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2 [1] The prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply to sacrifices of a lesser degree of sanctity until the blood has been cast on the altar. If the blood has been cast on the altar, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the fats and organs until they are taken to the ash heap, for they are designated for the altar's pyre. The prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply to an entity that is to be eaten, as explained.
Even if the fats and the organs were brought to the altar before the blood was cast upon it, the prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply until the blood is cast. If the fats and the organs were taken outside the Temple Courtyard before the blood was cast, the prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply until the blood is cast. If the blood was cast while they were outside and they had not been brought back in, the prohibition against *me'ilah* does apply, for casting the blood has an effect on the status of a sacrifice, whether it leads to a lenient ruling or a stringent one. [2] The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to all the sacrifices of the most sacred order from the time they were consecrated until the blood is cast upon the altar. Once the blood is cast, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the portions of them that are to be consumed entirely by the altar's pyre until they are burnt and taken to the ash heap. The prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply to the portions that are to be eaten, as explained. [3] What is implied? The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to a burnt-offering - both of fowl and of an animal, the handful of meal and the frankincense from a meal-offering, a meal-offering of priests, the *chavitin* offering of the High Priest, and the meal-offering of the accompanying offerings, from the time they were consecrated until they were taken out to the ash heap after being burnt on the altar. [4] Similarly, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the bull and the goats that are burnt from the time they were consecrated until they are burnt - and their burning is complete - in the ash heap and their meat is burnt thoroughly, in their entirety. Before it is burnt thoroughly, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to it even though it is in the ash heap. [5] Similarly, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the red heifer from the time it was consecrated until it was reduced to ash. Even though its status is that of an entity consecrated for the improvement of the Temple, concerning it, Numbers 19:9 states: "It is a sin-offering." It is one of the conditions established by the court that a person does not violate the prohibition against *me'ilah* with the ashes of the red heifer. [6] The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to all the following: sin-offerings of animals, guilt-offerings, and communal peace-offerings from the time they were consecrated until the blood is cast on the altar. Once the blood is cast, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to their organs and fats until they are taken to the ash heap. The prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply to the meat.
Similarly, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to a sin-offering of fowl from the time it is consecrated until its blood is presented on the altar. After its blood was presented, the prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply. It is, however, forbidden to benefit from its *murah* and its feathers. If one benefits from them after the blood is presented, he does not violate the prohibition against *me'ilah*. [7] The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to meal-offerings from the time they were consecrated, even though they have not become consecrated by being placed in a sacred utensil, until the handful of meal is offered on the altar's pyre. Once the handful is offered, the remainder of the offering is permitted to be eaten. If the remainder of the offering becomes disqualified or lacking in substance and then the handful is offered, a question arises. Since offering the handful does not cause the remainder to be permitted to be eaten in such a situation, there is an unresolved doubt if the meal-offering is absolved from the prohibition against *me'ilah* or not. [8] The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the showbread from the time it was consecrated - even though it was not baked - until the bowls of frankincense are offered on the altar's pyre. Once the bowls of frankincense were offered, it is permitted to be eaten. Similarly, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the two loaves of Shavuot from the time they were consecrated, even before they were baked, until the blood of the sheep is cast on the altar. After the blood of the sheep was cast, they are permitted to be eaten. [9] The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the libations once they have been consecrated. Once they are poured and descend to the *shittin*,the prohibition against *me'ilah* no longer applies.
As long as the water which is poured as a libation on the Sukkot holiday is in the golden jug, benefit should not be derived from it, but one who benefits is not liable for *me'ilah*. If it was placed in the pitcher, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to it in its entirety, for it is one of the libations. [10] The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the *log* of oil brought by a person afflicted by *tzara'at* from the time that it was consecrated in a sacred vessel until the blood of the guilt offering was cast on the altar. Once the blood of the guilt-offering was cast, one should not benefit from it until the placements are made from it, but the prohibition against *me'ilah* no longer applies. After the placements were made, it is permitted for the priests to partake of the remainder of the oil like the meat of sin-offerings and guilt-offerings. [11] The prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply to any of the blood of sacrificial animals that were slaughtered whether before atonement is attained or after atonement is attained until it flows out to the Kidron River. Once it flows out to the Kidron River, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to it because it was sold as fertilizer for gardens and the proceeds of the sale are consecrated. If, however, one lets the blood of a consecrated animal, it is forbidden to benefit from that blood and the prohibition of *me'ilah* applies to it. Since the animal cannot exist without blood, it is considered as its body. [12] With regard to the bones, the *giddim,* the horns, and the hoofs which were separated from sacrificial animals of the highest degree of sanctity. The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to those separated before the blood was cast on the altar, but not to those which were separated after the blood was cast.
With regard to the bones of a burnt-offering that were separated before the blood was cast on the altar, once the blood is cast, the prohibition no longer applies. The casting of the blood causes them to be permitted. If they were separated after the blood was cast, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to them forever.
When the bones of a burnt-offering fly off the altar before midnight, the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies. After midnight, that prohibition no longer applies even though they flew off before midnight. The rationale is that since midnight arrived, all of the bones are considered as if they have been consumed by fire and as if they have been reduced to ash. [13] When a coal flies off the altar - whether before midnight or after midnight - it is forbidden to benefit from it, but the prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply. The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to a coal that was consecrated for the improvement of the Temple. It is forbidden to benefit from a flame, but the prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply to it. [14] The prohibition against *me'ilah* applies to the ashes of the outer altar, both before the ash is removed from the altar and after it was removed. [15] With regard to the ashes of the inner altar and the ashes of the *Menorah,* we may not benefit from them, but the prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply to them. [16] Whenever there is an animal that was consecrated for a sacrifice of the most sacred order that contracted a disqualifying physical blemish - whether the blemish preceded its consecration or came afterwards - the prohibition against *me'ilah* applies until it is redeemed. This even applies if the animal is unable to be sacrificed because of a time factor.
A different law applies with regard to turtle-doves whose time to be offered has not arrived and young doves whose time to be offered has passed that were consecrated to be offered on the altar. Even though it is forbidden to benefit from them, one who derives benefit has not violated the prohibition against *me'ilah*. The rationale is that since they are not fit to be redeemed, they are comparable to sin-offerings consigned to death. Therefore the prohibition against *me'ilah* does not apply to them.
Version: Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001020101/NLI
License: CC-BY-NC