The gemorah lists Misah as one of the stringincies of Trumah over Kodshim. Rashi says this is Death at the Hand of Heaven that a Non-Kohen gets for eating Terumah. What does this mean? Does this mean that Misah is more Chamur than Korais (the penalty for eating Kodshim)- But we know it isn't.
Korais applies to him and his children and also happens before the age of fifty, whereas Misah applies only to himself and happens before sixty?
And if Misah means that a Non-Kohen will always get Misah for eating Terumah- meaning that there are no exceptions, whereas Kodshim has exceptions such as a Korban Shelomim- this is listed later as Asurah LeZarim ?
I would appreciate your help in understanding what the Gemorah means here.
Be Well,
Jeffrey Kaufman
Good question. We were also bothered by your question. See what we wrote in the Insights to that Daf (25:2). This was our answer:
ANSWER: The Gemara, when it mentions Misah, is not talking about the punishment for a Kohen eating Terumah while he is Tamei . Rather, explains RASHI, it is talking about a non-Kohen who eats Terumah (even if it is Tahor). The punishment for a non-Kohen who eats Terumah is Misah b'Ydei Shamayim. This is more severe than the punishment for a non-Kohen who eats Kodshim , who is punished only with lashes (Rambam, Hilchos Ma'aseh ha'Korbanos 11:8), and not Misah nor Kares.