Mishnah Temurah 6:1-2

Sugya Map

• Issue: The diverse categories of animals (פסולי המזבח) prohibited from being sacrificed on the altar, and their implications for תערובת (mixtures) and הנאה (benefit).
• Nafka Mina(s):
  • The דין כל שהן (prohibiting the entire mixture regardless of ratio) for altar sacrifice.
  • Distinction in דיני הנאה for מוקצה לע"ז (set aside for idolatry) versus נעבד (actually worshipped).
• Primary Sources: Mishnah Temurah 6:1-2¹, Mishnah Zevachim 8:1², Mishnah Avodah Zarah 3:7³.

Text Snapshot

The Mishnah distinguishes:

ואיזה הוא מוקצה? המוקצה לעבודה זרה. הוא אסור, ומה שעליו מותר. ואיזה הוא נעבד? כל שעובדין אותו. הוא ומה שעליו אסור. זה וזה מותרין באכילה.⁴

The final clause, זה וזה מותרין באכילה ("both this [the מוקצה] and that [the נעבד] are permitted for consumption"), presents a critical point of nuance, especially concerning נעבד.

Readings

Rambam's תפיסת יד אדם Delineation

Rambam⁵ offers a pivotal chiddush to reconcile the Mishnah's blanket מותרין באכילה for נעבד animals with the general איסור הנאה for עבודה זרה. He explains that the Mishnah refers to נעבד animals or natural phenomena (like a mountain or sea) that were worshipped, but which inherently lack תפיסת יד אדם (human manipulation/craftsmanship). Such items, while prohibited for the altar, are indeed permitted for הנאה. Conversely, a נעבד item with תפיסת יד אדם (e.g., an idol, or a golden ornament affixed to a worshipped animal) is אסור בהנאה, consistent with broader ע"ז principles.

Mishnat Eretz Yisrael's Reaffirmation

Mishnat Eretz Yisrael⁶ highlights the Mishnah's continued emphasis on this distinction. It notes that while מוקצה (dedicated) is less severe (מה שעליו מותר), נעבד (worshipped) is more stringent (הוא ומה שעליו אסור) concerning altar sacrifice. Yet, the overarching זה וזה מותרין באכילה underscores that this איסור is specific to the altar, not general הנאה, for the types of נעבד discussed by the Mishnah (primarily living animals or natural objects).

Friction

The strongest kushya arises from the Mishnah's assertion that a נעבד animal is מותרין באכילה. This appears to contradict the foundational דין that עבודה זרה and its appurtenances are אסורות בהנאה⁷. Why would a worshipped animal, the very object of ע"ז, be permitted for consumption?

Terutz

Rambam's aforementioned terutz is the most compelling. By distinguishing between נעבד with תפיסת יד אדם (e.g., an idol) and נעבד without תפיסת יד אדם (e.g., a living animal, mountain, or sea), he resolves the apparent contradiction. The Mishnah here refers specifically to the latter, where the איסור הנאה does not apply, even though the object itself was worshipped. The איסור is thus nuanced, depending on the inherent nature and origin of the worshipped object.

Intertext

The concept of תפיסת יד אדם as a differentiator for איסור הנאה from עבודה זרה finds elaboration in Mishnah Avodah Zarah 3:7. There, objects like אילן של אשרה (an Asherah tree) are discussed, where the prohibition of הנאה applies only to the part that has been actively נעבד or שירת (served), implying human intervention. This aligns with Rambam's view that the איסור הנאה is tied to the idol's creation or modification by human hands, not merely its designation or worship.

Psak/Practice

In practical halacha, the distinction between מוקצה לע"ז and נעבד (and within נעבד, the תפיסת יד אדם criterion) shapes the scope of איסור הנאה. A living animal that was worshipped, or an item merely מוקצה (set aside) for ע"ז but not yet נעבד in a way that involves תפיסת יד אדם or מעשה ע"ז (an act of idolatry on the item itself), generally retains its permissibility for הנאה (though still פסול for the altar). This intricate understanding prevents an overly broad application of איסור הנאה while maintaining the sanctity of קרבנות.

Takeaway

The Mishnah's precise language, elucidated by Rishonim, reveals that איסור categories, even within עבודה זרה, are not monolithic, but are finely tuned to the nature of the object and the מעשה performed.

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¹ Mishnah Temurah 6:1-2 ² Mishnah Zevachim 8:1 ³ Mishnah Avodah Zarah 3:7 ⁴ Mishnah Temurah 6:1:3-4 ⁵ Rambam on Mishnah Temurah 6:1:1 s.v. "כל האסורין" ⁶ Mishnat Eretz Yisrael on Mishnah Temurah 6:1:3-4 ⁷ See e.g., Deuteronomy 7:26, and its interpretation in Avodah Zarah 46a.