 1/3

Hebrew Text

 * עולות במועד באות מן החולין,
 * ושלמים מן המעשר.


 * ביום טוב הראשון של פסח,
 * בית שמאי אומרין: מן החולין;
 * ובית הלל אומרין: מן המעשר.

English Translation

 * Burnt-offerings on [the intermediate days of] a holiday come [only] from unconsecrated funds,
 * and peace-offerings come [even] from the [second] tithe.


 * On the first sacred day of Passover,
 * The House of Shammai say: [&zwj;they come&zwj;] [only] from unconsecrated funds;
 * and the House of Hillel say: [they come] [even] from the [second] tithe.



Explanation
burnt-offerings: The mishnah refers to burnt-offerings brought in fulfillment of a vow, which may only be brought on the intermediate days, but not on the sacred holidays at the beginning and end of each festival. These must be brought from unconsecrated funds, and can not be brought from the second tithe.

peace-offerings: The mishnah refers to peace-offerings, which were not brought in fulfillment of any personal pledge, but out of a desire to celebrate in God's name. These offerings as well may only be brought on the intermediate days. Unlike burnt-offerings brought in fulfillment of a vow, these may be brought using money from the second tithe.

second tithe: The second tithe (taken after the first tithe, which went to the Levites), was taken from agricultural produce in certain years of the sabbatical cycle. Its monetary exchange was to be brought to Jerusalem and used there to purchase edible goods, which were to be eaten in the city. This mishnah thus teaches that the purchase of a voluntary peace-offering, which was consumed by the offerer and his friends, is a legitimate use of the second tithe funds.

they come: The mishnah here is referring to the festival-offering, which is an obligatory offering and thus may be brought even on a sacred day of the festival.

from the second tithe: The Talmud explains that the House of Hillel are permitting a case where one combines second tithe funds and unconsecrated funds. He then buys one animal whose value is included in the unconsecrated funds, and additional animals with the rest of the combined funds. Since the festival-offering is obligatory, it cannot be brought from second tithe funds, though supplementary animals may be bought with the second tithe.

חגיגה פרק א משנה ג