That we not consecrate [animals] with blemishes for the altar: That we not consecrate [animals] with blemishes, to sacrifice them for the altar. And even though he did not sacrifice them, there is a negative commandment for the consecration alone. And about the consecration alone is it stated (Leviticus 22:20), “All that has a blemish in it, you shall not offer” — on account of you shall not consecrate (Temurah 6a).
That which we wrote above (Sefer HaChinukh 277) in the negative commandment that [a priest] with a blemish not enter the sanctuary in its entirety is from the roots of the commandment. And look in the commandment of the sacrifice (Sefer HaChinukh 286) to be complete (unblemished), and you will find it there if you seek it.
And I have written a little about the laws of the commandment — meaning to say which are the blemishes that disqualify and which do not disqualify — above in the commandment that a priest who is one with a blemish not serve in the service of the Temple (Sefer HaChinukh 275). And it is all in [detail] in Tractate Bekhorot. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Things Forbidden on the Altar 1.)
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. Anyone who transgresses it and consecrates an [animal] with a blemish — and even at this time — violates this negative commandment. And from what appears, there would not be lashes with this, since there is no act [involved] with it; but I saw that Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Things Forbidden on the Altar 1:2) [that] one who consecrates an [animal] with a blemish is lashed. And maybe he makes it like one who exchanges [a sacrifice] about which there is lashes even though there is no act [involved] with it — as [in that case, we see the impact of his words — since] this and that are consecrated. And to him shall we listen “and we will seek Torah from his mouth, as he is an angel of the Lord of hosts.”
שֶׁלֹּא נַקְדִּישׁ בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין לַמִּזְבֵּחַ – שֶׁלֹּא נַקְדִּישׁ בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִים לְהַקְרִיבָם לַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִקְרִיבָם, בַּהֶקְדֵּשׁ לְבַד יֵשׁ אִסּוּר לָאו, וְעַל הַהֶקְדֵּשׁ לְבַד נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא כב כ) כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ מוּם לֹא תַקְרִיבוּ, מִשּׁוּם בַּל תַּקְדִּישׁ (תמורה ו א).
That we not consecrate [animals] with blemishes for the altar: That we not consecrate [animals] with blemishes, to sacrifice them for the altar. And even though he did not sacrifice them, there is a negative commandment for the consecration alone. And about the consecration alone is it stated (Leviticus 22:20), “All that has a blemish in it, you shall not offer” — on account of you shall not consecrate (Temurah 6a).
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ לְמַעְלָה (מצוה רעז) בְּלָאו שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס בַּעַל מוּם בַּהֵיכָל כֻּלּוֹ, וְעַיֵּן בְּמִצְוַת הַקָּרְבָּן (מצוה רפו) לִהְיוֹת תָּמִים וּמָצָאתָ שָׁם כִּי תִדְרְשֶׁנּוּ.
That which we wrote above (Sefer HaChinukh 277) in the negative commandment that [a priest] with a blemish not enter the sanctuary in its entirety is from the roots of the commandment. And look in the commandment of the sacrifice (Sefer HaChinukh 286) to be complete (unblemished), and you will find it there if you seek it.
וְדִינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, כְּלוֹמַר, מָה הֵן הַמּוּמִין הַפּוֹסְלִין וּמָה אֵינָן פּוֹסְלִין, כָּתַבְתִּי מֵהֶן קְצָת מִזֶּה לְמַעְלָה (מצוה רעה) בְּלָאו שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹד כֹּהֵן בַּעַל מוּם בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. וְהַכֹּל בַּאֲרֻכָּה בְּמַסֶּכֶת בְּכוֹרוֹת [ה' איסורי מזבח פ"א].
And I have written a little about the laws of the commandment — meaning to say which are the blemishes that disqualify and which do not disqualify — above in the commandment that a priest who is one with a blemish not serve in the service of the Temple (Sefer HaChinukh 275). And it is all in [detail] in Tractate Bekhorot. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Things Forbidden on the Altar 1.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. כָּל הָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְהִקְדִּישׁ בַּעַל מוּם וַאֲפִלּוּ בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה. וּמִן הַנִּרְאֶה שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בָּזֶה מַלְקוּת, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, אֲבָל רָאִיתִי הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (איסורי מזבח א ב) שֶׁכָּתַב הַמַּקְדִּישׁ בַּעַל מוּם לוֹקֶה, וְאוּלַי יַעֲשֵׂהוּ כְּמֵמִיר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ מַלְקוּת וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁזֶּה וְזֶה הֶקְדֵּשׁ הוּא, וְאֵלָיו נִשְׁמַע וְתוֹרָה נְבַקֵּשׁ מִפִּיהוּ כִּי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת הוּא (מלאכי ב ז).
And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. Anyone who transgresses it and consecrates an [animal] with a blemish — and even at this time — violates this negative commandment. And from what appears, there would not be lashes with this, since there is no act [involved] with it; but I saw that Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Things Forbidden on the Altar 1:2) [that] one who consecrates an [animal] with a blemish is lashed. And maybe he makes it like one who exchanges [a sacrifice] about which there is lashes even though there is no act [involved] with it — as [in that case, we see the impact of his words — since] this and that are consecrated. And to him shall we listen “and we will seek Torah from his mouth, as he is an angel of the Lord of hosts.”