Menachot

MISHNAH. IF A MAN SAID, ‘I TAKE UPON MYSELF [TO OFFER A MEAL-OFFERING] PREPARED ON A GRIDDLE’, HE MUST NOT BRING ONE PREPARED IN A PAN; IF ‘IN A PAN’, HE MUST NOT BRING ONE PREPARED ON A GRIDDLE. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GRIDDLE [MAHABATH]1 AND A PAN [MARHESHETH]?2 THE PAN HAS A LID TO IT, BUT THE GRIDDLE HAS NO LID. SO R. JOSE THE GALILEAN. R. HANINA B. GAMALIEL SAYS, A PAN IS DEEP AND WHAT IS PREPARED THEREIN IS SPONGY,3 A GRIDDLE IS FLAT AND WHAT IS PREPARED THEREON IS HARD. GEMARA. What is R. Jose's reason?4 Shall I say that marhesheth is so called because it is offered for the stirrings of the heart,5 as it is written, My heart is stirred [rahash] by a goodly matter,6 and mahabath because it is offered for the pratings of the mouth,7 as people remark ‘He is prating’ [menabah nabuhe]?8 But the reverse might just as well be said, namely, mahabath is so called because it is offered for the secrets of the heart, as it is written, Wherefore didst thou flee secretly [nahbetha],9 and marhesheth because it is offered for the whispering [of the lips], as people remark ‘His lips were whispering [merahshan]’!10 — We must say that it is established so by tradition.11 R. HANINA B. GAMALIEL SAYS etc. The pan is a deep vessel, for so it is written, And all that is prepared in the pan;12 the griddle is flat, for so it is written, And on the griddle. 12 Our Rabbis taught: Beth Shammai say, If a man said, ‘I take upon myself [to offer] a marhesheth’,13 [the vow] must stand over until Elijah comes. They are in doubt as to whether [these terms]12 refer to the vessel or to the pastry prepared therein. But Beth Hillel say, There was a vessel in the Temple called marhesheth, resembling a deep mould, which gave the dough that was put into it the shape of Cretan apples and Grecian nuts. Furthermore it is written, And all that is prepared in the pan and on the griddle;12 we thus see that these terms refer to the vessels and not to the pastry prepared therein. MISHNAH. [IF A MAN SAID,] ‘I TAKE UPON MYSELF [TO OFFER A MEAL-OFFERING BAKED] IN AN OVEN’, HE MUST NOT BRING WHAT IS BAKED IN A STOVE14 OR ON TILES OR IN THE FIREPLACE OF THE ARABS.15 R. JUDAH SAYS, IF HE SO WISHES HE MAY BRING WHAT IS BAKED IN A STOVE. [IF HE SAID,] I TAKE UPON MYSELF [TO OFFER] A BAKED MEAL-OFFERING’, HE MAY NOT BRING HALF IN CAKES AND HALF IN WAFERS.16 R. SIMEON PERMITS IT SINCE BOTH KINDS BELONG TO THE SAME OFFERING. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: Baked in the oven17 — but not baked in a stove or on tiles or in the fireplaces of the Arabs. R. Judah says, Oven18 is stated twice, in order to permit even what is baked in a stove. R. Simeon says, ‘Oven’ is stated twice, once to teach that it must be baked in an oven, and once that it is hallowed by the oven. But is R. Simeon of this view?19 Surely we have learnt:20 R. Simeon says, Accustom thyself to say, The Two Loaves and the Shewbread were valid whether made in the Temple court or in Beth Page!21 — Raba answered, Say rather, it should be consecrated for the oven.22 [IF HE SAID,] ‘I TAKE UPON MYSELF [TO OFFER] A BAKED MEAL-OFFERING’, HE MAY NOT BRING HALF IN CAKES etc. Our Rabbis taught: And when thou bringest,17 that is, when thou bringest, doing so as a matter of free choice. An offering of a meal-offering:17 R. Judah said, Whence do I know that if a man said, ‘I take upon myself [to offer] a baked meal-offering’, he may not bring half in cakes and half in wafers? Because the text states, ‘An offering of a meal-offering’: I spoke to thee of one offering but not of two or three offerings. Said to him R. Simeon, contained therein, appears as though it were creeping and moving’ (Rashi on Lev. II, 7). vessel. vessel without a cover. Rabbinowicz, Dik. Sof. n. 90. vessel. marhesheth meal-offering’. By ‘marhesheth’ he might have meant to offer this kind of vessel to the Temple. (8) Marhesheth and Mahabath. the other. R. Simeon were of the opinion that the oven hallowed the offering, it would surely become invalid as soon as it was taken out of the Temple court! V. however, Tosaf. s.v. ,urafu, and Sh. Mek. n. 27.