Temura 32: What is Similar Between the Two Types of Consecrations

Today's Mishna teaches about halacha where there is no difference between kedushat mizbe'ach, an animal set aside to be sacrificed on the altar, and kedushat bedeck ha'bayit, an object that is consecrated for use through the Temple's treasury.  

There are several examples.  One is that dedications for the altar and dedications for repairing the Temple cannot be changed from one holiness to another.  Bringing a burnt offering to substitute for a peace offering or vice versa is forbidden.  As well, dedicating something to repair the Temple cannot be exchanged for a dedication for the alter or vice versa.  The Rambam rules that we should be even more stringent than that. 

Another example in our Mishna notes that carcasses must be buried and not redeemed when consecrated animals die.  Rabbi Shimon argues that when something is consecrated for use through the treasury, the animal can be redeemed even after it has died.  

The Gemara walks us through the issue with redeeming sanctified animals after they have died: they cannot be redeemed and fed to dogs as food.  Blemished dedications can only be given to the dogs when the animals have become treifa, because they can be examined and appraised while they are alive (Vayikra 27:11-12).  The Sages and Rabbi Shimon disagree because of Rabbi Shimon's belief that the practice of setting animals before us to be appraised only applied to animals brought on the altar (and not to animals brought for use by the treasury).