intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

Women in the Azara
With the exception of Bechorot (first born animals), Ma'aser Beheima (animal tithes) and the Korban Pesach, all private Korbanot offered by male Israelites required S'micha - "the laying on of hands". Bird offerings never required S'micha (Menachot 9:7, Ma'asei Korbanot 3:6-7, Sifra Vayikra 4:7) But what exactly was S'micha? First the person bringing the Korban brought the animal into the Azara, "to the place of slaughter" north of the Mizbei'ach. (Kodshei Kodashim, sacrifices of a higher level of sanctity, were slaughtered only north of the Mizbei'ach. Kodashim Kalim; the sacrifices of a lower level of sanctity could be slaughtered anywhere in the Azara. However, because of the better facilities, and the absence of any prohibition, most were probably also slaughtered north of the Mizbei'ach, as well. Note Zevachim 5:3-6) The animal was positioned with its tail towards the north and its head to the south (towards the Mizbei'ach) and its face was turned west towards the Bayit. The Ba'al HaKorban stood behind the sacrificial animal and also faced the Bayit. He placed both hands on its head between the horns and pressed down with all his might (Yoma 36a, Ma'asei Korbanot 3:14). He then confessed his sins (Bamidbar 5:6,7 - Ma'asei Korbanot 3:15) or said words of praise, depending on the circumstance and on the type of Korban.

Women, however, did not perform S'micha when they brought their Korbanot (Menachot 9:8, Ma'asei Korbanot 3:8). This ruling was partially derived from Vayikra 3:2. "He shall lean (or lay) his hand upon the head of his offering... 'his hand' but not the hand of his slave, 'his hand' and not the hand of his messenger, 'his hand' and not the hand of his wife" (Menachot 93b). The Sage's ruling that women did not perform S'micha was also based on the Pesukim, "Speak to B'nei Yisrael (usually translated as "Children of Israel but literally means "Sons of Israel") and say to them… and he shall lay his hands" (Vayikra 1:2-4). Chazal interpreted these Pesukim literally, "the sons of Israel lay their hands (on the head of the sacrificial animal before slaughter), but the daughters of Israel do not lay their hands (on the animal's head). R. Yosi and R. Simeon say, 'The daughters of Israel have the option to perform S'micha'" (Chagiga 16b), but it was neither a Chova (religious obligation) nor a Mitzva.

Women who did want to perform a "virtual-S'micha" could do so. "R. Yosi said 'Abba Eleazar told me that once we had a calf that was a Shelamim offering and we brought it into the Ezrat Nashim and the women performed S'micha." He concluded, "Women are not required to perform S'micha, but rather this was done to satisfy their wishes" (ibid.). But there were two significant differences. These women performed their "virtual-S'micha" in the Ezrat Nashim; a bona fide S'micha was valid only when performed in the Azara (Ma'asei Korbanot 3:11). "S'micha is required to be performed with all one's strength, but the women were specifically told not to exert undue pressure when they pressed down. Perhaps the idea of a lady pressing down as hard as she could on the head of a animal was simply esthetically displeasing to the chivalrous Sages (or as we used to say "past nicht"). After all, she could confess her sins or say words of praise over her Korban without it.

'And in the place where one performs S'micha, there the animal must be slaughtered… imme- diately following the S'micha.' (Menachot 9:8) After S'micha, the sacrificial animal was lowered to the ground and slaughtered. As we have seen, women theoretically could slaughter their own sacrificial animals, but it is not likely that they so did very often. Few men and even fewer women had the Halachic expertise to slaughter their sacrificial animal correctly and therefore professional Shochtim were on hand to assist the Ba'alei Korban. In the days of Bayit Rishon, Leviyim fulfilled this important role (II Devrei Hayamim 30:17 and 35:6). On Erev Pesach, a group of women could form their own Chavura, a group united to offer and eat the Korban Pesach as a group (Hil. Korban Pesach 2:4). The Gemara relates how "a man once said to his children, 'I am slaughtering the Korban Pesach on behalf of whichever of you goes (first) to Jerusalem' and the daughters outdistanced the sons! The daughters were found to be enthusiastic (in their desire to fulfill the Mitzva), the sons were apathetic" (Pesachim 89a).

Women brought their Bikurim to the Azara but did not make the accompanying declaration. (Bikurim 1:5, Hil. Bikurim 4:2)

A woman could not perform the Avodot which Halachically required a Kohein (Hil Bi'at Hamikdash 9:1). The Mishna states, "S'micha, 'waving' (Vayikra 7:30), bringing near (the meal offering to the Mizbei'ach, taking the handful (of fine flour, ibid 2:2), burning the fat (ibid. 3:5), Melika (the "bird- korban equivalent of Sh'chita", ibid. 1:15), Zerikat HaDam (sprinkling the blood), and Kabalat HaDam (receiving the blood spurting from the neck of the slaughtered animal in a sacred vessel) are performed by men and not by women…" (Kiddushin 1:8). The Rambam rules, "A Zar (someone forbidden to perform Avodot in the Mikdash) is anyone who is not a male descendent of Aaron" (Bi'at Mikdash 9:1).

The Gemara comments, "Waving, it is written, 'Speak unto the sons of Israel, the sons of Israel wave, the daughters of Israel do not… bringing near the meal offering, it is written, 'This is the law of the meal offering; the sons of Aaron shall offer it' the sons of Aaron and not the daughters of Aaron (ibid. 6:7). 'Taking the handful', it is written, 'And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the Kohanim, and he shall take out his handful (of fine flour). (ibid 2:2), the sons of Aaron and not the daughters of Aaron. Burning (parts of the Korbanot which must be burnt on the altar or meal offerings), it is written, 'And Aaron's sons shall burn it, but not Aaron's daughters. Melika, because it is written, '…and he shall perform Melika and burn it (on the altar). 'Melika is in the same category as burning. (Rashi: "And therefore women are excluded because burning is exclusively for the sons of Aaron.") Receiving the blood, because it is written, 'and the Kohanim, Aaron's sons shall bring (the blood). A master has said, 'and they shall bring' refers to the receiving of the blood.' Sprinkling? It refers to the sprinkling of a bird's blood which we infer from a Kal VaChomer ("argument a fortiori"): If an animal, for the slaughtering of which a Kohein is not stipulated, a Kohein was specified to perform the blood application; then a bird, for its Melika, a Kohein is stipulated (ibid 1:15), it follows that a Kohein would be required for the sprinkling" (Kiddushin 36a,b).

Consequently if a Kohein was required to sprinkle the blood, a woman could not. However, interestingly enough, during the period of "Heter Bamot", when "high places" or "field altars" were permitted (see TT#595), women were permitted to receive and sprinkle the blood of the Korbanot offered on the Bamah. Unlike the offerings on the Mizbei'ach of the Beit HaMikdash, the Korbanot offered on a private Bamah did not require a Kohein (Sifra, Acharei Mot, 9:99(7).

Catriel Sugarman (acatriel@netvision.net.il, 02-652-7531) gives illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim's Perspective: A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service.

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