Menachot

whilst this Baraitha expressly says ‘twice’! — This is no difficulty, for in the one case the field had been tilled1 [in the first year], and in the other it had not been tilled. How is it then [with regard to our original question]?2 — Come and hear, for it was taught: Half of [the field] was broken up and the other half sown, and [in the following year] half of it was broken up and the other half sown.3 R. Johanan said. The ‘Omer-offering was brought only from [the produce of] fields in the south of the Land of Israel, upon which the sun rises and upon which the sun sets. Half of the field was broken up while the other half was sown.4 It was taught: Abba Saul said, The ‘Omer-offering was usually brought from the [produce of the] valley of Beth Makleh.5 which was an area that produced three se'ahs; it lay in the south and the sun rose upon it and the sun set upon it. Half of it was broken up while the other half was sown, and [in the following year] half of it was broken up and the other half was sown. R. Hilkiah b. Tobi had a piece of land; one half he broke up and the other half he sowed, and [similarly in the following year] one half he broke up and the other half he sowed. It thus brought forth twofold, and he sold the wheat for fine flour. IF IT HAD BECOME MAGGOTY IT IS INVALID. Our Rabbis taught: If the greater part of the fine flour became maggoty it is invalid; if the greater part of the wheat became maggoty it is invalid. R. Jeremiah enquired. Does it mean the greater part of each grain [of wheat],6 or the greater part of the se'ah [of wheat]?7 — The question remains undecided. Raba raised this question. If a man consecrated [maggoty flour for a meal-offering] does he incur stripes for consecrating a blemished thing or not?8 Since it is unfit for the offering it is like a blemished animal; or [shall we say that the prohibition of] a blemished thing applies only to animals? — The question remains undecided. We have learnt elsewhere: Any wood in which was found a worm is unfit [to be burnt] upon the altar.9 Samuel said, This was taught only [if found] in damp wood, but in dry wood it can be scraped away and [the wood] is valid. Raba raised the question. If a man consecrated it10 does he incur stripes for consecrating a blemished thing or not? Since it is unfit it is like a blemished animal; or [shall we say that] the prohibition of a blemished thing applies only to animals? — This too remains undecided. MISHNAH. TEKOA11 RANKS FIRST FOR THE QUALITY OF ITS OIL. ABBA SAUL SAYS, SECOND TO IT IS REGEB12 BEYOND THE JORDAN. THE [OIL OF THE] WHOLE LAND WAS VALID, BUT THEY USED TO BRING IT ONLY FROM THESE PLACES. ONE MAY NOT BRING IT FROM A MANURED FIELD13 OR FROM AN IRRIGATED FIELD13 OR FROM OLIVE-TREES13 PLANTED IN A FIELD SOWN WITH SEEDS; BUT IF ONE DID BRING IT [FROM THESE] IT WAS VALID. ONE MAY NOT BRING ANFAKINON,14 YET IF ONE DID BRING IT IT WAS VALID.15 ONE MAY NOT BRING IT FROM OLIVE-BERRIES WHICH HAD BEEN SOAKED IN WATER OR PRESERVED OR STEWED; AND IF ONE DID BRING IT IT WAS INVALID. GEMARA. And Joab sent to Tekoa and fetched thence a wise woman.16 Why to Tekoa? — R. Johanan said, Because they were accustomed to olive oil, wisdom could be found among them. Our Rabbis taught: And let him dip his foot in oil:17 this refers to the territory of Asher which flowed with oil like a fountain. It is related that once the people of Laodicea were in need of oil; they appointed an agent18 and instructed him, ‘Go and purchase for us a hundred myriad [manehs’] worth of oil’. He came first to Jerusalem and was told, ‘Go to Tyre’. He came to Tyre and was told, ‘Go to Gush Halab’.19 When he came to Gush Halab he was told, ‘Go to So-and-so in that field’. [He went there] and found the man breaking up the earth around his olive trees. [The agent] said to him. ‘Have you a hundred myriad [manehs’] worth of oil that I require’? ‘Yes’, replied the other; ‘but wait until I finish my work’. He waited until the other had finished his work. After he had finished his work he threw his tools on his back and went on his way, removing the stones from his path as he went.20 The agent thought to himself,21 ‘Has this man really got21 a hundred myriad [manehs’] worth of oil? I see that the Jews have merely made game of me’. As soon as he reached his home town that man's maidservant brought out to him a bowl of hot water and he washed his hands and his feet. She then brought out to him a golden bowl of oil and he dipped in it his hands and his feet, thus fulfilling the verse, ‘And let him dip his feet in oil’. After they had eaten and drunk the man measured out to the agent a hundred myriad [manehs’] worth of oil, and then asked, ‘Do you perhaps need any more oil?’ ‘I do, indeed’, replied the agent; ‘but I have no more money with me’. ‘Well, if you wish to buy more, take it, and I will go back with you for the money’, said the man. He then measured out for him another eighteen myriad [manehs’] worth of oil. It is said that he22 hired every horse, mule, camel and ass that he could find in all the Land of Israel. When he reached his home town all the townspeople came out to meet him and applaud him. ‘Do not applaud me’, he said to them, ‘but this man, my companion. who measured out for me a hundred myriad [manehs’] worth of oil, and whom I still owe eighteen myriad [manehs]’. This illustrates the verse, There is that pretendeth himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that pretendeth himself poor, yet hath great wealth.’23 ONE MAY NOT BRING IT FROM A MANURED FIELD etc. But has it not been taught that one may not bring anfakinon the first year it was not necessary to plough it twice in the second year. The question, however, still remains whether according to the Tanna of our Mishnah it is necessary to plough it once in the second year before the sowing or not! Maim. Yad, Issure Mizbeah. VII, 4. thus the half that lay fallow in the previous year was now sown, and the half that was sown then was now broken up. It is evident therefore that there was no breaking up of the field before the sowing. There is, however, a difference of opinion between the commentators as to whether it was necessary in the first year. i.e., at the outset when cultivating the field, to break up the whole field or only half. there are in the mass many grains that have not been affected, the whole is invalid. Galilee. n. 7. not supply him with all the oil he required.