Positive Commandment 71 (Digest)
The Guilt Offering
The following individuals have to bring a Guilt Offering (Asham) for their transgressions:
- One who inadvertently misappropriates holy property—whether sacrificial goods or property that belongs to the Temple coffers.
- One who steals money from his fellow and falsely swears in denial of his crime.
- One who has sexual relations with a betrothed, half-Jewish handmaiden.
- One who falsely swears in denial of his responsibility to return an object that was entrusted to him for safekeeping.
The 71st mitzvah is that one who commits a certain type of transgression is commanded to bring a guilt-offering as atonement. This offering is known as an asham vadai.
The transgressions which require one to bring such a sacrifice are Me'ilah, theft, having relations with a shifchah charufah, and swearing falsely regarding an object which was given for safekeeping.
Me'ilah is when one unintentionally derives at least one perutah's worth of benefit from something sanctified — whether it was sanctified for Temple repair (bedek habayis) or to be brought on the altar; or when one stole something worth at least one perutah and then swore falsely [in denial]; or when one had relations with a shifchah charufah; or when someone falsely denies having an object he was entrusted with and then swears [to support his claim] — then, whether [these last three transgressions were] done intentionally or unintentionally, one is required to bring an offering. But instead of a sin-offering, he brings a guilt-offering, known as an asham vadai.
Regarding Me'ilah it is written, "If a person sins inadvertently with something that is sacred to G‑d, he shall bring as his guilt offering to G‑d, an unblemished ram"; and [regarding a false oath, "If a person sins...] by lying to his neighbor regarding an article left for safekeeping...and swears falsely...he must bring his guilt-offering to G‑d, an unblemished ram"; and [regarding a shifchah charufah,] "If a man has relations with a slave woman who is half married to [another] man...he must bring his guilt-offering to G‑d..."
The details of this mitzvah are explained in tractate Kerisus.
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