Menachot

for since you have only permitted a man to pluck [the corn with the hand],1 he would remember.2 Said Abaye to him: This is satisfactory with regard to reaping, but what about the grinding and the sifting?3 — This is really no difficulty, for the grinding could be done in a hand-mill, and the sifting on the back of the sieve. But what is to be said of irrigated fields where reaping is permitted, for we have learnt: One may reap [before the ‘Omer the corn] in irrigated fields in the plain, but one may not stack it?4 — Abaye therefore answered thus, From the new produce a man is accustomed to abstain,5 but from leaven he is not accustomed to abstain.6 Said Raba, Is there only a contradiction between the views of R. Judah and not between the views of the Rabbis?7 — Raba therefore answered, There is no contradiction between the views of R. Judah. as we have already answered;8 and there is also no contradiction between the views of the Rabbis, for the sole purpose of his searching [for leaven] is in order to burn it, would he then eat of it?9 R. Ashi said, There is no contradiction between the views of R. Judah, because our Mishnah speaks of MEAL AND PARCHED CORN.10 But this statement of R. Ashi is beside the mark;11 for this is very well when the corn has been parched, but what can be said for the time before the corn has been parched?12 Should you say that here too the corn will only be plucked,13 as Rabbah suggested above, then it will be asked, What is to be said in the case of an irrigated field where reaping is permitted? We must therefore say that R. Ashi's statement is beside the mark. MISHNAH. AFTER THE ‘OMER WAS OFFERED THE NEW CORN WAS PERMITTED FORTHWITH; BUT FOR THOSE THAT LIVED FAR OFF14 IT WAS PERMITTED ONLY AFTER MIDDAY. AFTER THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED R. JOHANAN B. ZAKKAI ORDAINED THAT IT SHOULD BE FORBIDDEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY OF THE WAVING.15 R. JUDAH SAID, IS IT NOT SO FORBIDDEN BY THE LAW OF THE TORAH, FOR IT IS WRITTEN, UNTIL THIS SELFSAME DAY?16 WHEREFORE WAS IT PERMITTED FOR THEM THAT LIVED FAR OFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER MIDDAY?17 BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THE BETH DIN ARE NOT DILATORY THEREWITH. GEMARA. Rab and Samuel both stated that when the Temple stood the offering of the ‘Omer rendered [the new corn] permitted, and when the Temple was no more the daybreak [of the sixteenth day] rendered it permitted. What is the reason for this? Because two expressions are written; it is written, Until ye have brought,18 and also, Until this selfsame day.18 How are they to be reconciled? The former refers to the time when the Temple stood, the other to the time when the Temple was no more. R. Johanan and Resh Lakish both stated that even when the Temple stood the daybreak [of the sixteenth day] rendered it permitted. But is it not written also, Until ye have brought? — This is only a recommendation.19 [But have we not learnt:] AFTER THE ‘OMER WAS OFFERED THE NEW CORN WAS PERMITTED FORTHWITH?20 — This, too, is only a recommendation. [And have we not learnt:] The ‘Omer rendered the new corn permitted throughout the land and the Two Loaves rendered it permitted in the Temple?21 — This. too, is only a recommendation. with which he is working and so abstain from eating thereof? view of R. Meir, the opponent of R. Judah, in our Mishnah, according to which we must apprehend the danger of one eating of the new corn while reaping it, and the view of the Sages, also the opponents of R. Judah, in the Mishnah in Pes., according to which view a man, if he had not made any search for leaven before the Festival, must search for it during the Festival whenever he reminds himself of it, and there is no fear that he will eat any leaven that he finds. means meal prepared from parched ears of corn; so Rashi and R. Gershom. A variant of this expression in the Mishnah is hke jne ‘meal of parched corn’. forbidden. R. Judah far off permitted immediately after midday? observe this rule.