The commandment of eating the meat of sin-offerings and guilt-offerings: That the priests were commanded to eat the meat of some of the sacrifices — such as the guilt-offering and the sin-offering, as it is stated about them (Exodus 29:33), “They shall eat that with which atonement was done.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Pesachim 59b), “The priests eat, and the owners are atoned.” And with God’s help, we will write about the matter of the procedure of the sin-offering and the guilt-offering, how they would do it, and the time of its eating in their Order (Sefer HaChinukh 138, 140). And the principle of the matter is that all the meat of the sacrifices of the sin-offering and the guilt-offering was eaten by the males of the priesthood in the [Temple] yard, except for their entrails; and the owners do not have any [part] in it. And there it will also be explained what are the parts that are to be burned. And also included in this positive commandment is that they eat the portion that is coming to them from the group of sacrifices called lightly consecrated. And the eating of the priestly tithe is also included in the commandment. However, the eating of the lightly consecrated, and so [too,] the priestly tithe, is not like the eating of the meat of a sin-offering and a guilt-offering. As with the eating of a sin-offering and a guilt-offering, the atonement of the penitent is accomplished — as they, may their memory be blessed, said, “The priests eat, and the owners are atoned.” But the eating of the lightly consecrated and the priestly tithe does not add or subtract from the commandment of the one who brings [the sacrifice] or gives the [tithe].
It is from the roots of the commandment [that] the fundamental principle for us is that all of the acts of the sacrifices are to prepare our thoughts and our intentions for the good, to submerge the spirit of desire within us and to enlarge and strengthen the intellectual spirit towards the commandments. And hence we were commanded to behave in all matters of the [Temple] and the sacrifices in the manner of loftiness and greatness and honor, so that awe and humility and lowliness of spirit descend upon our hearts when we are there, and also when we remember it in our places. And in truth it is from acting with honor towards the sacrifice upon which atonement is dependent that it be eaten by the servants, themselves, and that they not give it to their slaves and dogs or sell it to all buyers. And so [too,] it is from [its] honor that he eats [it] in a holy place; and also that he not leave its eating [for a long time] so that it not smell bad and the soul [then] be disgusted by it. Does all of this not show the matter of greatness and importance?
And this commandment is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by the males of the priesthood. And one who transgresses it and does not eat his portion that is coming to him from them in the limited time for it, has violated a positive commandment. And he is also punished from the side of the atonement of the owners that is dependent upon it, as we have said. And Ramban (on Sefer HaMitzvot, Shoresh 12), may his memory be blessed, does not count this commandment [separately]. As he said that who eats them and for whom they should be is a part of the [various] parts of the commandment of sacrifices, that God, may He be blessed, commanded about them; and the truth is that atonement is dependent upon this.
מִצְוַת אֲכִילַת בְּשַׂר חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם – שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים לֶאֱכֹל בְּשַׂר קְצָת מִן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, כְּגוֹן הַחַטָּאת וְהָאָשָׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם (שמות כט לג) וְאָכְלוּ אֹתָם אֲשֶׁר כֻּפַּר בָּהֶם, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים נט ב) כֹּהֲנִים אוֹכְלִים וּבְעָלִים מִתְכַּפְּרִים. וְעִנְיַן מַעֲשֵׂה הַחַטָּאת וְהָאָשָׁם אֵיךְ הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָן וּמְקוֹם וּזְמַן אֲכִילָתָן כְּסֵדֶר שֶׁלָּהֶם, נִכְתְּבֶנּוּ בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם, וּכְלַל הַדָּבָר, שֶׁכָּל בְּשַׂר קָרְבַּן הַחַטָּאת וְהָאָשָׁם הָיָה נֶאֱכָל לְזִכְרֵי כְּהֻנָּה בָּעֲזָרָה חוּץ מִן הָאֵמוּרִין שֶׁבָּהֶן, וְאֵין לַבְּעָלִים בָּהֶם כְּלוּם, וְשָׁם יִתְפָּרֵשׁ גַּם כֵּן מָה הֵן הָאֵמוּרִין וּבִכְלַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה זֶה גַּם כֵּן שֶׁיֹּאכְלוּ חֶלְקָם הַמַּגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם מִכְּלַל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁנִּקְרָאִין קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים, וְכֵן אֲכִילַת הַתְּרוּמָה בִּכְלַל הַמִּצְוָה. וְאוּלָם אֵין אֲכִילַת קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים וּתְרוּמָה כְּמוֹ אֲכִילַת בְּשַׂר חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם, שֶׁבַּאֲכִילַת חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם, תִּשְׁלַם כַּפָּרַת הַמִּתְכַּפֵּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים שם) כֹּהֲנִים אוֹכְלִים וּבְעָלִים מִתְכַּפְּרִים, וַאֲכִילַת קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים וּתְרוּמָה, לֹא יוֹסִיף וְלֹא יִגְרַע בְּמִצְוַת הַמַּקְרִיב וְהַנּוֹתֵן.
The commandment of eating the meat of sin-offerings and guilt-offerings: That the priests were commanded to eat the meat of some of the sacrifices — such as the guilt-offering and the sin-offering, as it is stated about them (Exodus 29:33), “They shall eat that with which atonement was done.” And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Pesachim 59b), “The priests eat, and the owners are atoned.” And with God’s help, we will write about the matter of the procedure of the sin-offering and the guilt-offering, how they would do it, and the time of its eating in their Order (Sefer HaChinukh 138, 140). And the principle of the matter is that all the meat of the sacrifices of the sin-offering and the guilt-offering was eaten by the males of the priesthood in the [Temple] yard, except for their entrails; and the owners do not have any [part] in it. And there it will also be explained what are the parts that are to be burned. And also included in this positive commandment is that they eat the portion that is coming to them from the group of sacrifices called lightly consecrated. And the eating of the priestly tithe is also included in the commandment. However, the eating of the lightly consecrated, and so [too,] the priestly tithe, is not like the eating of the meat of a sin-offering and a guilt-offering. As with the eating of a sin-offering and a guilt-offering, the atonement of the penitent is accomplished — as they, may their memory be blessed, said, “The priests eat, and the owners are atoned.” But the eating of the lightly consecrated and the priestly tithe does not add or subtract from the commandment of the one who brings [the sacrifice] or gives the [tithe].
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. הַיְּסוֹד הַקָּבוּעַ אֶצְלֵנוּ כִּי כָּל פְּעֻלּוֹת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת לְהַכְשִׁיר מַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ וְכַוָּנָתֵנוּ לְטוֹב, וּלְהַשְׁפִּיל הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַמִּתְאַוָּה אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ וּלְהַגְדִּיל וּלְחַזֵּק נֶפֶשׁ הַשֵּׂכֶל אֶל הַמִּצְוֹת. וְעַל כֵּן נִצְטַוִּינוּ לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּכָל עִנְיְנֵי הַבַּיִת וְהַקָּרְבָּנוֹת דֶּרֶךְ מַעֲלָה וּגְדֻלָּה וְכָבוֹד לְמַעַן תָּנוּחַ בִּלְבָבֵנוּ יִרְאָה וַעֲנָוָה וְשִׁפְלוּת הָרוּחַ בִּהְיוֹתֵנוּ שָׁם, גַּם בְּזָכְרֵנוּ אוֹתוֹ מִמְּקוֹמֵנוּ. וּבֶאֱמֶת כִּי מִן הַנְהָגַת הַכָּבוֹד אֶל הַקָּרְבָּן שֶׁהַכַּפָּרָה תְּלוּיָה בּוֹ, לִהְיוֹתוֹ נֶאֱכָל אֶל הַמְּשָׁרְתִים בְּעַצְמָם וְלֹא שֶׁיִּתְּנוּהוּ לְעַבְדֵיהֶם וּלְכַלְבָּם אוֹ יִמְכְּרוּהוּ לְכָל קוֹנֶה, וְכֵן מִן הַכָּבוֹד הוּא שֶׁיֵּאָכֵל בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ. וְכֵן שֶׁלֹּא יַשְׁהוּ אֲכִילָתוֹ הַרְבֵּה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַסְרִיחַ וְתִהְיֶה הַנֶּפֶשׁ קָצָה בּוֹ, הֲלֹא כָּל זֶה מַרְאֶה בָּעִנְיָן גְּדֻלָּה וַחֲשִׁיבוּת.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that] the fundamental principle for us is that all of the acts of the sacrifices are to prepare our thoughts and our intentions for the good, to submerge the spirit of desire within us and to enlarge and strengthen the intellectual spirit towards the commandments. And hence we were commanded to behave in all matters of the [Temple] and the sacrifices in the manner of loftiness and greatness and honor, so that awe and humility and lowliness of spirit descend upon our hearts when we are there, and also when we remember it in our places. And in truth it is from acting with honor towards the sacrifice upon which atonement is dependent that it be eaten by the servants, themselves, and that they not give it to their slaves and dogs or sell it to all buyers. And so [too,] it is from [its] honor that he eats [it] in a holy place; and also that he not leave its eating [for a long time] so that it not smell bad and the soul [then] be disgusted by it. Does all of this not show the matter of greatness and importance?
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. בִּמְקוֹמָן נַאֲרִיךְ בָּהֶן קְצָת כְּמִנְהָגֵנוּ.
The laws of the commandment: We will write at a bit of length about them in their place, as is our custom.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת בְּזִכְרֵי כְּהֻנָּה. וְהָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְלֹא אָכַל חֶלְקוֹ הַמַּגִּיעַ מֵהֶן בַּזְּמַן הַמֻּגְבָּל לוֹ, בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה וְנֶעֱנָשׁ עוֹד מִצַּד כַּפָּרַת הַבְּעָלִים שֶׁתְּלוּיָה בּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ. וְהָרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (בספר המצות שרש יב) לֹא יִמְנֶה מִצְוָה זוֹ, כִּי אָמַר שֶׁזֶּה חֵלֶק מֵחֶלְקֵי מִצְוַת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת הוּא שֶׁצִּוָּה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּהֶם מִי יֹאכְלֵם וּלְמִי יִהְיוּ, וְהָאֱמֶת שֶׁהַכַּפָּרָה תְּלוּיָה בָּזֶה.
And this commandment is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by the males of the priesthood. And one who transgresses it and does not eat his portion that is coming to him from them in the limited time for it, has violated a positive commandment. And he is also punished from the side of the atonement of the owners that is dependent upon it, as we have said. And Ramban (on Sefer HaMitzvot, Shoresh 12), may his memory be blessed, does not count this commandment [separately]. As he said that who eats them and for whom they should be is a part of the [various] parts of the commandment of sacrifices, that God, may He be blessed, commanded about them; and the truth is that atonement is dependent upon this.