Menachot

and swear to the Lord of hosts.1 Thereupon they went to Alexandria in Egypt, built an altar there, and offered thereon sacrifices in honour of God, as it is written, In that day there shall be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt. One shall be called the city of Heres.2 What is meant by The city of Heres? — As R. Joseph rendered it in Aramaic: The city of Beth Shemesh [the sun], which is destined to destruction, will be said to be one of them.3 But whence do we know that Heres signifies the sun? For it is written, Who commandeth the sun [heres] and it riseth not.4 Bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth.5 ‘Bring My sons from far’: R. Huna said, These are the exiles in Babylon, who are at ease6 like sons. ‘And My daughters from the ends of the earth’: These are the exiles in other lands, who are not at ease, 6 like daughters.7 R. Abba b. R. Isaac said in the name of R. Hisda — others say, Rab Judah said in the name of Rab, From Tyre to Carthage the nations know Israel and their Father who is in heaven; but from Tyre westwards8 and from Carthage eastwards8 the nations know neither Israel nor their Father who is in heaven. R. Shimi b. Hiyya raised the following objection against Rab: Is it not written, For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same My name is great among the nations; and in every place offerings are burnt and presented unto My name, even pure oblations?9 — He replied. You, Shimi!10 They call Him the God of Gods.11 ‘And in every place offerings are burnt and presented unto My name’. ‘In every place’! Is this possible? — R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan. This refers to the scholars who devote themselves to the study of the Torah in whatever place they are: [God says,] I account it unto them as though they burnt and presented offerings to My name. ‘Even pure oblations’: this refers to one who studies the Torah in purity; that is, one who marries a wife and afterwards studies the Torah.12 A song of Ascents. Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, that stand in the house of the Lord in the night seasons.13 What is the meaning of ‘in the night seasons’? — R. Johanan said, This refers to the scholars who devote themselves to the study of the Torah at nights: Holy Writ accounts it to them as though they were occupied with the Temple service. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.14 R. Giddal said in the name of Rab, This refers to the altar built [in heaven].15 where Michael, the great Prince,16 stands and offers up thereon an offering.17 R. Johanan said, It refers to the scholars who are occupied with the laws of Temple service: Holy Writ imputes it to them as though the Temple were built in their days. Resh Lakish said, What is the significance of the verse, This is the law for the burnt-offering, for the meal-offering, for the sin-offering, and for the guilt-offering?18 It teaches that whosoever occupies himself with the study of the Torah is as though he were offering a burnt-offering, a meal-offering a sin-offering, and a guilt-offering, Raba asked, Why then does the verse say. ‘For the burnt-offering, for the meal-offering’? It should have said, ‘a burnt-offering, a meal-offering’! Rather, said Raba, it means that whosoever occupies himself with the study of the Torah needs neither burnt-offering, nor meal-offering, nor sin-offering, nor guilt-offering.19 R. Isaac said, What is the significance of the verses, This is the law of the sin-offering;20 and This is the law of the guilt-offering?21 They teach that whosoever occupies himself with the study of the laws of the sin-offering is as though he were offering a sin-offering, and whosoever occupies himself with the study of the laws of the guilt-offering is as though he were offering a guilt-offering. MISHNAH. IT IS SAID OF THE BURNT-OFFERINGS OF CATTLE, AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE OF A SWEET SAVOUR;22 AND OF THE BURNT-OFFERINGS OF BIRDS, AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE OF A SWEET SAVOUR;23 AND OF THE MEAL-OFFERING, AN OFFERING MADE BY FIRE OF A SWEET SAVOUR:24 TO TEACH YOU THAT IT IS THE SAME WHETHER A MAN OFFERS MUCH OR LITTLE, SO LONG AS HE DIRECTS HIS HEART TO HEAVEN. GEMARA. R. Zera said, Where do we find a Scriptural reference to this? In the verse, Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much.25 R. Adda b. Ahabah said, In the following verse, When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, [saving the beholding of them with his eyes]?26 It was taught: R. Simeon b. ‘Azzai said. Come and see what is written in the chapter of the sacrifices. Neither el27 nor elohim27 is found there, but only the Lord, so as not to give sectarians any occasion to rebel.28 Furthermore, it is said of a large ox, ‘An offering made by fire of a sweet savour’; of a small bird, ‘An offering made by fire of a sweet savour’; and of a meal-offering, ‘An offering made by fire of a sweet savour’: to teach you that it is the same whether a man offers much or little, so long as he directs his heart to heaven. And lest you say, He needs it for food, the text therefore states, If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is Mine and the fulness thereof.29 And it also says, For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?30 I did not bid you to sacrifice so that you should say, I will do His will that He may do my will.31 You do not sacrifice for My sake, but for your own sakes, as it is written, Ye shall sacrifice it at your will.32 Another interpretation is: ‘Ye shall sacrifice it at your will’: sacrifice it of your own free will, sacrifice it with the proper intention. As Samuel once enquired of R. Huna, Whence do we know that the offering is invalid if the act [of slaughtering] was performed incidentally?33 [He replied,] Because it is written, And he shall slaughter the bullock,34 thus teaching that the slaughtering should be intended for the bullock. Said the other, This we already know;35 but whence do we know that this rule is indispensable? [He replied,] Because it is written, ‘Ye shall sacrifice it at your will’, that is to say, sacrifice it with the proper intention. 36 their brethren in other lands. Carthage is that region which, according to the first part of this sentence, is inhabited by those people who recognize their Father who is in heaven. It has already been suggested by M. Schwartz, Dos Heilige Land, p. 274 that ‘westwards’ and ‘eastwards’ should be transposed. Cf. also Neubauer, Geographie. p. 294. of the Torah makes atonement like the offering of sacrifice. Another interpretation: vkugk stands for vkug tk ‘no (need for) burnt-offering’; cf. Ned. 11a. interpretation of the verse is: Sweet is the sleep of the man who brings an offering; be it little or much, he shall enjoy the reward thereof. advantage is the abundance of offerings to the Holy One, the Owner of all, saving the beholding of the heart that prompts the offering? favour from Him, but simply because He had willed it so. indispensable, in accordance with the Rabbinic dictum: Wherever Scripture repeats an injunction in connection with holy things it is meant to be indispensable.