Mishnah Keritot 3:5-6

Hook

Ever wondered if one single action could trigger multiple major transgressions in Jewish law? This Mishnah throws a curveball, showing how a single moment of unwitting error can rack up a surprising number of liabilities.

Context

Mishnah Keritot deals primarily with karet (divine excision) – the most severe punishment for certain transgressions – and the chatat (sin offering) brought to atone for unwittingly violating such prohibitions. This passage, however, isn't just about the type of offering, but the number of offerings a single act can necessitate.

Text Snapshot

"There is a case where one can perform a single act of eating an olive-bulk of food and be liable to bring four sin offerings and one guilt offering for it. How so? This halakha applies to one who is ritually impure who ate forbidden fat, and it was left over from a consecrated offering after the time allotted for its consumption [notar], on Yom Kippur." (Mishnah Keritot 3:5)

"There is a case where one can engage in a single act of intercourse and be liable to bring six sin offerings for it. How so? It is possible for one who engages in intercourse with his daughter to be liable due to having violated the prohibitions of engaging in intercourse with his daughter, his sister, the wife of his brother, the wife of his father’s brother, a married woman, and a menstruating woman." (Mishnah Keritot 3:6)

Close Reading

Structure: Layering Complexity

The Mishnah builds a compelling argument by starting with a complex scenario of eating, then escalating to an even more intricate web of forbidden relations. This systematic layering highlights how multiple distinct prohibitions can converge on a single physical act.

Key Term: "אחת" (One/Single)

The repeated emphasis on "ביאה אחת" (a single act of intercourse) or "אכילה אחת" (a single act of eating) forces us to confront the core legal principle: it's not about the number of movements, but the number of distinct prohibitions violated within that single, continuous act.

Tension: Single Act, Multiple Sins

The tension here is profound. Intuitively, we might expect one action to yield one consequence. However, the Mishnah reveals that halakha can differentiate between the physical act and the various legal categories it transgresses, leading to a multiplication of liabilities.

Two Angles

Rambam (Commentary on Mishnah Keritot 3:5) meticulously details the convoluted family trees and sequences of events required for one woman to simultaneously embody several prohibited relations (daughter, sister, brother's wife, etc.) to explain how a single act of intercourse could incur so many sin offerings. He often relies on the concept of issur mosif (an added prohibition) where an act (like marriage) can layer new prohibitions onto an already existing forbidden relationship.

Rashash (Commentary on Mishnah Keritot 3:5) engages with the Rambam's elaborate constructions, sometimes questioning or refining the precise conditions. For instance, he probes why certain prohibitions aren't counted, or points to the Jerusalem Talmud's alternative readings, revealing the depth of halakhic debate over these intricate scenarios.

Practice Implication

This concept underscores the profound impact of our actions. Just as one bite can violate multiple prohibitions, one instance of lashon hara (slander) can violate prohibitions against lying, shaming, gossip, and more. It teaches us to consider the multifaceted nature of mitzvot and transgressions.

Chevruta Mini

1. If the goal of a chatat is atonement for unwitting sin, does accumulating multiple offerings for one act suggest a deeper level of atonement is needed, or simply reflects the sheer number of divine boundaries crossed?
2. The Mishnah constructs extremely rare, almost fantastical scenarios. Is its purpose primarily to offer practical guidance for such unique cases, or to serve as a pedagogical tool for understanding the comprehensive and layered nature of halakha?

Takeaway

A single unwitting transgression can violate multiple distinct prohibitions, revealing the intricate tapestry of halakhic obligation.

Sefaria URL: Mishnah Keritot 3:5-6