Meilah

MISHNAH. ‘ORLAH1 AND DIVERSE SEEDS OF THE VINEYARD2 CAN COMBINE WITH ONE ANOTHER.3 R. SIMEON SAYS, THEY CANNOT COMBINE. GEMARA. Is a combination at all necessary according to R. Simeon? Has it not been taught:4 R. Simeon said, [The eating even of] the smallest quantity [of forbidden food] makes one liable to the penalty of lashes? — Read: [R. Simeon says], A combination is unnecessary. MISHNAH. CLOTH AND SACKING, SACKING AND SKIN, SKIN AND MATTING5 CAN COMBINE WITH ONE ANOTHER.6 SAID R. SIMEON: WHAT IS THE REASON?7 BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE UNCLEANNESS CAUSED BY SITTING.8 GEMARA. A Tanna taught:9 If one trimmed all these10 and made of the trimmings a cloth to lie upon,11 [the standard size for contracting defilement is] three [handbreadths square]; if to sit upon one [handbreadth square]; and if [to serve] as a holder [it contracts defilement] however small [its size]. What is [the reason of the rule relating to the] holder? — Said Resh Lakish in the name of R. Jannai: Because it may be used in connection with weaving.12 In a Baraitha it was taught: Because it can be used by the reapers of figs. 13 CHAPTER V MISHNAH. IF ONE DERIVED FROM CONSECRATED THINGS A BENEFIT OF A PERUTAH'S WORTH,14 HE IS GUILTY OF SACRILEGE EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT LESSEN ITS VALUE. THIS IS THE VIEW OF R. AKIBA, WHILE THE SAGES HOLD: WHATSOEVER DETERIORATES [THROUGH USE] THE LAW OF SACRILEGE APPLIES TO IT ONLY AFTER IT HAS SUFFERED DETERIORATION,15 BUT WHATSOEVER DOES NOT DETERIORATE [THROUGH USE], THE LAW OF SACRILEGE APPLIES TO IT AS SOON AS HE MADE USE OF IT. FOR INSTANCE: IF [A WOMAN] PUT A NECKLACE ROUND HER NECK OR A RING ON HER FINGER, OR IF SHE DRUNK FROM A GOLDEN CUP, SHE IS LIABLE TO THE LAW OF SACRILEGE AS SOON AS SHE MADE USE OF IT [TO THE VALUE OF A PERUTAH]. BUT IF ONE PUT ON A SHIRT OR COVERED HIMSELF WITH A CLOTH, OR IF ONE CHOPPED [WOOD] WITH AN AXE,16 HE IS SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF SACRILEGE ONLY IF [THOSE OBJECTS] HAVE SUFFERED DETERIORATION.15 IF ONE DERIVED BENEFIT17 FROM A SINOFFERING,18 IF WHILE IT WAS ALIVE,19 HE IS NOT LIABLE TO THE LAW OF SACRILEGE UNLESS HE HAS DIMINISHED ITS VALUE,20 IF WHILE IT WAS DEAD,21 HE IS LIABLE AS SOON AS HE MADE USE OF IT. GEMARA. A Tanna taught: R. Akiba agrees with the Sages in regard to things which deteriorate [through use].22 Wherein, then, do they differ? — Said Raba, In regard to a garment worn between other [garments]23 and a soft web.24 Our Rabbis taught: It is written, If any one [commit a trespass . . .],25 to imply the ordinary man as well as the Prince or the Anointed Priest,26 ‘commit a trespass [ma'al]:27 [The term] ma'al denotes nothing else but [effecting] a change,28 and thus it says. If any one's wife go aside and act unfaithfully [ma'al] against him . . .,29 and it also says, And they broke faith [wa-yim'alu] with the God of square. V. Kel. XXVII, 2. category in the rule of the Sages. use. Cf. Git. 59a where ** tknkn (soft web) is derived from kkn (to crumple). According to R. Akiba they are counted as garments which do not deteriorate, for the deterioration is very slow, according to the Sages they belong to the first category of the Mishnah.