Menachot

They differ only in the case where it was at first of the prescribed size but it shrivelled up and then it swelled up again. One is of the opinion that with forbidden things there can be an absolute rejection of the prohibition,1 but the other maintains that there can be no such absolute rejection. 2 Is there anyone who maintains that with forbidden things there can be an absolute rejection of the prohibition? But we have learnt:3 If an egg's bulk of foodstuff was left in the sun and shrank, likewise if an olive's bulk of a corpse, an olive's bulk of nebelah,4 a lentil's bulk of a [dead] reptile, an olive's bulk of [consecrated flesh that was] piggul4 or nothar,4 and an olive's bulk of forbidden fat [shrank], they5 are now clean, and one is not liable thereby6 [to the penalties] for [eating] piggul or nothar or forbidden fat. If later they were left in the rain and swelled, they5 become unclean and one is liable thereby6 [to the penalties] for [eating] piggul or nothor or forbidden fat. This clearly refutes the view of him who says that with forbidden things there can be an absolute rejection of the prohibition! It is indeed a refutation. Come and hear: One may give by number fresh figs [as tithe] in respect of pressed figs.7 Now if you hold that we measure a thing in the condition in which it was before, it is well;8 but if you hold that we measure in the condition in which it is now, then too much is given as tithe,9 and it has been taught: If one gave too much tithe the produce is duly tithed but the tithe is unfit!10 — What then shall we say? That we measure in the condition in which it was before? But read the next clause: And [one may give] pressed figs by measure [as tithe] in respect of fresh figs.11 Now if you hold that we measure In the condition in which it is now, then it is well;12 but if you hold that we measure in the condition in which it was before, then too much is given as tithe?13 — We are dealing here with the ‘great terumah’,14 and the first clause as well as the second deals with the case of a man that is liberal.15 If so, read the final clause: R. Eleazar son of R. Jose said, My father used to take ten pressed figs from the cake in respect of the ninety [fresh figs] in the basket. Now if we are dealing with the ‘great terumah’, why is ‘ten’ mentioned?16 — We are really dealing here with the terumah of the tithe,17 and it is in accordance with the teaching of Abba Eleazar b. Gomel. For it was taught: Abba Eleazar b. Gomel18 says, It is written, And your heave-offering shall be reckoned unto you.19 Scripture speaks of two heave-offerings,20 one the ‘great terumah’ and the other the terumah from the tithe. Just as the ‘great terumah’ is set aside by estimate21 and by intention,22 so the terumah of the tithe is set aside by estimate quantity the prohibition thereof vanished completely, and, by the law of the Torah, cannot return even though the substance later swelled up to the prescribed size. ten fresh figs would be the exact quantity for the tithe, whether we reckon the tithe by number or by capacity. pressed figs. up the whole is forbidden, even to Levite or priest, until it has been made fit by the proper separation. fresh figs. person one-sixtieth of his produce as terumah. The clauses of the Baraitha apply to a generous owner, accordingly the objection that too much is given cannot stand. terumah’); thus the verse speaks of two terumoth. Tosaf. (s.v. ,kyhb) it was not right to measure out the terumah but it should be given by estimate only.