Pesachim 57b (נז:) — the Talmud in English

And when he was asked about it,

he gestured with his hand [

He made a gesture with his hand, by way of jest]. And he said: It is certainly true that a sheep is better, for it is offered as the tamid.

If the kid is fine, let it ascend

the kid

to the tamid!

The king said:

Not only did he fail to say as I did; he even said it in jest.

Since he had no fear of the monarchy [

fear of the monarchy],

let us cut off [

let us sever]

his right

hand

.

Yissakhar

of

Kfar Barkai gave a bribe

to the king’s servant,

and he cut off his left hand,

in place of his right hand.

The king heard

about this,

and he cut it off

also

his right

hand

.

And he was left without both hands.

Rav Yosef said: Blessed be the Merciful One, who took [

who removed]

from Yissakhar of Kfar Barkai his retribution [

his due]

from him in this world!

And he will not receive his punishment in the World-to-Come, where the punishment is far more severe.

Rav Ashi said: Yissakhar of Kfar Barkai did not study the Mishna [

he did not study Mishna and beraita]. And that is why he said that a sheep is better than a kid.

As we learned in a Mishna: Rabbi Shimon says: Sheep precede goats

in sacrifices

everywhere,

for in every offering brought from sheep and goats, “sheep” is written first.

One might have thought

that this is

because

sheep

are superior within their species

to goats?

The verse states

in the sin offering: “And he shall bring his offering, a flawless female goat,” and afterward it is written

“And if he brings a sheep as his offering

for a sin offering, he shall bring a flawless female,

he has therefore placed the goat before the sheep. This teaches that both are equally worthy.

Ravina said: Yissakhar of Kfar Barkai did not even read Scripture

.

For

it

is written

in the peace offerings:

“If a sheep

he offers it [the flesh].”

And it is written

“And if a goat

is his offering.”

And since the verse gives no indication that one is superior to the other, infer from this that both are equally worthy.

Therefore,

if he wishes, he may bring a sheep; if he wishes, he may bring a goat.

We shall return to you, chapter “The Place Where They Followed the Custom.”