Menachot 13

וכי מהדר ליה לקומץ לדוכתיה תקדוש ולפסול

But<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The words 'if so even though he had not hallowed it', inserted here in cur. edd., are obviously superfluous and are omitted by MS.M., and Sh. Mek.');">¹</span> surely when he puts the handful back again into its place it thus becomes holy, consequently it should be invalid!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For when the non-priest puts back the handful he thereby completes the service, for it surely does not matter into which particular vessel of ministry he returns the handful, whether into another vessel or into the same vessel from which it was taken.');">²</span>

אמר ר' יוחנן זאת אומרת כלי שרת אין מקדשין אלא מדעת

- R'Johanan said, This proves that vessels of ministry hallow only [what has been put into them] intentionally.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In order to become hallowed. In this case, however, the unfit person puts the handful back again into the vessel out of which it was taken without intending it to become holy thereby.');">³</span> It follows, however, that they do hallow [what has been put into them] intentionally.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even though it had been put in by a non-priest or by any other person that was unfit.');">⁴</span>

הא מדעת מקדשין והא בעא מיניה ריש לקיש מר' יוחנן כלי שרת מהו שיקדשו פסולין לכתחילה ליקרב ואמר ליה אין מקדשין אמר ליה אין מקדשין ליקרב אבל מקדשין ליפסל

But did not Resh Lakish enquire of R'Johanan, 'Can unfit persons hallow what they [intentionally] put into vessels of ministry so that it should be permitted to offer it [upon the altar] in the first instance? ' and he replied.' They cannot hallow it'? - [He meant,] They cannot hallow it so that it should be permitted to be offered up, but they can hallow it so that [through their act] it is rendered invalid.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since it was intentionally put into a vessel of ministry by an unfit person for the purpose of hallowing it, the service has been completed by an unfit person, and so it is invalid and there can be no remedy. But is it quite different in-the case where the handful was put back into the vessel but not for the purpose of hallowing it thereby.');">⁵</span>

רב עמרם אמר כגון שהחזירו לביסא גדושה

R'Amram said,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is the reason why the handful is not hallowed when put back into the vessel from which it was taken.');">⁶</span> We must suppose here that he put it back into a heaped up bowl.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For only that which is in the vessel of ministry is hallowed by the vessel and not that which is above it.');">⁷</span>

ומקמץ היכי קמץ אלא כגון שהחזירו לביסא טפופה

Then how could he have taken out the handful originally [from this vessel]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since he must take the handful from that which is in the vessel.');">⁸</span> - Rather [say] he put it back into a brimful bowl.

וכיון דקמץ ליה עבד ליה גומא כי מהדר לגוויה דמנא קא מהדר ליה מכי מהדר ליה מנח ליה אדפנא דמנא ומניד ליה ונפל ממילא דנעשה כמי שהחזירו הקוף

But surely when he took out the handful he left a hollow, so that when he puts it back again he puts it into the vessel, does he not? - He put it back on to the sides of the vessel and he then shook it so that it fell bac of its own into the vessel; and it is the same as though it were put back by a monkey.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it was put back into the vessel not directly by the act of man; it is therefore not hallowed. Cf. infra 100b.');">⁹</span> R'Jeremiah said to R'Zera, Why not suggest that he put it back into a vessel which was upon the ground?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And that is the reason why it does not become hallowed.');">¹⁰</span>

א"ל רבי ירמיה לר' זירא ולוקמה כגון שהחזירו לכלי המונח על גבי קרקע אלא ש"מ קומצין מכלי שעל גבי קרקע (א"ל) קא נגעת בבעיא דאיבעיא לן דרבי אבימי תני מנחות בי רב חסדא

We can then infer from this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since this suggestion is not made.');">¹¹</span> that one may take out the handful from a vessel which is upon the ground!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And that likewise one may put the handful into a vessel of ministry that is upon the ground. (Z. Kod.) .');">¹²</span>

ואבימי בי רב חסדא תני והאמר רב חסדא קולפי טאבי בלעי מאבימי עלה דהא שמעת' בא להכריז רצופין ל' יום שני וחמישי (ושני) ס' יומי

- He replied, You are now touching upon a question that was raised by our [colleagues]. For Abimi was studying the Tractate Menahoth under R'Hisda.

אבימי מסכתא איתעקרא איתעקר ליה ואתא קמיה דרב חסדא לאדכורי גמריה ולישלח ליה וליתי לגביה סבר הכי מסתייעא מילתא טפי

¹³ Abimi had forgotten this Tractate and so he went to R'Hisda that he might be reminded of it.

פגע ביה רב נחמן אמר ליה כיצד קומצין א"ל מכלי זה אמר ליה וכי קומצין מכלי שעל גבי קרקע א"ל דמגבה ליה כהן

Why did he not send for him, that he [R'Hisda] should come to him?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since R. Hisda was the pupil.');">¹⁴</span> - He thought that in this way<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By Abimi putting himself out so as to go to R. Hisda to study. Cf. Meg. 6b.');">¹⁵</span>

כיצד מקדשין את המנחות אמר ליה נותנה לכלי זה וכי מקדשין בכלי שעל גבי קרקע א"ל דמגבה ליה כהן

he would make better progress."&gt; R'Nahman once met him [Abimi] and asked him, 'How does one take out the handful? ' He replied.'

אמר ליה א"כ הוצרכתה ג' כהנים אמר ליה ותהא צריכה י"ג כתמיד

Out of this vessel'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At that moment there happened to be a vessel lying before them on the ground.');">¹⁶</span> Said the other, 'And may one take the handful out of a vessel that is upon the ground? ' He replied, 'A priest has to lift it up'.'

איתביה זה הכלל כל הקומץ ונותן בכלי המוליך והמקטיר לאכול דבר שדרכו לאכול וכו'

And how does one hallow the handful taken from the meal-offering? ' [asked R'Nahman]. He replied, 'One should put it into this vessel'.'

ואילו מגביה לא קתני תנא סדר עבודות נקיט ולא סדר כהנים

But may one hallow it by putting it into a vessel that is upon the ground? ' He replied.' A priest has to lift it up'.

בעו מיניה מדרב ששת מהו לקמוץ מכלי שעל גבי קרקע אמר ליה פוק חזי מה עבדין לגאו ארבעה כהנים נכנסין שנים בידם ב' סדרים ושנים בידם שני בזיכין וארבעה מקדמין לפניהם שנים ליטול שני סדרים וב' ליטול ב' בזיכין

Said R'Nahman, 'Then you require three priests'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One to hold the vessel containing the meal-offering, a second to hold the vessel into which the handful is to be put, and a third to take the handful out of the one and put it into the other. This number of priests was necessary as, it must be remembered, only the right hand was to be used in any service, and therefore one priest could not hold the two vessels, one in each hand. It was, however, possible for the one priest to hold both vessels, one after the other, so that only two priests would be necessary. V. Sh. Mek.');">¹⁷</span> He replied, '[I don't mind] if thirteen are required as with the Daily Sacrifice'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Yoma 25a.');">¹⁸</span> He raised the following objection: [We have learnt:] This is the general rule: if one took out the handful or put it into the vessel or brought it nigh or burnt it, [intending] to eat a thing that it is usual to eat [outside its proper place] etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Infra 12a.');">¹⁹</span> Now there is no mention here of lifting up [the vessel]! - The Tanna merely teaches the order of the various services.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which can all be performed by the same priest; the Tanna, however, did not intend to give the number of priests employed in each service. The words 'but not the order of the priests', found in cur. edd., are obviously a gloss, and are omitted in MS.M. and also in Sh. Mek.');">²⁰</span> The question was put to R'Shesheth: May one take the handful from a vessel that is upon the ground? He answered, Go and see what is done within [the Temple]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Infra 99b.');">²¹</span> Four priests entered in, two having in their hands the two rows [of Shewbread] and two the two dishes [of frankincense]; and four priests went in before them, two to take away the two rows and two to take away the two dishes.