Me'ilah in Attached Property and Damage

אֵין מְעִילָה אֶלָּא בְּתָלוּשׁ מִן הַקַּרְקַע אֲבָל הַנֶּהֱנֶה בַּקַּרְקַע עַצְמָהּ אוֹ בַּמְחֻבָּר לָהּ לֹא מָעַל אֲפִלּוּ פָּגַם. כֵּיצַד. הַחוֹרֵשׁ שְׂדֵה הֶקְדֵּשׁ אוֹ הַזּוֹרֵעַ בָּהּ פָּטוּר. נָטַל מֵאֲבָקָהּ וְנֶהֱנָה בָּהּ וּפְגָמָהּ מָעַל. הַדָּשׁ בִּשְׂדֵה הֶקְדֵּשׁ מָעַל שֶׁהֶאָבָק שֶׁלָּהּ מוֹעִיל לַשָּׂדֶה וַהֲרֵי נֶהֱנָה בָּאָבָק וּפָגַם הַשָּׂדֶה. וְכֵן אִם חָרַשׁ שְׂדֵה הֶקְדֵּשׁ כְּדֵי לְהַעֲלוֹת אָבָק לְעֵשֶׂב שֶׁנָּתַן בָּהּ וְנָטַל הָעֵשֶׂב מָעַל. הַדָּר בִּמְעָרַת הֶקְדֵּשׁ אוֹ בְּצֵל אִילָן אוֹ שׁוֹבָךְ שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה לֹא מָעַל. וְכֵן הַמַּקְדִּישׁ בַּיִת בָּנוּי הַדָּר בּוֹ לֹא מָעַל. אֲבָל הַמַּקְדִּישׁ עֵצִים וַאֲבָנִים וּבָנָה בָּהֶן בַּיִת הַדָּר שָׁם מָעַל כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר: גִּדּוּלֵי הֶקְדֵּשׁ מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן. כֵּיצַד. הִקְדִּישׁ שָׂדֶה וְהוֹצִיאָה עֲשָׂבִים אִילָן וְעָשָׂה פֵּרוֹת מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן. אֲבָל הַמַּקְדִּישׁ אֶת הַבּוֹר רֵיקָן וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִתְמַלֵּא מַיִם. הִקְדִּישׁ אַשְׁפָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִתְמַלֵּאת זֶבֶל. שׁוֹבָךְ וְנִתְמַלֵּא יוֹנִים. הוֹאִיל וְאֵינָן גִּדּוּלֵי הֶקְדֵּשׁ אֵין מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן. וְכֵן הַזֶּבֶל וְהַפֶּרֶשׁ שֶׁבַּחֲצַר הֶקְדֵּשׁ לֹא נֶהֱנִין וְלֹא מוֹעֲלִין. וּמַה יַּעֲשׂוּ בָּהֶן יִמָּכְרוּ וְיִפְּלוּ דְּמֵיהֶן לַלִּשְׁכָּה. מַעְיָן שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא מִתּוֹךְ שְׂדֵה הֶקְדֵּשׁ אָסוּר לֵהָנוֹת בְּמַיִם שֶׁיּוֹצְאִין מִמֶּנּוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה וְהַנֶּהֱנֶה לֹא מָעַל. יָצְאוּ הַמַּיִם חוּץ לַשָּׂדֶה מֻתָּר לֵהָנוֹת בָּהֶן. עֲרָבָה הַגְּדֵלָה בִּשְׂדֵה הֶקְדֵּשׁ לֹא נֶהֱנִין וְלֹא מוֹעֲלִין. אִילָן שֶׁל הֶדְיוֹט הַסָּמוּךְ לִשְׂדֵה הֶקְדֵּשׁ וְשָׁרָשָׁיו יוֹצְאִים בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה. אִם בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין הַשָּׂדֶה שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ עַד שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה הֲרֵי אוֹתָן הַשָּׁרָשִׁין שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה אֲסוּרִין וְהַנֶּהֱנֶה מֵהֶן לֹא מָעַל. הָיָה הָאִילָן רָחוֹק יֶתֶר עַל שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה הַנֶּהֱנֶה בָּהֶן מָעַל. אִילָן שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ הַסָּמוּךְ לִשְׂדֵה הֶדְיוֹט וְשָׁרָשָׁיו יוֹצְאִין בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה אִם הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מוֹעֲלִין בָּהֶן. הָיָה רָחוֹק יֶתֶר עַל שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה אוֹתָן הַשָּׁרָשִׁין שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַשְּׂדֵה הֶדְיוֹט לֹא נֶהֱנִין וְלֹא מוֹעֲלִין:

The prohibition against me'ilah applies only to articles that have been separated from the earth. If, however, one benefits from consecrated earth or from consecrated articles attached to the earth, he does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah even if blemishes that entity. What is implied? If one plows a consecrated field or sows it, he is exempt. If he takes its earth, derives benefit from it, and damages the earth, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah. A person who threshes in a consecrated field violates the prohibition against me'ilah, because its dust benefits the field. Thus he has benefited from the dust and damaged the field. Similarly, if one plowed a consecrated field in order to raise dust for grass that was planted there and he took the grass, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah. A person who dwells in a cave that is consecrated or in the shade of a tree or dovecote that is consecrated does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah, even though he benefited. Similarly, when one consecrates a house that was built, a person who dwells in it does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah. When, however, a person consecrates wood and stones and builds a house, a person who dwells in it violates the prohibition against me'ilah, as will be explained. The prohibition against me'ilah applies to produce that grows on consecrated property. What is implied? If one consecrated a field and it produced grass or one consecrated a tree and it produced fruit, the prohibition against me'ilah applies. If, however, one consecrated an empty cistern and afterwards, it became filled with water, a dungheap and it became filled with waste, or a dovecote and it became filled with doves, since these are not the products of the consecrated articles, the prohibition against me'ilah does not apply with regard to them. Similarly, one may not benefit - but the prohibition against me'ilah does not apply to - waste and dung in a courtyard that was consecrated. What should be done with them? They should be sold and the proceeds given to the Temple treasury. When a spring emerges in a consecrated field, it is forbidden to benefit from the water that emerges in the field, but one who derives benefit does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah. If the water emerges outside the field, it is permitted to benefit from it. When a willow grows in a consecrated field, it is forbidden to benefit from it, but the prohibition against me'ilah does not apply. The following rules apply when an ordinary tree is growing next to a consecrated field and its roots emerge in that field. If there are up to sixteen cubits between it and the consecrated field, it is forbidden to benefit from the roots in the field, but one who benefits from them does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah. If the tree was more than sixteen cubits away from the field, one who benefits from the roots violates the prohibition against me'ilah. The converse applies when a consecrated tree is growing next to an ordinary field and its roots emerge in that field. If the roots emerge within sixteen cubits, the prohibition against me'ilah applies with regard to them. If they emerge more than sixteen cubits away, one should not benefit from the roots in the ordinary field, but the prohibition against me'ilah does not apply with regard to them.

יֵשׁ דְּבָרִים שֶׁהָאָדָם נֶהֱנֶה בָּהֶן וְלֹא יִפָּגְמוּ כְּגוֹן הַמִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בִּכְלִי זָהָב טָהוֹר. וְיֵשׁ דְּבָרִים שֶׁיִּפָּגְמוּ כְּגוֹן בְּגָדִים וּכְלֵי כֶּסֶף וּנְחשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. וְהַנֶּהֱנֶה בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה מִן הַהֶקְדֵּשׁ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחֻבָּר בַּקַּרְקַע אִם נֶהֱנֶה בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ פְּגָם כְּגוֹן שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בִּכְלִי זָהָב שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ מָעַל. נֶהֱנֶה בְּדָבָר שֶׁנִּפְגַּם כְּגוֹן שֶׁלָּבַשׁ בִּגְדֵי הֶקְדֵּשׁ אוֹ בָּקַע בְּקוֹרְדוֹם לֹא מָעַל עַד שֶׁיִּפְגֹּם בַּהֶקְדֵּשׁ בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה בְּאוֹתוֹ דָּבָר עַצְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה בּוֹ וְיִתְכַּוֵּן לֵהָנוֹת וְיִפְגֹּם וְיֵהָנֶה כְּאַחַת. נֶהֱנָה בְּכַחֲצִי פְּרוּטָה וּפָגַם בְּכַחֲצִי פְּרוּטָה אוֹ שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה וּפָגַם בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה בְּדָבָר אַחֵר וְלֹא נֶהֱנָה בְּמַה שֶּׁפָּגַם וְלֹא פָּגַם בְּמַה שֶּׁנֶּהֱנָה הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא מָעַל עַד שֶׁיֵּהָנֶה בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה וְיִפְגֹּם בְּאוֹתָהּ הֲנָיָה בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה בַּדָּבָר עַצְמוֹ. כֵּיצַד. הֲרֵי שֶׁהִתִּיר מַטְלִית מִבֶּגֶד הֶקְדֵּשׁ וּתְפָרָהּ בְּבִגְדוֹ וּלְבָשָׁהּ וְנֶהֱנָה בָּהּ בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה וְהִפְסִיד בַּבֶּגֶד שֶׁהִתִּירָהּ מִמֶּנָּה בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה וְלֹא הִפְסִיד בַּמַּטְלִית כְּלוּם הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא מָעַל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה בְּדָבָר אֶחָד וּפָגַם בְּדָבָר אַחֵר. וּכְבָר בֵּאַרְנוּ שֶׁהַנֶּהֱנֶה וּמְהַנֶּה חֲבֵרוֹ מִצְטָרֵף וַאֲפִלּוּ לִזְמַן מְרֻבֶּה: קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים הַתְּמִימִים שֶׁתָּלַשׁ מִצִּמְרָן. כֵּיוָן שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה בִּפְרוּטָה מָעַל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא פָּגַם. שֶׁהֲרֵי הֵן דּוֹמִים לְכוֹס שֶׁל זָהָב שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִפְגָּם שֶׁאֵין תְּלִישַׁת הַצֶּמֶר פּוֹסֶלֶת אוֹתָן מִלִּקָּרֵב. אֲבָל אִם נָפַל בָּהֶן מוּם הוֹאִיל וְלִמְכִירָה עוֹמְדִים וְהַגִּזָּה פּוֹגֶמֶת דְּמֵיהֶן לֹא מָעַל עַד שֶׁיֵּהָנֶה וְיִפְגֹּם בִּפְרוּטָה. תָּלַשׁ מֵהֶן אַחַר שֶׁמֵּתוּ כֵּיוָן שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה מָעַל שֶׁאֵין פְּגָם לְמֵתָה. וּמְעִילָה זוֹ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ:

There are different situations in which the prohibition against me'ilah applies. There are some articles from which a person benefits that are not ordinarily damageable, e.g., one who uses a pure golden utensil. There are other articles that are damageable, e.g., garments, and utensils made from silver, copper, iron, and the like. When a person derives a p'rutah's worth of benefit from a consecrated substance that is not attached to the ground, if he benefits from an article that is not ordinarily damageable, e.g., he used a consecrated golden utensil, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah. If he benefits from an article that is damageable, e.g., he wore consecrated garments or chopped with a consecrated axe, he does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah until he causes a p'rutah's worth of damage to consecrated property, i.e., the article from which he benefited itself, with the intent to benefit from it even though it causes damage at that time. If he derived a half a p'rutah of benefit and damaged a half a p'rutah or he derived a p'rutah of benefit and damaged a p'rutah's worth of another article, but did not benefit from what he damaged or did not damage the article from which he benefited, he does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah unless he derives a p'rutah's worth of benefit and causes a p'rutah's worth of damage to that article while deriving benefit from it. What is implied? A person removed a patch from a consecrated garment and sewed it unto his garment and wore it, deriving a p'rutah's worth of benefit and causing a p'rutah's worth of damage to the garment from which he removed it, without damaging the patch at all. He does not violate the prohibition against me'ilah, because he derived benefit from one article and damaged another. We already explained, that when a person derives benefit and causes a colleague to derive benefit, the two can be combined to reach the minimum measure of a p'rutah's worth even if there is a long interval between them. When a person removes wool from unblemished animals consecrated as sacrifices of the highest order of sanctity, since he derived a p'rutah's worth of benefit, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah even though he did not damage the animals. The animals are comparable to a cup of gold, for the removal of their wool does not prevent them from being offered. If, however, sacrificial animals incurred a physical blemish, since they are designated to be sold and being shorn causes their worth to decrease, the prohibition against me'ilah applies. Nevertheless, one does not violate that prohibition unless he derives a p'rutah's worth of benefit and causes that amount of damage. If one removes wool from a sacrificial animal after it dies, since he derived benefit, he violates the prohibition against me'ilah, for there is no conception of reducing an animal's value once it has died. In this instance, this prohibition against me'ilah is of Rabbinic origin, as we explained.

אָסוּר לְהֶדְיוֹט לֵהָנוֹת מִקָּדְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם. בֵּין מִדְּבָרִים הַקְּרֵבִין עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. בֵּין מִקָּדְשֵׁי בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת. וְכָל הַנֶּהֱנֶה בִּשְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה מִקָּדְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם מָעַל: כָּל הַמּוֹעֵל בְּזָדוֹן לוֹקֶה וּמְשַׁלֵּם מַה שֶּׁפָּגַם מִן הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ. וְאַזְהָרָה שֶׁל מְעִילָה מִזֶּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יב יז) "לֹא תוּכַל לֶאֱכל בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ מַעְשַׂר דְּגָנְךָ" וְגוֹ' (דברים יב יז) "וּנְדָרֶיךָ". מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁזּוֹ אַזְהָרָה לָאוֹכֵל מִבְּשַׂר עוֹלָה הוֹאִיל וְכֻלּוֹ לַשֵּׁם. וְהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׁאָר כָּל קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהוּא לַהַשֵּׁם לְבַדּוֹ בֵּין מִקָּדְשֵׁי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ בֵּין מִקָּדְשֵׁי בֶּדֶק הַבַּיִת אִם נֶהֱנֶה בָּהֶן שְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה לוֹקֶה. מָעַל בִּשְׁגָגָה מְשַׁלֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּהֱנָה וְתוֹסֶפֶת חֹמֶשׁ. וּמֵבִיא אַיִל בִּשְׁנֵי סְלָעִים וּמַקְרִיבוֹ אָשָׁם וּמִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ וְזֶהוּ הַנִּקְרָא אֲשַׁם מְעִילוֹת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ה טו) "וְחָטְאָה בִּשְׁגָגָה מִקָּדְשֵׁי ה' וְהֵבִיא אֶת אֲשָׁמוֹ" וְגוֹ' (ויקרא ה טז) "וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר חָטָא מִן הַקֹּדֶשׁ יְשַׁלֵּם וְאֶת חֲמִישִׁתוֹ" וְגוֹ'. וְשִׁלּוּם הַקֶּרֶן בְּתוֹסֶפֶת חֹמֶשׁ עִם הֲבָאַת הַקָּרְבָּן מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה:

It is forbidden for an ordinary person to benefit from articles sanctified unto God, whether they are entities that are offered on the altar or articles consecrated for the improvement of the Temple. Anyone who derives a perutah' worth of benefit from an article sanctified unto God, is considered as having misappropriated a consecrated article. Anyone who purposely misappropriates consecrated articles is liable for lashes and must pay the value he decreased the value of the sacred articles. The warning against me'ilah is derived from Deuteronomy 12:17: "You may not partake of the tithes of your grain... your pledges... in your outlying cities." According to the Oral Tradition, we learned that this is a warning against one who partakes of the meat of a burnt-offering for it must be offered entirely to God. The same applies to all other consecrated articles that are dedicated to God alone, whether something consecrated for the altar or for the improvement of the Temple. If one derives a perutah's worth of benefit, he is liable for lashes. If he misappropriated a consecrated article unknowingly, he must make restitution for the benefit he received and add a fifth. Also, he must bring a ram worth two selaim and have it sacrificed as a guilt-offering. This brings atonement for him and it is called: "the guilt-offering for misappropriation,] as Leviticus 5:15-16 states "And he sinned inadvertently, misappropriating what was consecrated unto God and he shall bring his guilt-offering... and he should make restitution for what he misappropriated from the consecrated articles, adding a fifth." Paying the principal with the additional fifth and bringing the sacrifice is a positive commandment.

הָאַחִין שֶׁחָלְקוּ הֲרֵי הֵן כְּלָקוֹחוֹת זֶה מִזֶּה. וְאֵין לָהֶם דֶּרֶךְ זֶה עַל זֶה. וְלֹא סֻלָּמוֹת זֶה עַל זֶה. וְלֹא חַלּוֹנוֹת זֶה עַל זֶה. וְלֹא אַמַּת הַמַּיִם זֶה עַל זֶה. שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁחָלְקוּ לֹא נִשְׁאַר לְאֶחָד מֵהֶן זְכוּת בְּחֵלֶק חֲבֵרוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר לָאַחִין כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה הַשָּׂדֶה כֻּלָּהּ לְאֶחָד הָיָה מַעֲבִיר בָּהּ אַמַּת הַמַּיִם הַזֹּאת מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם אֲבָל עַתָּה שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית זֶה חֶלְקִי יֵשׁ לִי לְהָסִיר אַמַּת הַמַּיִם מֵעָלַי. וְכֵן סוֹתֵם הַחַלּוֹן הַמַּשְׁקִיף עַל חֶלְקוֹ וּבוֹנֶה בְּצַד הַסֻּלָּם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מְבַטֵּל תַּשְׁמִישׁוֹ. וְהוּא הַדִּין בִּשְׁנַיִם שֶׁקָּנוּ שָׂדֶה מֵאֶחָד וְחָלְקוּ לֹא נִשְׁאַר לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם זְכוּת בְּחֵלֶק חֲבֵרוֹ. וּמַפְסִיק אַמַּת הַמַּיִם מֵחֶלְקוֹ וְסוֹתֵם הַחַלּוֹנוֹת:

When brothers divide an estate, they are considered as having purchased their shares from each other. Thus, none of them is entitled to claim from any of the others the right of passage, the right to erect a ladder, the right to maintain a window, or the right to the passage of an irrigation channel. For once they have divided the property, none of them has any right with regard to the property belonging to any of the other brothers. Therefore, one brother may tell another: "When the field was owned by one person, he would cause this irrigation ditch to pass from one place to another. Now, however, that this field has become my portion, I have the right to close the irrigation ditch." Similarly, he may block off a window that looks over his portion and build next to a ladder, even though it nullifies its usefulness. The same laws apply when two people buy a field in partnership from one person and then decide to divide the property. Neither has any rights with regard to the portion of his colleague. The owner of either portion may dam the irrigation ditch or block off the windows.