287. Hey! Don’t Do That!: The prohibition against blemishing a consecrated animal

Here’s what we know so far: there’s a prohibition against consecrating a blemished animal as a sacrifice (Mitzvah #285) and a requirement to offer unblemished animals as sacrifices (Mitzvah #286). Now we see that if a person has consecrated an animal as a sacrifice, it is forbidden for us to inflict a blemish upon it.

The reason for the mitzvah is the same as in the previous two: the sacrifices are meant to be taken seriously by the people. We are not permitted to treat them lightly as doing so will cultivate in us a lack of appreciation for the Divine service.

This mitzvah applies to both men and women in all times and places. Even though we do not currently offer sacrifices, if a person were to consecrate an animal for use as an offering, the one who blemishes it would be in violation of this mitzvah. (As with Mitzvah #285, this mitzvah is not listed in the Chofetz Chaim’s Sefer HaMitzvos HaKatzar.)

The prohibition against blemishing a consecrated animal is discussed in the Talmudic tractate of Menachos on page 56b, in Temurah on page 21a, in Bechoros on page 33b and in Beitza on page 27b. It is codified in the Mishneh Torah in the first chapter of Hilchos Issurei Mizbe’ach. This mitzvah is #97 of the 365 negative mitzvos in the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos.