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. CHATAT HA'OF - The Bird Sin Offering These required Chata'ot were fixed (Chatat Kavu'a), no adjustments were permitted because of the economic condition of the offender. If the offender could not bring a she-goat or a ewe, the Halachic obligation remained until his economic circumstances improved. But there were three transgressions which part of the atonement process consisted of bringing a Korban Oleh V'Yoreid, "a rising and falling offering", i.e., a Korban which varied according to the financial means of the offender. (1) "If a person will sin: If he accepted a demand for an oath (in court), and he is a witness - either he saw or he knew - if he does not testify, he shall bear his iniquity…" (Vayikra 5:1). Upon admitting that he swore falsely, the offender obligates himself to bring a Korban Oleh V'Yoreid (Shevu'ot 33b). (2) "Or if a person will have touched any impure object, whether it be the carcass of an impure animal (Chaya) or the carcass of impure cattle (B'heima) or the carcass of impure creeping things, and it was concealed from him and he becomes impure and makes himself guilty. Or if he touches the impurity of man, whatsoever impurity it be by which he became impure, and it was concealed from him, but he became aware of it and became guilty (Vayikra 5:2,3). Since it is not mentioned specifically, the Gemara asks, "How do we know that the Torah (in ordaining an Oleh V'Yoreid for impurity) refers only to cases where the Mikdash is entered or Kodashim (i.e., sacrificial meat) is eaten when ritually impure?" The Gemara answers, "The Torah warns against impurity (in the wilderness camp, Bamidbar 5:2,3 and the Gemara interprets this as an admonition against entering the Mikdash while impure (Pesachim 67a). The warning, "He shall not eat of Kodashim until he be pure" (Vayikra 22:4) was interpreted literally.) Vayikra 4:6 requires that a Korban be brought for impurity (for unintentional transgression. Therefore, since normally being impure was not sinful), a Korban was only required when the Mikdash was entered or Kodashim eaten in a state of impurity" (Shevu'ot 6b). (3) "Or if a person will swear, expressing with his lips to do harm or to do good, anything that a person will express in an oath, but it was concealed from him (i.e., he forgot that he had made the vow and as a result, he broke it), and then he knew and he became guilty…" (Vayikra 5:4). The Torah continues, "…he shall confess what he had sinned. And bring to G-d as an expression of his guilt… a ewe or a she-goat as a Chatat." After considering these three sins, the Torah continues, "if his means are insufficient for a sheep or a goat, he shall bring as 'an expression of the guilt of the sin that he has committed' two turtle doves or young pigeons to G-d, one for a Chatat and one for an Olah (Vayikra 5:6,11). Both the bird-Chatat and Olah were slaughtered and readied for sacrifice by the unique method of Melika (described in last weeks TT, March 4-5, #658) though there was one significant difference between them. "…he will offer first the Chatat; he shall nip (cut) its head at the nape but not separate (the head from the body of the bird.)" In his Sefer HaMitzvot, Rambam lists this prohibition (Lo Ta'aseh #112) in accordance with this Pasuk. However, when the Kohein performed Melika to a bird- Olah, he did sever the head from the body (Zevachim 6:5). Another difference was that the Kohein performed Melika to the bird-Olah while standing on the Soveiv (the Mizbei'ach circuit ledge) at the southeast corner of the Mizbei'ach; however the Kohein performed Melika to the bird-Chatat while standing on the floor facing the southwest corner. When offering the bird-Chatat, he "sprinkled some of the blood (by grasping the bird in his hand and shaking it towards the Mizbei'ach) upon the side of the altar, the remainder of the (bird's) blood would be squeezed on the base (of the altar by pressing the body against the Mizbei'ach wall so the blood flowed down to the base.) And the altar received only the (bird's) blood (Unlike other Korbanot, no part of the bird-Chatat was burnt on the altar.). All of (the meat) went to the Kohanim" who ate it in the Azara the day of sacrifice and the following night until midnight (Zevachim 6:4). If the offender could not afford two turtle doves or young pigeons, he could bring "a tenth-Eifa of fine flour for a sin offering (Vayikra 5:11). <END> In TT #654, I described archeological excavations carried out in the Herodian Street immediately to the west of the Kotel, Robinson's Arch, Mikdash-era Mikva'ot, and the "Western Wall tunnels". I wrote how while I was visiting the "Western Wall tunnels" I met an "articulate, intellectual, urbane" Jewish woman who told me that all the Hasmonean and Herodian structures that I had written about were "actually built by the Umayyads, the early Muslim conquerors of Palestine in the beginning of the 7th century." She explained to me that various academics, many of them Israeli, had "proved" that there never were Jewish temples on Har HaBayit and that there never was a noticeable Jewish presence in Palestine." Duly indoctrinated, she came here to "atone for the sins of the Jewish people" by picking olives in Ramallah. Living in Yerushalyim Ir HaKodesh and anticipating and yearning for Bayit Shlishi as we do, many of us are incredulous that such types actually exist. This communication from Dr. Nahum Duker of Melrose Park, Pa. should cause all of us to sit up and take notice. There are many people "out there" for whom stealing Eretz Yisrael from Am Yisrael is not enough; even more perniciously, they want to steal our history as well! "I have encountered many academics holding opinions similar to that of your Ramallah olive-picker. One of the most frequently assigned texts in college archeology courses is Keith Whitelam's "The Invention of Ancient Israel; the Silencing of Palestinian History". Don't bother reading the book; the title says it all. Should anyone criticize it, he is instantly denounced as a "fundamentalist", an insult comparable with racist, sexist or orientalist. I find it interesting that the reaction of the mainstream Jewish organizations to holocaust denial is emotional and vehement, while there is no reaction whatever to Bible denial…" Dr. Duker further writes, "Apropos of my last letter, I understated the impact of the "new archeologists", and their alliances with the forces of political correctness. They will write the next generation's textbooks and public school curricula, and it is most likely that in 10 years the only places where the existence of the first and second Temples will be mentioned will be in the religious private schools. Those who continue to affirm the existence of the Temples will be denounced as "fundamentalists" and denigrated as bigoted morons. …It is likely that "Temple denial" will become the standard consensus among the semi-educated elites, both here and in Israel." Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service [The
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