Temurah 27 – The Meaning Of “In Place”

If one said, “This animal is in place of that sacrifice”, he has accomplished the (prohibited) exchange.

However the words “in place” may mean different things, depending upon context. For example, in the phrase “and if the white leprosy discoloration remains in its place,” it means “occupies the place,” similar to the sacrifice exchange, where one animal becomes a sacrifice instead of another one. On the other hand, when Isaiah says that “God promises to bring gold to replace copper stolen from His people,” this implies redemption, where the value of one object is replaced with the value of the other. In the world of sacrifices, this would be permitted redemption.

Abaye asked, “What if one said, 'These two animals are in place of those two blemished sacrifices,' did he mean prohibited exchange or permitted redemption?” When a person can do something in a permitted way, can we assume that he uses the chance, or does he want to do the wrong thing? He continued with the case of two animals, where one was unblemished, so that there he surely transgressed, but what about the other animal, where he could have done it in a permitted way? Then three animals, then four, where he already established a presumption of wrong-doing – does the person still have a chance? This remained unresolved.

Art: David The Younger Teniers - A Shepherd Boy talking to a milkmaid in a cowshed