Translation:Mishnah/Seder Nezikin/Tractate Shevuot/Chapter 1/3

Hebrew Text

אין בה ידיעה בתחילה, אבל יש בה ידיעה בסוף –

השעיר הנעשה בחוץ ויום הכיפורים מכפר;

שנאמר, "מלבד חטאת הכיפורים" (במדבר כט,יא) –

על שזה מכפר, זה מכפר.

מה הפנימי אינו מכפר אלא על דבר שיש בו ידיעה,

אף החיצון אינו מכפר אלא על דבר שיש בו ידיעה.

English Translation

[If] [a sin while impure] has no recognition at the beginning, but has recognition at the end –

The he-goat which [has its blood service] performed Outside and the Day of Atonement atone [for this sin];

As it states, "Aside from the sin-offering of Atonement" (Numbers 29:11) –

for that which this one atones, that one atones.

Just as the Inside one only atones for a matter which has [a period of] recognition,

so the Outside one only atones for a matter which has [a period of] recognition.

Explanation

Outside: Outside the Temple's Sanctuary, in the Courtyard. Its blood service is performed on the large Outer Altar, as is done for most animal sacrifices. This he-goat is another of the sin-offerings sacrificed on Yom Kippur.

the Day of Atonement: Yom Kippur. The day itself is a vehicle of atonement.

for that which this one atones, that one atones: This statement does not mean that the he-goat offered Inside (see previous mishnah) and the one offered Outside atone for precisely the same sins - only that a similarity exists between the two.