Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Quotation for Pesachim 51:13

הניחא לרבנן דאמרי מלמד שטעונין גניזה אלא לר' דוסא דפליג עלייהו דאמר אבל ראויין הן לכהן הדיוט ומאי והניחם שם שלא ישתמש בהם ביום כפורים אחר מאי איכא למימר

Rather, said R'Papa: Sound and sight do not involve trespass, because they are intangible; and smell, after its smoke column has ascended,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The incense was thrown upon burning coals, which caused a cloud or a column of smoke to ascend. This constituted its sacred service.');"><sup>14</sup></span> does not involve trespass, since its religious service has been performed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The incense then does not count as the sacred things of the Lord, and it is to this case that R. Simeon b. Pazzi refers. But before the smoke has ascended trespass is involved, because the smell, being directly caused by the spices with which the incense is compounded, is regarded as tangible.');"><sup>15</sup></span>

Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Vol VI

The remaining factor to be considered is whether mere visual examination undertaken solely for aesthetic or recreational purposes constitutes a forbidden form of benefit. "Benefit," in the fundamental halakhic meaning of the term, connotes tangible physical benefit such as eating, drinking, anointing the skin or financial enrichment. Thus, the Gemara, Pesaḥim 26a, declares, "Sound, sight and smell do not constitute me'ilah (kol, mareh vareaḥ ein ba-hen mishum me'ilah)." "Me'ilah" refers to prohibited use of consecrated property for mundane benefit. In context, the Gemara is defining and limiting the concept of hana'ah, or benefit. Although other forms of sensual pleasure do constitute hana'ah, benefit derived by means of "sight" does not rise to the level of a prohibited "benefit." The principle is made explicit with regard to the prohibitions concerning me'ilah but, logically, it is equally applicable to all categories of issurei hana'ah.
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