Menachot 102: Asham Taluey, Provisional Guilt Offerings

Today's Gemara teaches us about a case where someone brought an animal as an asham taluey, provisional guilt offering.  In this case the person realizes that s/he definitely did not transgress any halacha.  We are presented with three opinions.

Rabbi Meir teaches that once the owner knows that s/he did not commit the transgression, the transgression was brought in error.  Thus the animal can be returned without being redeemed.  The Sages teach that we treat this sacrifice like any other sacrifice that cannot be brought.  It is left alone until it becomes blemished and thus disqualified from sacrifice.  Then it can be redeemed and the money will go to the Temple to use for another sacrifice.  Rabbi Eliezer teaches that the animal should be offered as provisional guilt offering.  He suggests that the owner must have sinned at some point and so the sacrifice is still valid.  

Earlier, (Keritot 17-18), the Sages attempt to define the "doubt" which warrants a provisional guilt offering.  It had been known as "the guilt offering of the pious" during the Second Temple period.  At that time people would bring these offerings even if they only had a slight suspicion and not a true doubt that they had sinned.