Earlier we mentioned that there are unfortunate cases when a sin offering cannot be used, but is instead locked in a room and left to die. Now we can explain those cases.
A child of a sin offering cannot atone for any sin, since it was not consecrated for that purpose. It is nevertheless consecrated as a sacrifice, and, lacking a purpose, represents one of these cases. Was the animal already pregnant when consecrated, or did it conceive after being consecrated – that is a subject of an earlier disagreement between Rabbi Yochanan and Bar Padda.
An exchange of a sin offering becomes consecrated. However, it cannot be offered as a sin offering, since consecrating the exchange it itself a sin.
A sin offering whose owner died is also left to die. Normally, a sacrifice is brought by the heirs of the deceased. However, a sin offering is no longer needed, since death itself serves as an atonement for one's sins.
A sin offering that has grown older than a year, or one that was lost and later found blemished, has a hope: if the owner already atoned for their sins with a different offering, it is left to die, but if he rather wanted to replace his defective sin offering with a valid one, then it is left to graze and sold when it gets a blemish, and the money is used for another sacrifice.
Art: George Shalders- Sheep Grazing
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