Menachot

but the community may offer [incense as a freewill-offering] since it offers the like as an obligation,1 Holy Writ therefore says, Ye shall not offer.2 One might further think that [the community] may not offer it upon the inner altar but it may [offer it] upon the outer altar, Holy Writ therefore states, And the anointing oil and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place; according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do;3 thus there is only offered that which is stated in the context! — R. Papa said, It is a case of ‘it goes without saying’; thus, it goes without saying that a community may not offer [incense] upon the outer altar, for we find no such case; similarly that an individual may not offer [incense] upon the inner altar, for we find no such case. But even an individual may not offer [incense] upon the outer altar, although we find that this was the case with the princes, for that was a special ruling. MISHNAH. THE HIGH PRIEST'S GRIDDLE-CAKES4 MUST NOT BE BROUGHT IN [TWO SEPARATE] HALVES, BUT HE MUST BRING A WHOLE TENTH AND THEN DIVIDE IT, OFFERING A HALF IN THE MORNING AND A HALF TOWARDS EVENING. IF THE [HIGH] PRIEST THAT OFFERED THE HALF IN THE MORNING DIED AND THEY APPOINTED ANOTHER PRIEST IN HIS STEAD, [THE SUCCESSOR] MAY NOT BRING A HALF-TENTH FROM HIS HOUSE, NEITHER [MAY HE USE] THE REMAINING HALF-TENTH OF THE FIRST [HIGH PRIEST], BUT HE MUST BRING A WHOLE TENTH AND DIVIDE IT, OFFERING ONE HALF AND LEAVING THE OTHER HALF TO PERISH. THUS THE RESULT IS THAT TWO HALVES ARE OFFERED AND TWO HALVES ARE LEFT TO PERISH. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: Had Scripture stated, ‘For a meal-offering a half’, I should then have thought that he must bring a half-tenth from his house in the morning and offer it and a half-tenth from his house in the evening and offer it; but Scripture states, Half of it in the morning,5 that is, he must offer a half of the whole [tenth]. Thus he must bring a whole tenth and divide it, offering a half in the morning and a half towards evening. Where the half that was to be offered towards evening became unclean or was lost, I might say that he should bring a half-tenth from his house and offer it, Scriptures therefore states, And half thereof in the evening,6 that is, he must offer a half of a whole [tenth]. Thus he must bring [another] whole tenth and divide it, offering one half and leaving the other half to perish; and so the result is that two halves are offered and two halves are left to perish. Where the High Priest that offered the half in the morning died and they appointed another High Priest in his place, I might say that he may bring a half-tenth from his house or that he may use the remaining half-tenth of the first [High Priest]. Scripture therefore states, ‘And half thereof in the evening’; he must offer a half of a whole [tenth]. Thus he must bring [another] whole tenth and divide it, offering one half and leaving the other half to perish; and so the result is that two halves are offered and two halves are left to perish. A Tanna7 recited before R. Nahman: As for the half left by the first [High Priest] and the half left by the second, their appearance must first be spoiled8 and they are then taken away to the place of burning. Whereupon R. Nahman said to him, I grant you that the first9 should be treated so, since it was once valid for offering;10 but as for the second, why must its appearance first be spoiled? From the very outset it was intended for destruction, was it not?11 He who told you this rule must be a Tanna of the School of Rabbah b. Abbuha who has said that even piggul12 must have its appearance spoiled [before it is destroyed]. R. Ashi said, This rule may be even in accordance with the view of the Rabbis, for each half was valid for offering inasmuch as at the time when it was divided either the one half or the other half could have been offered. It was stated: How did they prepare the High Priest's griddlecakes? — R. Hiyya b. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan, They were first to be baked [in an oven] and then fried;13 R. Assi said in the name of R. Hanina, They were first to be fried and then baked. R. Hiyya b. Abba said, My view is more probable, for ‘tufine’14 signifies ‘to be baked whilst still attractive’.15 But R. Assi said, My view is more probable, for ‘tufine’ signifies ‘to be baked when already half-done’.16 Indeed Tannaim differ with regard to it, for it was taught: ‘Tufine’ signifies ‘to be baked whilst still attractive’. Rabbi says, It signifies ‘to be baked when already half-done’. R. Dosa17 says, It signifies ‘to be baked several times’.18 He accepts the interpretation ‘half-done’ as well as the interpretation ‘attractive’. We learnt elsewhere:19 The kneading, the shaping and the baking of the High Priest's griddle-cakes were performed within [the Temple Court],20 and they overrode the Sabbath. Whence is this derived?21 — R. Huna said, Since tufine signifies ‘to be baked whilst still attractive’, if they were baked on the day before [the Sabbath] they would lose their freshness. R. Joseph demurred, Surely they could be preserved in herbs!22 In the School of R. Ishmael it was taught: It shall be prepared,23 even on the Sabbath; ‘it shall be prepared’, even in uncleanness. Abaye said, The verse says, Of fine flour for a meal-offering daily,24 Priest daily, consisting of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, half of which was offered in the morning and the other half in the evening. Cf. Lev. VI, 12ff. spoiled’. be blackened somewhat by reason of the open griddle and the oil, and would not be so attractive. time of baking, and also after the frying so that they should be half-done ( tb ) at the second baking. Var. lec. vfr. V. Rashi for other interpretations. whatsoever was put into it was immediately hallowed and liable to be rendered invalid if taken out of the Temple Court.