What is the origin (who uses this language first...does not appear to be a gemara)
"Meilah mei'Chaim
Kodshei Kodoshim v'Yesho Bah Meilah mei'Chaim
Kodshim Kalim she'Ein Bah Meilah mei'Chaim
I understand why this is trua and found the lashon in Keren Orah and in sfas emes but wonder where it is used first?
hg, Spring Valley NY
Reb Chaim, great to hear from you again!
The earliest source I can find at the moment is Rashi Bava Kama 12b DH Meilah "k'Gon Kodashim Kalim she-Ain Bahem Meilah MiChaim".
Yasher Koach Dovid Bloom
It seems that the phrase "Meilah MiChaim" may have been invented by Rashi, because I cannot find it anywhere in the Gemara, but apart from the above Rashi in Bava Kama I also found it in Rashi Temurah 8a DH d'Ee (4 lines from bottom of page).
Dovid Bloom