The mishnah on Zevahim 66b discusses whether the sin of me’ilah – misappropriation of consecrated goods – applies to a korban hatat (sin offering) that has become invalid. This is an opportune time to discuss the trespass known as me’ilah. What does it entail? What religious ill does it represent?
Zevachim 66b
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- ויקרא ה:יד-טז
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְ-הֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ נֶ֚פֶשׁ כִּֽי-תִמְעֹ֣ל מַ֔עַל וְחָֽטְאָה֙ בִּשְׁגָגָ֔ה מִקָּדְשֵׁ֖י יְ-הוָ֑ה וְהֵבִיא֩ אֶת-אֲשָׁמ֨וֹ לַֽי-הוָ֜ה אַ֧יִל תָּמִ֣ים מִן-הַצֹּ֗אן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ֛ כֶּֽסֶף-שְׁקָלִ֥ים בְּשֶֽׁקֶל-הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ לְאָשָֽׁם: וְאֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר֩ חָטָ֨א מִן-הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ יְשַׁלֵּ֗ם וְאֶת-חֲמִֽישִׁתוֹ֙ יוֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֔יו וְנָתַ֥ן אֹת֖וֹ לַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְהַכֹּהֵ֗ן יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָ֛יו בְּאֵ֥יל הָאָשָׁ֖ם וְנִסְלַ֥ח לֽוֹ:
And God spoke to Moses, saying:
When a person commits a trespass, being unwittingly remiss about any of God’s sacred things: One shall bring as a penalty to God a ram without blemish from the flock, convertible into payment in silver by the sanctuary weight, as a guilt offering.
That person shall make restitution for the remission regarding the sacred things, adding a fifth part to it and giving it to the priest. The priest shall make expiation with the ram of the guilt offering on behalf of that person, who shall be forgiven.
מָעַל verb: act unfaithfully, treacherously
Arabic مَغَلَ whisper, backbite, مَغَالَةٌ perfidy, fraud
- משנה מעילה ה:א
הַנֶּהֱנֶה שָׁוֶה פְרוּטָה מִן הַהֶקְדֵּשׁ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא פָגַם, מָעַל, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֶשׁ בּוֹ פְגָם, לֹא מָעַל עַד שֶׁיִּפְגֹּם. וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ פְגָם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה, מָעַל. כֵּיצַד. נָתְנָה קַטְלָא בְצַוָּארָהּ, טַבַּעַת בְּיָדָהּ, שָׁתְתָה בְכוֹס שֶׁל זָהָב, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנֶּהֱנֵית, מָעֲלָה. לָבַשׁ בְּחָלוּק, כִּסָּה בְטַלִּית, בִּקַּע בְּקֻרְדֹּם, לֹא מָעַל עַד שֶׁיִּפְגֹּם. תָּלַשׁ מִן הַחַטָּאת כְּשֶׁהִיא חַיָּה, לֹא מָעַל עַד שֶׁיִּפְגֹּם. כְּשֶׁהִיא מֵתָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנֶּהֱנָה, מָעָל:
One who derives benefit equal to the value of one peruta from a consecrated item, even though he did not damage it, is liable for its misuse; this is the statement of Rabbi Akiva. And the Rabbis say: With regard to any consecrated item that has the potential to be damaged, one is not liable for misuse until he causes it one peruta of damage; and with regard to an item that does not have the potential to be damaged, once he derives benefit from it he is liable for misuse. The mishna elaborates: How so? If a woman placed a consecrated gold chain [ketala] around her neck, or a gold ring on her hand, i.e., her finger, or if one drank from a consecrated gold cup, since they are not damaged through use, once he derives benefit equal to the value of one peruta from them, he is liable for misuse. If one wore a consecrated robe, covered himself with a consecrated garment, or chopped wood with a consecrated ax, he is not liable for misuse until he causes them one peruta of damage. One who derives benefit from a sin offering while it is alive is not liable for misuse until he causes it one peruta of damage. When it is dead, once he derives benefit equal to the value of one peruta from it, he is liable for misuse.
- משנה מעילה ה:ד
נָטַל אֶבֶן אוֹ קוֹרָה שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ, הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא מָעַל. נְתָנָהּ לַחֲבֵרוֹ, הוּא מָעַל וַחֲבֵרוֹ לֹא מָעַל. בְּנָאָהּ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא מָעַל, עַד שֶׁיָּדוּר תַּחְתֶּיהָ בְּשָׁוֶה פְרוּטָה. נָטַל פְּרוּטָה שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ, הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא מָעַל. נְתָנָהּ לַחֲבֵרוֹ, הוּא מָעַל וַחֲבֵרוֹ לֹא מָעַל. נְתָנָהּ לַבַּלָּן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא רָחַץ, מָעַל, שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ, הֲרֵי מֶרְחָץ פְּתוּחָה, הִכָּנֵס וּרְחֹץ:
In a case where the Temple treasurer took for his use a consecrated stone or a beam, that person is not liable for its misuse. If he gave the stone or the beam to another, he is liable for its misuse and the other person is not liable for its misuse. If he built the stone or the beam into his house, he is not liable for its misuse until he resides beneath it and derives benefit equal to the value of one peruta from it. If one took for his use a consecrated peruta, that person is not liable for its misuse. If he gave the peruta to another, he is liable for its misuse and the other person is not liable for its misuse. If he gave the peruta to a bathhouse attendant [levallan], although he did not bathe, he is liable for misuse of the peruta. The reason is that at the moment he receives the peruta, the attendant in effect says to the owner of the peruta: The bathhouse is open before you, enter and bathe. The benefit derived from that availability is worth one peruta.
Stealing?
- ויקרא ה:כ-כה
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְ-הֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ נֶ֚פֶשׁ כִּ֣י תֶחֱטָ֔א וּמָעֲלָ֥ה מַ֖עַל בַּי-הֹוָ֑ה וְכִחֵ֨שׁ בַּעֲמִית֜וֹ בְּפִקָּד֗וֹן אֽוֹ־בִתְשׂ֤וּמֶת יָד֙ א֣וֹ בְגָזֵ֔ל א֖וֹ עָשַׁ֥ק אֶת־עֲמִיתֽוֹ׃ אֽוֹ־מָצָ֧א אֲבֵדָ֛ה וְכִ֥חֶשׁ בָּ֖הּ וְנִשְׁבַּ֣ע עַל־שָׁ֑קֶר עַל־אַחַ֗ת מִכֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הָאָדָ֖ם לַחֲטֹ֥א בָהֵֽנָּה׃ וְהָיָה֮ כִּֽי־יֶחֱטָ֣א וְאָשֵׁם֒ וְהֵשִׁ֨יב אֶת־הַגְּזֵלָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר גָּזָ֗ל א֤וֹ אֶת־הָעֹ֙שֶׁק֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׁ֔ק א֚וֹ אֶת־הַפִּקָּד֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הׇפְקַ֖ד אִתּ֑וֹ א֥וֹ אֶת־הָאֲבֵדָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָצָֽא׃ א֠וֹ מִכֹּ֞ל אֲשֶׁר־יִשָּׁבַ֣ע עָלָיו֮ לַשֶּׁ֒קֶר֒ וְשִׁלַּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וַחֲמִשִׁתָ֖יו יֹסֵ֣ף עָלָ֑יו לַאֲשֶׁ֨ר ה֥וּא ל֛וֹ יִתְּנֶ֖נּוּ בְּי֥וֹם אַשְׁמָתֽוֹ׃ וְאֶת־אֲשָׁמ֥וֹ יָבִ֖יא לַי-הֹוָ֑ה אַ֣יִל תָּמִ֧ים מִן־הַצֹּ֛אן בְּעֶרְכְּךָ֥ לְאָשָׁ֖ם אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
God spoke to Moses, saying:
When a person sins and commits a trespass against God —by dealing deceitfully with another in the matter of a deposit or a pledge, or through robbery, or by defrauding another, or by finding something lost and lying about it; if one swears falsely regarding any one of the various things that someone may do and sin thereby—
when one has thus sinned and, realizing guilt, would restore either that which was gotten through robbery or fraud, or the entrusted deposit, or the lost thing that was found, or anything else about which one swore falsely, that person shall repay the principal amount and add a fifth part to it. One shall pay it to its owner upon realizing guilt. Then that person shall bring to the priest, as a penalty to God, a ram without blemish from the flock, or the equivalent, as a guilt offering.
- מלכים ב פרק יב ה-יג
ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים כֹּל֩ כֶּ֨סֶף הַקֳּדָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־יוּבָ֤א בֵית־יְ-הֹוָה֙ כֶּ֣סֶף עוֹבֵ֔ר אִ֕ישׁ כֶּ֥סֶף נַפְשׁ֖וֹת עֶרְכּ֑וֹ כׇּל־כֶּ֗סֶף אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַֽעֲלֶה֙ עַ֣ל לֶב־אִ֔ישׁ לְהָבִ֖יא בֵּ֥ית יְ-הֹוָֽה׃
Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money, current money, brought into the House of GOD as sacred donations—any money that someone may pay as the money equivalent of persons, or any other money that someone may be minded to bring to the House of GOD—
ו יִקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים אִ֖ישׁ מֵאֵ֣ת מַכָּר֑וֹ וְהֵ֗ם יְחַזְּקוּ֙ אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק הַבַּ֔יִת לְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵ֥א שָׁ֖ם בָּֽדֶק׃ {פ}
let the priests receive it, each from his benefactor; they, in turn, shall make repairs on the House, wherever damage may be found.”
ז וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְשָׁלֹ֛שׁ שָׁנָ֖ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יְהוֹאָ֑שׁ לֹא־חִזְּק֥וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃
But in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, [it was found that] the priests had not made the repairs on the House.
ח וַיִּקְרָא֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ לִיהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ וְלַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מַדּ֛וּעַ אֵינְכֶ֥ם מְחַזְּקִ֖ים אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק הַבָּ֑יִת וְעַתָּ֗ה אַל־תִּקְחֽוּ־כֶ֙סֶף֙ מֵאֵ֣ת מַכָּרֵיכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־לְבֶ֥דֶק הַבַּ֖יִת תִּתְּנֻֽהוּ׃
So King Jehoash summoned the priest Jehoiada and the other priests and said to them, “Why have you not kept the House in repair? Now do not accept money from your benefactors anymore, but have it donated for the repair of the House.”
ט וַיֵּאֹ֖תוּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֑ים לְבִלְתִּ֤י קְחַת־כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מֵאֵ֣ת הָעָ֔ם וּלְבִלְתִּ֥י חַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃
The priests agreed that they would neither accept money from the people nor make repairs on the House.
י וַיִּקַּ֞ח יְהוֹיָדָ֤ע הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֲר֣וֹן אֶחָ֔ד וַיִּקֹּ֥ב חֹ֖ר בְּדַלְתּ֑וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֹתוֹ֩ אֵ֨צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֜חַ (בימין) [מִיָּמִ֗ין] בְּבוֹא־אִישׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְ-הֹוָ֔ה וְנָֽתְנוּ־שָׁ֤מָּה הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ שֹׁמְרֵ֣י הַסַּ֔ף אֶת־כׇּל־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַמּוּבָ֥א בֵית־יְ-הֹוָֽה׃
And the priest Jehoiada took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it at the right side of the altar as one entered the House of GOD, and the priestly guards of the threshold deposited there all the money that was brought into the House of GOD.
יא וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּרְאוֹתָ֔ם כִּי־רַ֥ב הַכֶּ֖סֶף בָּאָר֑וֹן וַיַּ֨עַל סֹפֵ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְהַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל וַיָּצֻ֙רוּ֙ וַיִּמְנ֔וּ אֶת־הַכֶּ֖סֶף הַנִּמְצָ֥א בֵית־יְ-הֹוָֽה׃
Whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, the royal scribe and the high priest would come up and put the money accumulated in the House of GOD into bags, and they would count it.
יב וְנָֽתְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַכֶּ֣סֶף הַֽמְתֻכָּ֔ן עַל־[יְדֵי֙] (יד) עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה (הפקדים) [הַמֻּפְקָדִ֖ים] בֵּ֣ית יְ-הֹוָ֑ה וַיּוֹצִיאֻ֜הוּ לְחָרָשֵׁ֤י הָעֵץ֙ וְלַבֹּנִ֔ים הָעֹשִׂ֖ים בֵּ֥ית יְ-הֹוָֽה׃
Then they would deliver the money that was weighed out to the overseers of the work, who were in charge of the House of GOD. These, in turn, used to pay the carpenters and the laborers who worked on the House of GOD,
יג וְלַגֹּֽדְרִים֙ וּלְחֹצְבֵ֣י הָאֶ֔בֶן וְלִקְנ֤וֹת עֵצִים֙ וְאַבְנֵ֣י מַחְצֵ֔ב לְחַזֵּ֖ק אֶת־בֶּ֣דֶק בֵּית־יְ-הֹוָ֑ה וּלְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֥א עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת לְחׇזְקָֽה׃
and the masons and the stonecutters. They also paid for wood and for quarried stone with which to make the repairs on the House of GOD, and for every other expenditure that had to be made in repairing the House.
- רד”ק
מדוע אינכם מחזקים. נראה שיהיו הכהנים שומרים עד שיהיה הכסף רב בידם ואחר יחזקו את בדק הבית והמלך חשד אותם שהיו לוקחים הכסף לעצמם לפיכך אמר להם שלא יקחו הכסף לעצמם אלא מיד שיבא לידם יתנוהו לבדק הבית:
It seems that the kohanim were holding onto the money until there was a large sum, and only then they would pay for repairs to the Temple. And the king suspected them of taking the money for themselves. Therefore, he said to them that they should not take the money for themselves. Rather, they should immediately hand it over for Temple maintenance when it reached their hands.
- מעילה יח.-:
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן…״כִּי תִמְעֹל מַעַל״, אֵין ״מַעַל״ אֶלָּא שִׁנּוּי, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי תִשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ וּמָעֲלָה בוֹ מַעַל״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״וַיִּמְעֲלוּ בֵּא-לֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיהֶם וַיִּזְנוּ אַחֲרֵי הַבְּעָלִים״.
The Sages taught in a baraita: With regard to misuse of consecrated property, the verse states…: “If anyone commits a misuse [ma’al], and sins” (Leviticus 5:15). The term ma’al means nothing other than deviation from the norm. And similarly, the verse states with regard to a woman suspected of adultery: “If any man’s wife goes aside, and acts unfaithfully [ma’al] against him” (Numbers 5:12). And it states with regard to idol worship: “And they broke faith [vayimalu] with the God of their fathers, and went astray after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them” (I Chronicles 5:25). Likewise, one who misuses consecrated property deviates from the purpose for which the particular item was meant to be used.
יָכוֹל פָּגַם וְלֹא נֶהֱנָה, אוֹ נֶהֱנָה וְלֹא פָּגַם…
The baraita continues: One might have thought that the comparison between misuse and idol worship teaches that one is liable for misuse even if he damaged the consecrated item but did not derive benefit from it, as that is the halakha with regard to idol worship, where one changes worship of God to idol worship without deriving benefit. Or, in light of the comparison between misuse and suspected adultery, it might have been thought that one would be liable for misuse if he derived benefit from the consecrated item but did not damage it, just as the adulteress derives benefit from the illicit act of intercourse without suffering any physical damage…
תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״וְחָטְאָה״. נֶאֱמַר: ״חֵטְא״ בִּתְרוּמָה, וְנֶאֱמַר: ״חֵטְא״ בִּמְעִילָה.
The halakha in these cases is derived from the fact that the verse states: “If anyone commits a misuse, and sins through error, in the sacred items of the Lord” (Leviticus 5:15). The word “sin” is stated with regard to teruma, in the verse: “And you shall bear no sin by reason of it, as you have set apart from it its best” (Numbers 18:32); and “sin” is also stated with regard to misuse of consecrated property.
מָה ״חֵטְא״ הָאָמוּר בִּתְרוּמָה, פּוֹגֵם וְנֶהֱנֶה…
The baraita elaborates: Just as with regard to the word “sin” stated with regard to teruma, when someone sins by partaking of forbidden teruma, it is a circumstance in which one damages and derives benefit…
אַף ״חֵטְא״ הָאָמוּר בִּמְעִילָה, פּוֹגֵם וְנֶהֱנֶה…
So too, the word “sin” stated with regard to misuse applies specifically when the individual both damages and derives benefit from consecrated items…
אֵין לִי אֶלָּא אוֹכֵל, וְנֶהֱנֶה בְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ פְּגָם, מִנַּיִן?…
The baraita continues: Fom the verbal analogy I have derived only that one is liable for misuse if he eats consecrated items when he is not permitted to do so, similar to the case of teruma. But with regard to one who derives benefit from an item that does not have the potential to be damaged, from where do I derive that this also constitutes misuse?…
תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״תִּמְעֹל מַעַל״ – מִכׇּל מָקוֹם.
The verse states: “If anyone commits a misuse.” This general and inclusive clause teaches that one is liable for misusing one peruta worth of consecrated property in any case, i.e., even if he gave it to another and one of them ate while the other derived benefit, and even if it took some time on that day to use the value of one peruta.
- תוספות שם
אין מעילה אלא שינוי – פירוש מקדש לחול על מרשות לרשות מרשות קדש לרשות חול ומייתי ראיה מסוטה שהיא עושה שינוי שמנחת בעלה ועוסקת ומדבקת בדבר שהוא חולין וגנאי לה:
- תוספות מעילה יח: ד”ה מה תרומה פוגם ונהנה
…ולאפוקי פגם בלא נהנה היכא דליכא שינוי רשות כגון מזיק
Benefitting from/Betraying Kodesh?
- רמב”ם הלכות מעילה ו:ט
נָטַל פְּרוּטָה שֶׁל הֶקְדֵּשׁ וּנְתָנָהּ לְבַלָּן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא רָחַץ מָעַל שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶהֱנָה בִּהְיוֹתוֹ רוֹחֵץ בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיִּרְצֶה. וְכֵן אִם נְתָנָהּ לְאֶחָד מִבַּעֲלֵי אֻמָּנֻיּוֹת מָעַל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא עָשׂוּ מְלַאכְתּוֹ:
If one took a consecrated p’rutah gave it to a bath attendant, he violates the prohibition against me’ilah even though he has not bathed yet, for he benefits in that he could bathe whenever he desires. Similarly, if he gives it to another type of craftsman as payment for his services, he violates the prohibition even though the craftsman has not performed any work.
- ספרא, ויקרא דבורא דחובה, פרק כב ד׳
ר’ עקיבא אומר מה תלמוד לומר “וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בהשם”? לפי שהמלוה, והלוה, והנושא ונותן – אינו מלוה, ואינו לוה, ואינו נושא ואינו נותן אלא בשטר ובעדים. לפיכך בזמן שהוא מכחיש – מכחיש בעדים ובשטר. אבל המפקיד אצל חבירו אינו רוצה שתדע בו נשמה אלא שלישי שביניהם! בזמן שהוא מכחיש – מכחיש בשלישי שביניהם!
R. Akiva says: What is meant by “and commits a trespass against God”? Because the lender, borrower and those who do business do not do so without a contract and witnesses. Therefore, when a party denies having what is claimed, that person is contradicting the witnesses and the contract. But one who gives a deposit to their friend (to watch for them) does not want anyone to know other than the “third” one among them, namely God. And when a party denies the claim, that party is contradicting the third party among them – i.e., God!
- רמב”ם הלכות מעילה ח:ח
רָאוּי לָאָדָם לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּמִשְׁפְּטֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְלֵידַע סוֹף עִנְיָנָם כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ. וְדָבָר שֶׁלֹּא יִמְצָא לוֹ טַעַם וְלֹא יֵדַע לוֹ עִלָּה אַל יְהִי קַל בְּעֵינָיו וְלֹא יַהֲרֹס לַעֲלוֹת אֶל ה’ פֶּן יִפְרֹץ בּוֹ. וְלֹא תְּהֵא מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בּוֹ כְּמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ בִּשְׁאָר דִּבְרֵי הַחל. בּוֹא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה הֶחְמִירָה תּוֹרָה בִּמְעִילָה. וּמָה אִם עֵצִים וַאֲבָנִים וְעָפָר וָאֵפֶר כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּקְרָא שֵׁם אֲדוֹן הָעוֹלָם עֲלֵיהֶם בִּדְבָרִים בִּלְבַד נִתְקַדְּשׁוּ וְכָל הַנּוֹהֵג בָּהֶן מִנְהַג חֹל מָעַל בָּהּ וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיָה שׁוֹגֵג צָרִיךְ כַּפָּרָה. קַל וָחֹמֶר לְמִצְוֹת שֶׁחָקַק לָנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹּא יִבְעַט הָאָדָם בָּהֶן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֵדַע טַעְמָן. וְלֹא יְחַפֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא כֵּן עַל הַשֵּׁם וְלֹא יַחְשֹׁב בָּהֶן מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ כְּדִבְרֵי הַחל. הֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה (ויקרא יט לז) (ויקרא כ כב) “וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת כָּל חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת כָּל מִשְׁפָּטַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם”. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים לִתֵּן שְׁמִירָה וַעֲשִׂיָּה לַחֻקִּים כַּמִּשְׁפָּטִים. וְהָעֲשִׂיָּה יְדוּעָה וְהִיא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַחֻקִּים. וְהַשְּׁמִירָה שֶׁיִּזָּהֵר בָּהֶן וְלֹא יְדַמֶּה שֶׁהֵן פְּחוּתִין מִן הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים. וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים הֵן הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁטַּעְמָן גָּלוּי וְטוֹבַת עֲשִׂיָּתָן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה יְדוּעָה כְּגוֹן אִסּוּר גֵּזֶל וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים וְכִבּוּד אָב וָאֵם. וְהַחֻקִּים הֵן הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁאֵין טַעְמָן יָדוּעַ. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים חֻקִּים חַקֹּתִי לְךָ וְאֵין לְךָ רְשׁוּת לְהַרְהֵר בָּהֶן. וְיִצְרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם נוֹקְפוֹ בָּהֶן וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מְשִׁיבִין עֲלֵיהֶן כְּגוֹן אִסּוּר בְּשַׂר חֲזִיר וּבָשָׂר בְּחָלָב וְעֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה וּפָרָה אֲדֻמָּה וְשָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ. וְכַמָּה הָיָה דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ מִצְטַעֵר מִן הַמִּינִים וּמִן הָעַכּוּ”ם שֶׁהָיוּ מְשִׁיבִין עַל הַחֻקִּים. וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹדְפִין אוֹתוֹ בִּתְשׁוּבוֹת הַשֶּׁקֶר שֶׁעוֹרְכִין לְפִי קֹצֶר דַּעַת הָאָדָם הָיָה מוֹסִיף דְּבֵקוּת בַּתּוֹרָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים קיט סט) “טָפְלוּ עָלַי שֶׁקֶר זֵדִים אֲנִי בְּכָל לֵב אֶצֹּר פִּקּוּדֶיךָ”. וְנֶאֱמַר שָׁם בָּעִנְיָן (תהילים קיט פו) “כָּל מִצְוֹתֶיךָ אֱמוּנָה שֶׁקֶר רְדָפוּנִי עָזְרֵנִי”. וְכָל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כֻּלָּן מִכְּלַל הַחֻקִּים הֵן. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל עֲבוֹדַת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד. שֶׁבַּעֲשִׂיַּת הַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים זוֹכִין הַיְשָׁרִים לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְהִקְדִּימָה תּוֹרָה צִוּוּי עַל הַחֻקִּים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יח ה) “וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם”.
It is appropriate for a person to meditate on the judgments of the holy Torah and know their ultimate purpose according to his capacity. If he cannot find a reason or a motivating rationale for a practice, he should not regard it lightly. Nor should he break through to ascend to God, lest God burst forth against him. One’s thoughts concerning them should not be like his thoughts concerning other ordinary matters.
See how severe the Torah rules concerning misappropriating sacred property. Now if wood, stones, earth, and ash become holy because the name of the Lord of the world was called upon them through speech alone and anyone who treats them as ordinary articles violates the prohibition against me’ilah and even if he acted unknowingly, he is required to secure atonement, how much more so with regard to the mitzvot which God ordained for us should a person not treat them derisively, because he does not understand their rationale. He should not conjure up matters that are not true concerning God, nor should he think about them with his mind as he would ordinary matters. For Leviticus 19:37 states: “And you shall guard all My decrees and all My judgments and perform them.” Our Sages commented:This adjures us to guard and perform both the decrees and the judgments. The meaning of “performing” is well known, i.e,. that one should observe the decrees. “Guarding” means to treat them with caution and not think that they are any less than the judgments.
The judgments are those mitzvot whose motivating rationale is openly revealed and the benefit of their observance in this world is known, e.g., the prohibitions against robbery and bloodshed and honoring one’s father and mother. The decrees are the mitzvot whose motivating rationales are not known. Our Sages said: “I ordained decrees and you have no license to question them.” A person’s natural inclination confronts him concerning them and the nations of the world challenge them, e.g., the prohibition of the meat of a pig, milk and meat, the calf whose neck is broken, the red heifer, and the goat sent to Azazel. To what degree did King David suffer because of the heretics and the idolaters who would issue challenges concerning the decrees! As long as they would pursue him with false retorts that they would arrange according to man’s limited knowledge, he would increase his clinging to the Torah, as Psalms 119:69 states: “Willful transgressors have stacked falsehoods against me, but I guard Your precepts with a full heart.” And ibid.: states concerning this matter: “All of Your mitzvot are faithful; they pursue me with falsehood; help me.”
All of the sacrifices are in the category of decrees. Our Sages said: “The world exists for the sake of the service of the sacrifices.” For through the performance of the decrees and the judgments the righteous merit the life of the world to come. And between the two of them, the Torah gave precedence to the command for the decrees, as Leviticus 18:5 states: “And you shall heed My decrees and judgments which a person will perform and live through them.”
