מעשר בהמה: לשורשי המחלוקת ההלכתית בימי בית שני

Investigation of the roots of a Pharisaic-sectarian halakhic controversy concerning the tithing of livestock disclosed broader implications. The Pharisees ruled that a tithed animal was consumed by its owner (after offering it as a sacrifice); their opponents considered the tithe one of the priestly "gifts" eaten by priests alone. Detailed analysis reveals possible exegetical explanations for this controversy, but these alone are insufficient to account for its origins. These origins, which relate to the concept of sanctity, not only reflect basic ideological differences between the two schools of thought but also proved to be paradigmatic of other Second Temple period schisms and halakhic controversies. Sectarian halakhah adhered to the conception of sanctity found in Leviticus and Numbers, whereas the Pharisaic perception of sanctity derived primarily from trends expressed in Deuteronomy. In the context of the history of ideas, the controversy over the tithing of livestock illustrates a fascinating phenomenon also exhibited by other disputes between Second Temple period halakhic schools: an extrarabbinic interpretation of halakhah somehow made its way into both early and late rabbinic literature and was debated in the sources, the parties to the debate being entirely unaware of its real origins.