Zevachim 107 – What does “Outside” Mean

One who offers sacrifices outside the Temple is liable, but what does “outside the Temple” mean?

The verse states, “And any man from the House of Israel who will slaughter an ox, a sheep or goat in the camp... and he did not bring it to the Tent of the Meeting... ”  We might think that even if he takes a sacrifice that is normally brought in the northern part of the Courtyard and slaughters it in the southern part of the Courtyard – he would already be liable. To dispel this notion, the Torah added, “outside the camp.”

But now that the Torah has said, “outside the camp,” you might think this to mean outside of all three special camps, that is, outside the Temple, outside the Temple Mount, and even outside Jerusalem – that only then one would be liable. For that, the Torah said, “in the camp.” Thus, if he slaughters a sacrifices in the south, even if it is not its place, it is not called “outside,” because some other sacrifices can be brought there. However, if he slaughters it outside the Courtyard, then he is liable for “slaughter outside.”

Art: Cornelis van Leemputten - Shepherdess with Sheep in a Landscape