Menachot

And which rams are meant? Will you say those of the above occasions?1 But only one ram is spoken of there!2 Or will you say those of Pentecost which are ordained in the Book of Leviticus?3 But the expression ‘shall be’ is used with regard to them!4 — In truth those of Pentecost which are ordained in the Book of Leviticus are meant, and [the Mishnah] teaches that neither the [absence of the] rams which are ordained in Leviticus will invalidate the ram ordained in Numbers nor will [the absence of] the ram ordained in Numbers invalidate the rams ordained in Leviticus. Then [the position is this, is it not], that in regard to the bullocks even [though they are ordained in one passage the absence of] one does not invalidate the other;5 whereas in regard to the rams the absence of what is ordained in one passage does not invalidate what is ordained in another passage, but of what is ordained in one passage the absence of one invalidates the other?6 — The Tanna dealt with different conditions in each case.7 And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish; and six lambs and a ram; they shall be without blemish.8 Why does the text say, ‘A bullock’? It is because in the Torah it says, [Two] bullocks;9 but whence do I know that if two are not to be found one must be brought? The text therefore says, ‘A bullock’. Again why does the text say. ‘Six lambs’? It is because in the Torah it says. Seven lambs;9 but whence do I know that if seven are not to be found six must be brought? The text therefore says, Six lambs. And whence do I know that if six are not to be found five are to be brought, and if not five four, and if not four three, and if not three two, or even one? The text therefore says. And lambs according as his means suffice.10 But since this is so,11 why does the text say, ‘six lambs’? To indicate that we must make every effort to obtain as many as possible. And whence do I know that [the absence of] one invalidates the others?12 Because the text says. They shall be.13 Thus saith the Lord God, In the first month, in the first day of the month thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and thou shalt offer it as a sin-offering in the sanctuary.14 A sin-offering’? But surely it is a burnt-offering?15 — R. Johanan said, This passage will be interpreted by Elijah in the future.16 R. Ashi said, [It refers to] the special consecration-offering [to be] offered in the time of Ezra17 just as it was offered in the time of Moses.18 There has also been taught [a Baraitha] to the same effect: R. Judah says, This passage will be interpreted by Elijah in the future. But R. Jose said to him, [It refers to] the consecration-offering [to be] offered in the time of Ezra just as it was offered in the time of Moses. He replied, May your mind be at ease for you have set mine at ease. The priests shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself [nebelah], or is torn [trefah], whether it be fowl or beast.19 Is it only the priests that may not eat such but the Israelites may?20 — R. Johanan said, This passage will be interpreted by Elijah in the future. Rabina said, It was necessary [to repeat this prohibition] for the priests, for I might have thought that since they are permitted [to eat] a bird-offering of which the head had been nipped off at the neck,21 they are also permitted to eat nebelah and trefah; we are therefore told [that it is not so]. And so thou shalt do on the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple; so shall ye make atonement for the house.22 ‘Seven’,23 says R. Johanan, refers to a sin committed by seven tribes, even though they do not constitute the majority of the community.24 ‘New [moon]’, that is, they decided a new law saying, [e.g.,] that fat is permitted.25 ‘For every one that erreth and for him that is simple’, this teaches that they26 are liable27 only if the ruling [of the Beth din was made] in ignorance and the transgression [of the community] was committed in error.28 Rab Judah said in the name of Rab, That man is to be remembered for good, and Hanina b. Hezekiah is his name; for were it not for him the Book of Ezekiel would have been suppressed, since its sayings contradicted the words of the Torah. What did he do? He took up with him three hundred barrels of oil29 and remained there in the upper chamber until he had explained away everything. R. SIMEON SAID, IF THEY HAD [MEANS ENOUGH FOR] THE MANY BULLOCKS etc. Our Rabbis taught: It is written, And he shall prepare a meal-offering, an ephah for the bullock, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as his means suffice, and a bin of oil to an ephah.30 R. Simeon asked, Is the quantity [of flour for a meal-offering] the same for bullocks as for rams?31 But it signifies that if they had [means enough for] the many bullocks but had not [means enough for] the drink-offerings, they should bring one bullock and its drink-offerings and should not offer them all without drink-offerings. And if they had [means enough for] young bullock and two rams; they shall be for a burnt-offering unto the Lord. with our Mishnah. other, and one cannot be offered without the other. that the cases of the bullocks and of the rams were not on all fours. would prevent the offering of the others. So Rashi; but v. Tosaf. s.v. ihbnu, and Sh. Mek. n. 3. were read ,tyju ‘and a sin-offering’. by Elijah the Prophet, the herald of the Messianic era, who is to make the truth known. Moon of Nisan, sin-offerings, and not the usual burnt-offerings, were brought. The prophet Ezekiel foretells a similar consecration of the Temple on the New Moon in the future, when in place of the usual burnt-offerings sin-offerings will be offered. XXII, 30. After the application of the blood as prescribed, the priests were allowed to eat the flesh of the bird, although for profane purposes such nipping would render the bird nebelah. meaning seven, and asj the new moon. community or the greater part thereof or even the majority of the tribes had committed a sin by acting upon the erroneous ruling of the Beth din; v. Lev. IV, 13. tenths of an ephah whereas that which accompanied a ram was two tenths. V. Num. XV, 6, 9.