Menachot 105

(ויקרא ו, ז) זאת תורת המנחה הקרב אותה בני אהרן לפני ה' אל פני המזבח והנותרת ממנה יאכלו אהרן ובניו מצות תאכל אמר ליה מצוה לא קא מיבעיא לי כי קא מיבעיא לי לעכב

And this is the law of the meal-offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord in front of the altar And that which is left thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat; it shall be eaten as unleavened bread!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. VI, 7, 9.');">¹</span> - He [R'Perida] said to him, As to the proper performance of the precept I have no doubt at all, I ask only whether it is indispensable.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the meal-offering must be unleavened, and otherwise it would be invalid.');">²</span>

אמר ליה לעכב נמי כתיב (ויקרא ו, י) לא תאפה חמץ אלא מצה

But, said the other, even with regard to the question of indispensability there is written, shall not be baked leavened,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 10.');">³</span> but only unleavened.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Perida's question is therefore superfluous. rutha');">⁴</span>

מתקיף לה רב חסדא ואימא לא תאפה חמץ אלא שיאור

R'Hisda demurred, perhaps it means, 'It shall not be baked leavened', but only si'ur!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'dough in the early stage of fermentation'. There is, however, a difference of opinion as to what stage is meant. According to R. Meir it is that stage when the surface of the dough has become pale; after that it is regarded as absolutely leavened. According to R. Judah it is the advanced stage when the surface of the dough has become wrinkled; before that it is regarded as unleavened. V. Pes. 48b.');">⁵</span> - What si'ur is meant?

שיאור דמאן אי דר"מ לר' יהודה מצה מעליא היא אי דרבי יהודה לר"מ חמץ מעליא הוא

If as defined by R'Meir, it is absolutely unleavened according to R'Judah. If as defined by R'Judah, it is absolutely leavened according to R'Meir.

אי דר"מ לר"מ מדלקי עליה חמץ הוא אלא דר' יהודה לר' יהודה

If as defined by R'Meir and following R'Meir's ruling. It is absolutely leavened, since one incurs stripes for [eating] it [on the Passover]! - What is meant is that [si'ur] as defined by R'Judah and following R'Judah's ruling.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to R. Judah he who eats si'ur (as defined by him) is not liable to any punishment. Consequently it could be said that the meal-offering may be si'ur and not necessarily absolutely unleavened, hence R. Perida's question. yukj');">⁶</span>

מתקיף לה רב נחמן בר יצחק ואימא לא תאפה חמץ אלא חלוט חלוט מאי ניהו רביכה אי דאיכא רביכה כתיב בה רביכה והא לא כתיב בה רביכה

R'Nahman B'Isaac demurred, Perhaps it means, 'It shall not be baked leavened', but only halut!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'soaked or saturated with hot water'. The suggestion is that the meal-offering may be leavened provided it is not baked but only scalded in water.');">⁷</span> -What does halut mean?

ואימא דכתיב בה רביכה מצוה ברביכה ודלא כתיב בה רביכה אי בעי רביכה לייתי אי בעי מצה לייתי

Soaked [in hot water]. But surely if [the meal-offering] must be offered soaked, it is expressly stated so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As in the case of the High Priest's meal-offering which is expressly prescribed to be soaked; cf. ibid. 14.');">⁸</span>

מתקיף לה רבינא ואימא לא תאפה חמץ למיקם גברא בלאו בעלמא ואיפסולי לא מיפסלא

and this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the ordinary meal-offering. The verse therefore can only imply that a meal-offering must be unleavened.');">⁹</span> is not prescribed to be soaked! - Perhaps the meaning is: whatsoever is prescribed to be soaked must be offered soaked, but whatsoever is not prescribed to be soaked may be offered either soaked or unleavened!

אלא מנלן כדתניא מצה יכול מצוה תלמוד לומר תהיה הכתוב קבעה חובה

Rabina demurred, Perhaps the verse, 'It shall not be baked leavened', merely imposes a prohibition upon the person, but [the meal-offering] does not become invalid thereby? Whence then is it derived?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That meal-offerings must be unleavened or else they are invalid.');">¹⁰</span>

בעא מינה ר' פרידא מר' אמי מנין לכל המנחות שנילושות בפושרין ומשמרן שלא יחמיצו נלמדנה מפסח דכתיב (שמות יב, יז) ושמרתם את המצות

- From the following teaching: One might think that 'unleavened'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. II, 5.');">¹¹</span> was only a recommendation, Holy Writ therefore stated, It shall be;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. II, 5.');">¹¹</span>

אמר ליה בגופה כתיב (ויקרא ב, ה) מצה תהיה החייה

the verse thus laid it down as an obligation. R'Perida enquired of R'Ammi, Whence is it derived that all meal-offerings, seeing that they were kneaded in lukewarm water,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Infra 55a.');">¹²</span>

והא אפיקתיה לעכב אם כן ליכתוב קרא מצה היא מאי תהיה שמעת מינה תרתי

must be specially watched lest they become leavened?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They must be continually kneaded till the time of baking (Rashi) .');">¹³</span> Shall we infer it from the Passover concerning which it Is written, And ye shall watch the unleavened bread!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XII, 17; so according to Rabbinic interpretation. E.VV.: And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread.');">¹⁴</span>

אמרי ליה רבנן לרבי פרידא רבי עזרא בר בריה דרבי אבטולס דהוא עשירי לר' אלעזר בן עזריה דהוא עשירי לעזרא קאי אבבא אמר מאי כולי האי

- He replied. In that very passage<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In connection with the meal-offering itself.');">¹⁵</span>

אי בר אוריין הוא יאי אי בר אוריין ובר אבהן יאי ואי בר אבהן ולא בר אוריין אישא תיכליה אמרו ליה בר אוריין הוא אמר להו ליעול וליתי

It is written, it shall be unleavened,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. II, 5.');">¹¹</span> that is, keep it so.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., guard it against its becoming leavened; v. Pes. 48b.');">¹⁶</span>

חזייה דהוה עכירא דעתיה פתח ואמר (תהלים טז, ב) אמרת לה' אדני אתה טובתי בל עליך אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא רבונו של עולם החזק לי טובה שהודעתיך בעולם

But have you not utilized this verse to indicate indispensability? - If for that alone Scripture would have used the expression 'It is to be unleavened'; why 'It shall be'? You may thus infer two things.

אמר לה טובתי בל עליך איני מחזיק טובה אלא לאברהם יצחק ויעקב שהודיעוני תחלה בעולם שנאמר (תהלים טז, ג) לקדושים אשר בארץ המה ואדירי כל חפצי בם

The Rabbis said to R'Perida, R'Ezra, the grandson of R'Abtolos, who is the tenth generation from R'Eleazar B''Azariah, who is the tenth generation from Ezra, is standing at the door' - Said he to them, 'Why all this [pedigree]? If he is a learned man, it is well; if he is a learned man and also a scion of noble ancest it is all the better; but if he is a scion of noble ancestors and not a learned man may fire consume him'.

כיון דשמעיה דקאמר אדיר פתח ואמר יבא אדיר ויפרע לאדירים מאדירים באדירים

They told him that he was a learned man, whereupon he said, 'Let him come in'. He at once saw that his [R'Ezra's] mind was troubled, so he began his discourse and said, I said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord; my gratefulness is not with thee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps., XVI, 2.');">¹⁷</span>

יבא אדיר זה הקדוש ברוך הוא דכתיב (תהלים צג, ד) אדיר במרום ה' ויפרע לאדירים אלו ישראל שנאמר ואדירי כל חפצי בם מאדירים אלו המצרים דכתיב (שמות טו, י) צללו כעופרת במים אדירים באדירים אלו מים שנא' (תהלים צג, ד) מקולות מים רבים אדירים משברי ים

The congregation of Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Lord of the universe, Show Thy gratefulness unto me for making Thee known in the world'. He replied.'

יבא ידיד בן ידיד ויבנה ידיד לידיד בחלקו של ידיד ויתכפרו בו ידידים

My gratefulness is not with thee, but with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who first made Me known in the world, as it is said, With the holy that are in the earth; they are the mighty ones in whom is all my delight.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XVI, 3. rhst');">¹⁸</span> As soon as he [R'Ezra] heard the expression mighty',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. , which word is used in all the following verses quoted.');">¹⁹</span>

יבא ידיד זה שלמה המלך דכתיב (שמואל ב יב, כה) וישלח ביד נתן הנביא ויקרא שמו ידידיה בעבור ה'

he began his discourse, saying, Let the Mighty One come and take vengeance for the sake of the mighty from the mighty by means of the mighty.' Let the Mighty One come' - that is, the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, The Lord on high is mighty.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XCIII, 4.');">²⁰</span> 'And take vengeance for the sake of the mighty' - that is, Israel, as it is written, They are the mighty ones in whom is all my delight.' From the mighty' - that is, the Egyptians, as it is written, The mighty sank like lead in the waters.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XV, 10. shsh');">²¹</span> 'By means of the mighty' - that is, the water, as it is written, Above the voices of many waters, mighty waters, breakers of the sea.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XCIII, 4.');">²⁰</span> Let the beloved<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. , which word is used in all the verses quoted.');">²²</span> the son of the beloved come and build the beloved for the Beloved in the portion of the beloved that the beloved may receive atonement therein.' Let the beloved come' - that is King Solomon, as it is written, And He sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah [beloved of the Lord], for the Lord's sake.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. XII, 25.');">²³</span>