Menachot

Is the term ‘offering’ stated twice in the verse?1 ‘Offering’ is stated only once, and concerning it are mentioned cakes and wafers; so that if he so desires he may bring cakes or he may bring wafers or he may ‘bring half in cakes and half in wafers. He must mingle them [with oil] and the handful must be taken from the two [kinds].2 If when taking the handful there came into his hand only one of the two [kinds], it is valid. R. Jose son of R. Judah says, 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 it is written, And every meal-offering that is baked in the oven, and every [meal-offering] that is prepared in the pan, and on the griddle, shall be the priest's that offereth it. And every meal-offering mingled with oil or dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have.3 Just as the term ‘every’ in the latter cases refers to two distinct kinds,4 so the term ‘every’ in the former case refers to two distinct kinds. 5 And what can R. Judah [say]? R. Simeon is quite right in his argument!6 — [R. Judah] can reply, since the expression ‘with oil’7 is stated twice in the verse it is as though the expression ‘offering’ had been repeated. And R. Simeon, [what would he say to this]? — Had not the expression ‘with oil’ been repeated I would have said that the offering must consist half of cakes and half of wafers, but not of cakes alone or of wafers alone; we are therefore taught [otherwise]. Is not the view of R. Jose son of R. Judah identical with that of his father? — There would be a difference between them in the case where one actually did so.8 C H A P T E R V I9 MISHNAH. R. ISHMAEL SAYS, ON THE SABBATH10 THE OMER11 WAS TAKEN OUT12 OF THREE SE'AHS13 [OF BARLEY]. AND ON A WEEKDAY OUT OF FIVE. BUT THE SAGES SAY, WHETHER ON THE SABBATH OR ON A WEEKDAY IT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THREE SE'AHS. R. HANINA THE VICE-HIGH PRIEST14 SAYS, ON THE SABBATH IT WAS REAPED BY ONE MAN WITH ONE SICKLE INTO ONE BASKET, AND ON A WEEKDAY IT WAS REAPED BY THREE MEN INTO THREE BASKETS AND WITH THREE SICKLES. BUT THE SAGES SAY, WHETHER ON THE SABBATH OR ON A WEEKDAY IT WAS REAPED BY THREE MEN INTO THREE BASKETS AND WITH THREE SICKLES.15 GEMARA. The opinion of the Rabbis is quite clear, for they hold that a tenth of the finest [flour] can be obtained out of three se'ahs, and therefore it is all one whether it was a Sabbath or a weekday. But what can be the opinion of R. Ishmael? If he holds that a tenth of the finest [flour] can be obtained only out of five se'ahs, then on a Sabbath too [five should be necessary]; and if it can be obtained out of three se'ahs then on a weekday too [three should be sufficient]! — Raba said, R. Ishmael is of the opinion that a tenth of the finest [flour] can be obtained out of five se'ahs without much labour, but with much labour out of three. On a weekday, therefore, it is taken out of five se'ahs, as this would give the best results;16 but on the Sabbath it is better that [the Sabbath be profaned] by one work, namely sifting, [being repeated many times,]17 rather than by many works [being performed once only].18 Rabbah said, R. Ishmael and R. Ishmael the son of R. Johanan b. Beroka both hold the same view. For it was taught: If the fourteenth of Nisan fell on a Sabbath, one should flay the Passover-offering only as far as the breast:19 such is the opinion of R. Ishmael the son of R. Johanan b. Beroka. But the Sages say, One should flay the whole of it. Now did not R. Ishmael the son of R. Johanan b. Beroka say there that where it is possible [to manage with a little] we must not trouble to do more on the Sabbath? Here, too, since it is possible [to manage with less] we must not trouble [to do more on the Sabbath]! Whence [do you know this]? Perhaps R. Ishmael only said so20 here, since there is no disrespect to the offering. but there, since there is actual disrespect to the offering. 21 the mixture which contains the two kinds. the meal-offering mingled with oil in, the other case. There is no doubt at all that part of the one kind of meal-offering cannot combine with part of the other to constitute a valid offering. absolutely invalid, just as the meal-offering would be invalid if brought partly dry and partly mingled with oil. According to the father, however, if a person brought cakes and wafers for his meal-offering it would be accepted as valid. connection with the Omer involved the infringement of the laws of Sabbath, on the Sabbath therefore a smaller quantity of barley was used and fewer men employed. winnowing, cleaning, grinding, etc. purpose of preparing the meat for the table it must be left over till the evening.