Zevachim 83 – Offering Invalid Parts on the Altar

The Torah has stated, “The Altar shall be most sacred; whatever touches it shall becomes sanctified.” What exactly does this mean? - That once certain invalid sacrifices touch the Altar, they become “Altar's fare,” and may not be taken off the Altar.

However, this statement can be understood in different ways. Rabbi Yehoshua takes it to mean that anything fit for the Altar's fire is sanctified in this way, but not invalid blood and libations. Rabban Gamliel understands this to mean that anything fit to be offered on the Altar becomes its fare, and this includes blood and libations.

Rabbi Shimon, however, makes a very fine distinction: according to him, the offerings are always sanctified and stay on the Altar, but the invalid libations, once they touch the Altar, stay there, if the owner brings just libations alone, but do go down, if they are brought together with a sacrifice.

Art: Caravaggio - The Sacrifice of Isaac