מנחות 76 — Soncino English Talmud

¹MISHNAH. ALL MEAL-OFFERINGS REQUIRE TO BE RUBBED THREE HUNDRED TIMES AND BEATEN FIVE HUNDRED TIMES. THE RUBBING AND THE BEATING APPLY TO THE GRAINS OF WHEAT. R. JOSE SAYS, TO THE DOUGH. ALL MEAL-OFFERINGS CONSIST OF TEN CAKES EACH, EXCEPTING THE SHEWBREAD AND THE GRIDDLE-CAKES OF THE HIGH PRIEST, WHICH CONSIST OF TWELVE CAKES EACH. SO R. JUDAH. BUT R. MEIR SAYS, THEY ALL CONSIST OF TWELVE CAKES EACH, EXCEPTING THE CAKES OF THE THANK-OFFERING AND OF THE NAZIRITE-OFFERING, WHICH CONSIST OF TEN CAKES EACH. GEMARA. A Tanna taught: He must rub once and beat twice, then rub twice and beat thrice. R. Jeremiah enquired, Is the [moving of the hand] to and fro counted as one [rubbing] or as two [rubbings]? — This is undecided. THE RUBBING AND THE BEATING APPLY TO THE GRAINS OF WHEAT. R. JOSE SAYS, TO THE DOUGH. The question was asked: Does [R. Jose] mean to the dough and not to the grains of wheat; or does he mean to the dough too?-Come and hear, for it was taught: The rubbing and the beating apply to the grains of wheat. R. Jose says, The rubbing and the beating apply to the dough. ALL MEAL-OFFERINGS CONSIST OF TEN CAKES EACH, [EXCEPTING THE SHEWBREAD AND THE GRIDDLE-CAKES OF THE HIGH PRIEST], WHICH CONSIST OF TWELVE CAKES EACH.With regard to the Shewbread this is expressly stated. With regard to the griddle-cakes of the High Priest this is inferred by the occurrence of the word ‘statute’ both here and in connection with the Shewbread. But whence do we know that all other meal-offerings must consist of ten cakes each? — By inference from the cakes of the thank-offering: as these consist of ten cakes, so [all meal-offerings] must consist of ten cakes. Perhaps the inference should be drawn from the Shewbread: as this consists of twelve cakes, so [all meal-offerings] must consist of twelve cakes! — It is more reasonable to draw the inference from the cakes of the thank-offering since they [like the cakes of the thank-offering] are the offerings of an individual, are freewill-offerings, require oil, are rendered invalid if left overnight, and may not be offered on the Sabbath or in uncleanness. On the contrary, it is more reasonable to draw the inference from the Shewbread for they [like the Shewbread] are most holy, require frankincense, consist entirely of unleavened cakes, and are brought on their own account! -Those are more in number. But if we hold the view that what is derived by a gezerah shawah may be set up as a basis for further inference, should we not then draw the inference from the griddle-cakes of the High Priest; just as these consist of twelve cakes so [all meal-offerings] must consist of twelve cakes? — It is more reasonable to draw the inference from the cakes of the thank-offering for they [like the cakes of the thank-offering] are the offerings of ordinary persons, are freewill-offerings, are not offered by halves, are subject to the law of piggul, and may not be offered on the Sabbath or in uncleanness. On the contrary, it is more reasonable to draw the inference from the griddle-cakes of the High Priest for they [like the griddle-cakes of the High Priest] consist of one tenth, are hallowed by a vessel, are most holy, require frankincense, consist entirely of unleavened cakes, are brought on their own account, require bringing near, and are offered [in part] on the altar fire; moreover these are more in number! — It is preferable to infer an offering of ordinary persons from an offering of ordinary persons. R.MEIR SAYS,THEY ALL CONSIST OF TWELVE CAKES EACH. If he holds the view that what is derived by a gezerah shawah may be set up as a basis for further inference, then he infers [other meal-offerings] from the griddle-cakes of the High Priest, for these are more in number. And if he holds the view that what is derived by a gezerah shawah may not be set up as a basis for further inference, then he infers [other meal-offerings] from the Shewbread, for he prefers to infer the [most] holy from the [most] holy. EXCEPTING THE CAKES OF THE THANK-OFFERING AND OF THE NAZIRITE-OFFERING, WHICH CONSIST OF TEN CAKES EACH. With regard to the cakes of the thank-offering this is expressly stated; and with regard to the cakes of the Nazirite-offering [this is so] because the Master has said, ‘His peace-offerings’ includes the peace-offerings of the Nazirite. R. Tobi b. Kisna said in the name of Samuel, If for the cakes of the thank-offering one baked only four cakes [instead of forty], it is sufficient. But are not forty necessary? — That is only as a meritorius act. But terumah has to be taken therefrom? And should you say that a piece is taken from each cake as terumah, but the Divine Law expressly says ‘One’, [meaning] that he may not take what is broken! - [The terumah] was taken therefrom during the kneading. An objection was raised: All meal-offerings which were made into too many or too few cakes are valid, excepting the Shewbread, the griddle-cakes of the High Priest, the cakes of the thank-offering and of the Nazirite-offering! — He^ᵃ^ᵇ^ᶜ^ᵈ^ᵉ^ᶠ^ᵍ^ʰ^ⁱ^ʲ^ᵏ^ˡ^ᵐ^ⁿ^ᵒ^ᵖ^ᵠ^ʳ^ˢ^ᵗ^ᵘ^ᵛ^ʷ^ˣ^ʸ^ᶻ^ᵃᵃ^ᵃᵇ^ᵃᶜ^ᵃᵈ^ᵃᵉ

^ᵃnote:The grains of wheat must be rubbed with the hand in order that the husk be the more easily removed.
^ᵇnote:Beating down with the fist (others: with the foot) on the grains.
^ᶜnote:I.e., in the preparation of the dough it was necessary to rub it three hundred times and beat it five hundred times.
^ᵈnote:l.e., shall be made up and baked into ten cakes.
^ᵉnote:This process must be repeated one hundred times, thus there will have been three hundred rubbings and five hundred beatings.
^ᶠnote:And not to the wheat. A variant reading in R. Jose is: The rubbing applies to the grains of wheat and the beating to the dough. So Bah. V. Maim. Com. on Mishnah.
^ᵍnote:That there must be twelve cakes; v. Lev. XXIV,5.
^ʰnote:V. ibid. 9 and VI, 15.
^ⁱnote:V. infra beginning of chap. VIII, p. 458.
^ʲnote:Sc. all other meal-offerings.
^ᵏnote:Whereas the Shewbread is an obligatory offering of the community and therefore it overrides the laws of the Sabbath and of uncleanness, does not require oil, and is left on the table in the Temple the whole week.
^ˡnote:Whereas the cakes of the thank-offering belong to the less holy offerings and are not brought as an offering by themselves but as accompanying the animal-offering. They do not have any frankincense, and some of the cakes are leavened.
^ᵐnote:The points of resemblance between the other meal-offerings and the cakes of the thank-offering.
^ⁿnote:V. Glos.
^ᵒnote:Heb. Binyan Ab (‘creation of a class’), an inference by analogy from a case explicitly stated in the Bible for all similar cases not specified in detail.
^ᵖnote:This was arrived at by the gezerah shawah on the strength of the common expression ‘statute’ used of the Shewbread and of the griddle-cakes of the High Priest.
^ᵠnote:Sc. all other meal-offerings.
^ʳnote:Whereas the griddle-cakes are the offering of the High Priest, brought as an obligation, and therefore override the Sabbath and uncleanness; they are offered half in the morning and half in the evening, and are not subject to the law of piggul (v. Glos.).
^ˢnote:Whereas the cakes of the thank-offering consist of many tenths of flour, they are hallowed only by the slaughtering of the animal sacrifice on whose account these cakes are brought, they do not require frankincense, a proportion of them is leavened, they do not require to be brought near to the altar, and no part thereof is offered upon the altar fire.
^ᵗnote:Sc. the points of resemblance between the other meal-offerings and the griddle-cakes of the High Priest.
^ᵘnote:I.e., other meal-offerings from the cakes of the thank-offering, rather than from the High Priest's meal-offering.
^ᵛnote:That they shall consist of twelve cakes.
^ʷnote:V. supra n. 5.
^ˣnote:That these must consist of ten cakes of each kind; v. infra 77b.
^ʸnote:Lev. VII, 13, stated with reference to the thank-offering.
^ᶻnote:Therefore like the thank-offering the cakes of the Nazirite-offering must consist of ten cakes; v. infra 78a.
^ᵃᵃnote:He baked only one cake of each of the four kinds prescribed (unleavened cakes, wafers, soaked cakes, and leavened cakes) instead of ten of each kind.
^ᵃᵇnote:From each set of ten cakes one cake was to be given to the priest as terumah.
^ᵃᶜnote:Lev. VII, 14.
^ᵃᵈnote:V. infra 77b.
^ᵃᵉnote:During the kneading of each kind a portion was taken as terumah and baked into a whole cake.

²is in agreement with the view of the following Tanna, for it was taught: All meal-offerings which were made into too many or too few cakes are valid, excepting the Shewbread and the griddle-cakes of the High Priest. Others say, Excepting also the cakes of the thank-offering and of the Nazirite-offering. R. Huna said, If for the meal-offering baked in the oven one baked only one cake, it is sufficient. Why? Because the word ‘unleavened’ is written defectively [in Scripture]. R. Papa demurred, is this so only because ‘unleavened’ is written defectively, but had ‘unleavened’ not been written defectively it would not be so? Behold with regard to the cakes of the thank-offering the word ‘unleavened’ is not written defectively, nevertheless R. Tobi b. Kisna said in the name of Samuel that if for the cakes of the thank- offering one baked only four cakes [instead of forty] it was sufficient! — That statement [of R. Tobi b. Kisna] is at variance with this. MISHNAH. THE ‘OMER CONSISTED OF ONE TENTH [OF AN EPHAH OF FLOUR] TAKEN FROM THREE SE'AHS; THE TWO LOAVES CONSISTED OF TWO TENTHS TAKEN FROM THREE SE'AHS; AND THE SHEWBREAD CONSISTED OF TWENTY-FOUR TENTHS TAKEN FROM TWENTY-FOUR SE'AHS. GEMARA. [THE ‘OMER etc.] Why so?-Since it was of the new produce and of barley, a tenth of the finest flour could only be obtained out of three se'ahs. THE TWO LOAVES CONSISTED OF TWO TENTHS TAKEN FROM THREE SE'AHS. Since it was of wheat, even though it was of the new produce, two tenths of the finest flour could be obtained out of three se'ahs. THE SHEWBREAD CONSISTED OF TWENTY-FOUR TENTHS TAKEN FROM TWENTY-FOUR SE'AHS. Why so? — Since it was of wheat and of the old produce, one tenth of the finest flour could be obtained out of one se'ah. Our Rabbis taught: In all meal-offerings if the number of tenths was increased or diminished, it is invalid; if the number of se'ahs was increased or diminished, it is valid. MISHNAH. THE ‘OMER WAS SIFTED THROUGH THIRTEEN SIEVES, THE TWO LOAVES THROUGH TWELVE, AND THE SHEWBREAD THROUGH ELEVEN. R. SIMEON SAYS, THERE WAS NO PRESCRIBED NUMBER FOR THEM, BUT THEY BROUGHT FINE FLOUR AND SIFTED IT AS MUCH AS WAS NECESSARY, AS IT IS SAID, AND THOU SHALT TAKE FINE FLOUR AND BAKE IT: [IT MAY NOT BE BAKED] UNTIL IT IS SIFTED AS MUCH AS IS NECESSARY. GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: [It was sifted] through a fine sieve and then a coarse one, and again through a fine sieve and then a coarse one. R. Simeon son of Eleazar says, There were thirteen sieves in the Temple, one on top of the other; the uppermost retained the bran and the nethermost retained the fine flour. R. SIMEON SAYS, THERE WAS NO PRESCRIBED NUMBER FOR THEM. Our Rabbis taught: Fine flour and bake it: this teaches that fine flour was to be taken. And how do we know that even grains of wheat may be brought? The text therefore states and thou shalt take’, in any manner. I might think that this is so even in regard to all other meal-offerings; therefore the text states, ‘It’. This is so here, having regard to sparing [expense]. What is meant by having regard to sparing’? — Said R. Eleazar, The Torah wished to spare Israel unnecessary expense. Where is this indicated? For it is written, And thou shalt give the congregation and their cattle drink. CHAPTER VIII MISHNAH. THE THANK-OFFERING REQUIRED FIVE SE'AHS [OF FLOUR], JERUSALEM MEASURE, WHICH ARE SIX SE'AHS WILDERNESS MEASURE; THIS BEING EQUIVALENT TO TWO EPHAHS (FOR AN EPHAH IS THREE SE'AHS) OR TO TWENTY TENTHS [OF AN EPHAH], TEN FOR THE LEAVENED CAKES AND TEN FOR THE UNLEAVENED.22^ᵃᶠ^ᵃᵍ^ᵃʰ^ᵃⁱ^ᵃʲ^ᵃᵏ^ᵃˡ^ᵃᵐ^ᵃⁿ^ᵃᵒ^ᵃᵖ^ᵃᵠ^ᵃʳ^ᵃˢ^ᵃᵗ^ᵃᵘ^ᵃᵛ^ᵃʷ^ᵃˣ^ᵃʸ^ᵃᶻ^ᵇᵃ

^ᵃᶠnote:Samuel, in whose name R. Tobi b. Kisna reported the statement, accepts the view of the first Tanna in the following Baraitha.
^ᵃᵍnote:Instead of ten cakes.
^ᵃʰnote:Lev. II, 4. The word ,mn, being written defectively, i.e., without the waw, is interpreted as though it were in the singular.
^ᵃⁱnote:Lev. VII, 12. The word ,umn is written plene and is obviously in the plural.
^ᵃʲnote:In order to obtain one tenth of an ephah of the finest flour one whole ephah (three se'ahs equal one ephah) of barley was reaped, which was ground, sifted and resifted until reduced to a tenth. V. supra 63b.
^ᵃᵏnote:For there is more offal and bran in fresh corn than in dry, and so too there is more refuse in barley than in wheat.
^ᵃˡnote:I.e., the prescribed number of tenths for the meal-offering which accompanied the animal offerings (three tenths for a bullock etc.) was increased or reduced (so Rashi MS. and Tosaf.). Another explanation is: the tenth measure was filled to overflowing, or it was not quite full.
^ᵃᵐnote:Out of which the ‘Omer, or the Two Loaves, or the Shewbread was taken.
^ᵃⁿnote:For Scripture only prescribes the quantity of flour to be offered but not the quantity of grain out of which the measure of flour was to be obtained.
^ᵃᵒnote:I.e., the flour for the ‘Omer-offering.
^ᵃᵖnote:Adopting the reading vcme ivk vhv tk, R. Simeon clearly refers to all that has been stated previously in this and in the preceding Mishnah; accordingly it was not essential to sift the flour in a prescribed number of sieves, or to take it out of a prescribed number of se'ahs, so long as fine flour was obtained (Bartinoro). In the separate editions of the Mishnah the reading is vcme vk vhv tk ; accordingly R. Simeon refers only to the number of siftings prescribed for the Shewbread (Rashi MS.).
^ᵃᵠnote:Lev. XXIV, 5.
^ᵃʳnote:But it is immaterial through how many sieves the flour had passed.
^ᵃˢnote:A coarse sieve (i.e., which has a netting of large meshes), when sifting the ground grain, lets through the flour and retains the bran, whilst a fine sieve retains the flour and lets through the fine dust only. Here the grain was sifted thirteen times, the first time in a fine sieve and the second time in a coarse one. The third time it was sifted again in the same fine sieve as before and the fourth time in the same coarse sieve as before; thus only two sieves were in use (R. Gershom and Rashi). According to Rashi MS. and Tosaf., thirteen sieves were used of various sizes, the last being the finest of all. On this interpretation the statement of R. Simeon son of R. Eleazar which follows merely elucidates the view of the first Tanna.
^ᵃᵗnote:The sieve below being of finer texture and of smaller meshes than the one above it.
^ᵃᵘnote:I.e., finely sifted flour was to be bought in the market for the purpose.
^ᵃᵛnote:And ground and sifted in the Temple.
^ᵃʷnote:That they may buy wheat and grind it and sift it in the Temple. In this way much expense would be saved.
^ᵃˣnote:V. Sifra on Lev. XIV, 36. As the Shewbread was a regular weekly offering it was permitted to buy wheat and have it prepared in the Temple so as to save expense.
^ᵃʸnote:Num. XX, 8. The miracle of providing water for the Israelites in the wilderness was performed also out of consideration for the saving of the cattle. This last passage, ‘Where is this indicated... is omitted in all MSS.
^ᵃᶻnote:The measures which were used by the Israelites in the wilderness were later on, after the settlement in the Land of Israel, enlarged, so that the measure which was originally equal to six se'ahs was later regarded as being equal to five. In other words, each se'ah was increased by one fifth, which in Rabbinic parlance is called ‘a sixth from the outside’.
^ᵇᵃnote:Forty cakes were required for the thank-offering, ten leavened and thirty unleavened. The latter consisted of three kinds, ten cakes of each kind.