Vayikra 5:21 · unit 4

Parashas Vayikra · Passuk 5:21 · Unit 4 of 13

Complete Passuk

נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּיהוָה וְכִחֵשׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ בְּפִקָּדוֹן אוֹ־בִתְשׂוּמֶת יָד אוֹ בְגָזֵל אוֹ עָשַׁק אֶת־עֲמִיתוֹ׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites R’ Yosi ha-Gelili.

Core Text
וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּה׳ — לְרַבּוֹת קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים שֶׁהֵם מָמוֹן בְּעָלִים; מֵחַיִּים, אֲבָל לְאַחַר שְׁחִיטָה מִשֻּׁלְחָן גָּבוֹהַּ זָכוּ.

“And commits a trespass against Hashem” — to include kodashim kalim that are the property of their owners; while alive, but after slaughter they belong to the altar table.

In the midrash: R’ Yosi ha-Gelili includes living kodashim kalim within the scope of deposit fraud. While the animal is still alive it remains the owner’s property and can be the subject of a false denial; after slaughter the altar has acquired it.

Type of Learning

Ribbuy of living kodashim kalim — denial while alive creates liability.

What Is Learned

Falsely denying a deposited shelamim animal still alive creates asham gezeilot liability. Once the animal has been slaughtered, it is no longer the owner’s property in the same sense and the same structure does not apply.