Meilah 27

איתמר עבודת כוכבים שנשתברה מאליה ר' יוחנן אמר

<big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>It was stated:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A.Z. 4b.');">¹</span>

אסורה ור"ל אמר

If an idol broke to pieces by itself, R'Johanan says it is still prohibited [for us Resh Lakish says it is allowed.

מותרת

R'Johanan holds it is prohibited', because the idol worshipper has not annulled it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was not the heathen who broke the idol, it broke by itself.');">²</span>

רבי יוחנן אמר אסורה דלא בטלה עובד כוכבים

'Resh Lakish holds it is allowed', for [the idolator] surely thinks: If the idol did not save itse how could it save me.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is assumed that in their hearts the worshippers have abandoned this idol. It is no longer an object of worship.');">³</span>

ור"ל אמר

Resh Lakish raised an objection to R'Johanan: ONE MAY NOT DERIVE ANY BENEFIT FROM A NEST WHICH IS BUILT ON THE TOP OF A DEDICATED TREE, BUT THE LAW OF SACRILEGE DOES NOT APPLY TO IT.

מותרת מימר אמר היא גופה לא מצלה לדידי מצלה לי

THAT WHICH IS ON THE TOP OF AN ASHERAH ONE FLICKS [IT] OFF WITH A REED.

איתיביה ריש לקיש לרבי יוחנן

Now, does this not deal with a case where the twigs [with which the nest was built] were broken off [by the birds] from that tree itself, and yet it rules that he can flick them off with a reed?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, of course, used. This instance is parallel to the case in question. for the twigs were not broken by the heathen himself and thus annulled by him.');">⁴</span>

הקן שבראש האילן של הקדש אין נהנין ואין מועלין שבאשירה יתיז בקנה

- No, the twigs were brought [by the birds] from elsewhere.

מאי לאו דאיתבר מגופה וקתני יתיז בקנה

If so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi has here a version similar to that of the same discussion in A.Z. 42a.');">⁵</span>

לא דאייתי עצים מעלמא

if [the tree was] dedicated one may not make use [of the nest] and the Law of Sacrilege does not apply to it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the twigs are not from the tree belonging to Temple property, they should even be permitted for use (Tosaf) .');">⁶</span>

אי הכי אמאי של הקדש אין נהנין ואין מועלין

Hence it must deal with twigs that have however grown after [the dedication of the tree],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' You are thus obliged to interpret the Mishnah as referring to twigs taken from the tree itself; but should you then object, in that case the difficulty would be why they were not subject to the Law of Sacrilege: It is because it deals with twigs grown after the dedication of the tree');">⁷</span>

אלא בגידולין הבאין לאחר מכאן וקסבר

and [our Mishnah] holds that the Law of Sacrilege does not apply to the growth of dedicated [trees].

אין מועלין בגידולין

This interpretation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., that the twigs were from the tree itself.');">⁸</span>

הכי נמי מסתברא דאי ס"ד דאייתי מעלמא אמאי יתיז בקנה

seems also logical, for should we say that the twigs were brought from elsewhere, why [has the nest] to be shaken off with a reed, let it be simply taken [by hand]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the twigs are, in accordance with our interpretation. of the same tree the direct approach to the nest and its twigs may have been prohibited as a precautionary measure, lest people assume that the twigs still growing are also permitted;');">⁹</span>

לשקליה משקל

- Said R'Abbahu in the name of R'Johanan: It deals indeed with twigs brought from elsewhere and the expression ONE FLICKS OFF refers to the young birds.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The twigs, however, are indeed prohibited in accordance with the view of R. Johanan.');">¹⁰</span>

אמר רבי אבהו א"ר יוחנן

Said R'Jacob to R'Jeremiah: The young birds are permitted for use<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because they can fly and are not considered as belonging to the tree.');">¹¹</span>

לעולם דאייתי מעלמא ומאי יתיז יתיז אפרוחים

in both instances,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., in the case of dedicated trees and an asherah.');">¹²</span>

אמר ליה רבי יעקב לרבי ירמיה

and the eggs are prohibited<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For they are considered attached to the tree.');">¹³</span>

אפרוחים כאן וכאן מותרין ביצים כאן וכאן אסורין

for use in both instances.

אמר רב אשי

Said R'Ashi: If the birds are [so young that they] require [the care of] their mother, they are considered like eggs.

אם אפרוחים צריכין לאמן כביצים דמו

<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>IF THE TREASURERS [OF THE TEMPLE] BOUGHT TREES,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To have them prepared for building purpose for the Temple.');">¹⁴</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> הגזברים שלקחו עצים מועלין בעצים ואין מועלין לא בשיפויי ולא בנבייה

THE TIMBER IS SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF SACRILEGE BUT NOT THE CHIPS AND THE FOLIAGE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For these are useless for building and the Treasurer, it is assumed, has not intended to impart to them the character of sacred property.');">¹⁵</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> אמר שמואל

<big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>Said Samuel: Temple buildings are built first with secular [money].

בונין בחול ואח"כ מקדישין

and then they are dedicated,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The building material is bought with money belonging to private individuals or taken on credit. Also the wages for the workmen are paid from secular money or owed to them. When the building is finished it is exchanged. as a whole, against the money donated to the Temple Fund for this building. The money becomes again secular and can be used to satisfy the creditors and the labourers.');">¹⁶</span>

מאי טעמא

<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If material was bought with this money, the seller of the material would be guilty of sacrilege in using the money. The same applies to the labourers.');">¹⁷</span>

מאן דמתנדב מעות מקדש להו דאמר

in that he [the Treasurer] says the sacredness of the money shall be transmitted to the building, so that the money may be paid out to the labourers as their wages.

תיחול קדושת מעות אבנין ויהיב להון לאומנין בשכרן