Meilah - מעילה

Seder Kodashim | Tractate on Misuse of Sacred Property

About Meilah

Masechet Meilah deals with the prohibition of me’ilah (מעילה) — the unauthorized use or benefit from items consecrated to God (hekdesh). The tractate discusses:

• When the laws of me’ilah apply to different types of offerings
• The role of blood sprinkling in changing the status of sacrificial items
• The distinction between offerings of the most sacred order and offerings of lesser sanctity
• Items consecrated for the altar vs. Temple maintenance
• The five sin offerings that are left to die
• How agents and messengers affect liability for me’ilah
• The principle that me’ilah applies only to items fully consecrated to God

The core principle: One who derives benefit from consecrated property must bring a guilt offering (asham me’ilot) and repay the principal plus an additional one-fifth.

Structure

Meilah contains 6 chapters and 38 mishnayot.

Available Mishnayot

Chapter 1

• Meilah 1:1-2 - Disqualified offerings of most sacred order and Rabbi Yehoshua’s principle
• Meilah 1:3-4 - Sacrificial portions leaving the courtyard; leniency and stringency of blood sprinkling

Chapter 2

• Meilah 2:1-2 - Bird sin offerings and bird burnt offerings
• Meilah 2:3-4 - Bulls and goats that are burned; the burnt offering
• Meilah 2:5-6 - Sin offering, guilt offering, communal peace offerings; the two loaves
• Meilah 2:7-8 - Shewbread and meal offerings; the handful, frankincense, and incense
• Meilah 2:9-3:1 - Cross-chapter: The principle of permitting factors; the five sin offerings left to die

Chapter 3

• Meilah 2:9-3:1 - Cross-chapter: The principle of permitting factors; the five sin offerings left to die
• Meilah 3:2-3 - Nazirite’s designated money; blood and libations
• Meilah 3:4-5 - Ashes from the inner altar; doves and pigeons
• Meilah 3:6-7 - Milk of sacrificial animals; eggs of consecrated doves
• Meilah 3:8-4:1 - Cross-chapter: Items fit for altar vs. Temple maintenance

Chapter 4

• Meilah 3:8-4:1 - Cross-chapter: Items fit for altar vs. Temple maintenance
• Meilah 4:2-3 - Combining amounts for me’ilah liability
• Meilah 4:4-5 - Items that cannot combine; benefit from hekdesh
• Meilah 4:6-5:1 - Cross-chapter: Repeated use of sacred property

Chapter 5

• Meilah 4:6-5:1 - Cross-chapter: Repeated use of sacred property
• Meilah 5:2-3 - The agent who fulfilled his mission
• Meilah 5:4-5 - Agents and liability for me’ilah

Chapter 6

• Meilah 6:1-2 - The agent who deviated from instructions
• Meilah 6:3-4 - Transferring sacred property through transactions
• Meilah 6:5-6 - Final cases; the chain of me’ilah transfers

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