Meilah 28

מיתיבי

An objection was raised: What was done with the surplus of the frankincense?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Each year there was a surplus of frankincense. In the month of Nissn a new year began for the offering of incense. The surplus of the past year was not allowed to be used in the new year. The device mentioned here provides a method of using this surplus by repurchasing it with the money of the new levy.');">¹</span>

מותר הקטרת מה היו עושין בו

Money equivalent to the craftsmen's but if the twigs are from elsewhere there is no ground for such an assumption.

היו מפרישין ממנה שכר האומנין ומחללין אותה על מעות האומנין ונותנין אותה לאומנין וחוזרין ונוטלין אותה מתרומה חדשה

wages<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., any wages that the Temple may owe to labourers for their work.');">²</span>

ואמאי

was set aside [from the Temple Treasury],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From this money of the shekel chamber (the Lishkah) wages were permitted to be paid, but not from a donation declared holy for a special purpose.');">³</span>

ליחליה אבנין

[the surplus was] then exchanged against this money of the craftsmen, handed over to the craftsmen<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is not essential actually to hand it over to the labourers. Somebody else may acquire it on their behalf. The incense then becomes secular property and may be re-purchased for the Temple to be used during the coming year.');">⁴</span>

דלא איכא בנין

and then purchased from them with money of the new levy.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the newly paid shekels from which all public offerings for the coming year beginning with the first of Nisan are bought, v. Shek. IV, 5.');">⁵</span>

והא מעות האומנין קתני

Now why was [this procedure necessary]?

דליכא בנין כשיעור מעות

Why not exchange the surplus against a building?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since, according to Samuel, the building is at first secular, why not exchange the frankincense against it and re.purchase it with the money of the new levy?');">⁶</span>

והאמר שמואל

- [We deal with a case where] there was no building.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' No new building was erected then.');">⁷</span>

הקדש שוה מנה שחיללו על שוה פרוטה מחולל

But does it not speak of 'the craftsmen's wages'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Implying that some work has been done.');">⁸</span>

הני מילי דאי עבד לכתחלה לא

- There was no building equivalent to the value of the surplus.

רב פפא אמר

But does not Samuel hold:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' B.M. 57b.');">⁹</span>

היינו טעמא דבונין בחול לא נתנה תורה למלאכי השרת

'If consecrated property of the value of a maneh<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos.');">¹⁰</span>

אמרי דלמא בעי למיזגא וזגא עלייהו אי בנא בקודשא אישתכח דקמעיל בקודשא

has even exchanged against a perutah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos.');">¹⁰</span>

תנן

the exchange is valid'.

הגזברין שלקחו את העצים מועלין בהן ואין מועלין לא בשיפויי ולא בנבייה

- [He sanctions such a transaction] after it has been done, but not at the outset.

ואמאי מועלין בהן

R'Papa says, This is the reason why the building has to be built with secular [money]: The Torah has not been given to ministering angels;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., we are only human beings.');">¹¹</span>

הכא נמי ליעבד בחול אמרי דדלמא בעי למיזגא וזגא עליהן ואישתכח דקא מועל בקדשים

he [the craftsman] might wish to lie down and would lie down on them,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The bricks e.g.');">¹²</span>

א"ר פפא

and if it was built by consecrated [money] he would as a result be guilty of sacrilege.

אי בעצים דמכאן ואילך הכי נמי אלא כי תנן במתניתין בעצים דיומיה

We have learnt: IF THE TREASURERS [OF THE TEMPLE] BOUGHT TREES, THE TIMBER IS SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF SACRILEGE BUT NOT THE CHIPS AND THE FOLIAGE.

<br><br><big><strong>הדרן עלך ולד חטאת </strong></big><br><br>

But why should one trespass the law of Sacrilege? Let this too be prepared in a secular state<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Let the preparation of the timber be done as non consecrated property and then purchased by the Temple Fund.');">¹³</span> lest one might wish to lie down on them, and would as a result be guilty of sacrilege! - Said R'Papa: If the wood is to be used at a later date it would be indeed so;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As you suggest.');">¹⁴</span> our Mishnah refers to wood which is to be used on the same day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In which case there is little likelihood that one will use it unwittingly.');">¹⁵</span> [