Me’ila 14: Turtledoves and Pigeons

Any sacrifice that is not protected by the laws of me’ila cannot be brought to the altar will lose its status as holy.  Yesterday a Mishna shared an example, where torim, turtledoves and benei yona, pigeons, are too young or too old, they cannot be consumed but one is permitted to benefit from them.

Today we are introduced to a Mishna where Rabbi Shimon teaches the difference between torim and ben yona.  He says that turtledoves which have not yet reached the right age are subject to the law of misuse.  It is forbidden to benefit from pigeons that are beyond the right age.  If one derived benefit from them, s/he is not liable for their misuse.  Thus Rabbi Shimon is asserting that a turtledove can be offered when it gets older, so the laws of me'ila apply.

Steinsaltz teaches that the the age of appropriateness is approximately four or five days after hatching.  This is when the bird's body is covered with feathers.