Menachot 168

Chapter 168

א מתמרים שבהרים ולא מפירות שבעמקים אמר עולא אם הביא לא קידש
1 from the dates in the hill-country nor from the produce in the valleys.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For they are of inferior quality.');"><sup>1</sup></span> Said 'Ulla, If one brought these they are not consecrated [as first-fruits]. Rabbah was once sitting and reciting this statement [of 'Ulla] when R'Aha B'Abba raised the following objection against Rabbah: It is written, An offering of first-fruits.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. II, 12. According to Rabbinic interpretation this refers to the Two Loaves and to the first-fruits; v. supra 58a.');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ב יתיב רבה וקא אמר לה להא שמעתא איתיביה רבי אחא בר אבא לרבה (ויקרא ב, יב) קרבן ראשית שתהא ראשית לכל המנחות וכן הוא אומר (במדבר כח, כו) בהקריבכם מנחה חדשה לה' בשבועותיכם
2 this signifies that it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the offering of the Two Loaves; and so throughout this passage.');"><sup>3</sup></span> is to be the first of a meal-offerings; and so, too, it says, Also in the day of the first-fruits, when ye bring a new meal-offering unt the Lord in your feast of weeks.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVIII, 26.');"><sup>4</sup></span> I thus know that it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the offering of the Two Loaves; and so throughout this passage.');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ג אין לי אלא חדשה של חטים חדשה של שעורים מנין תלמוד לומר חדשה חדשה אם אינו ענין לחדשה של חיטין תנהו ענין לחדשה של שעורים
3 is to be the first<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the newest.'');"><sup>6</sup></span> before [all the meal-offerings of] wheat; whence do I know that it is to be the first before [all meal-offerings of] barley?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that no private offering of the new produce of barley (e.g.. the meal-offering of jealousy. cf. Num. V, 15) shall be offered before the Two Loaves, V. Rashi MS.');"><sup>7</sup></span> Because the text repeats the word 'new';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Lev. XXIII, 16 and Num. XXVIII, 26.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ד ומנין שתהא קודמת לביכורים תלמוד לומר (שמות לד, כב) וחג שבעות תעשה לך בכורי קציר חטים ואין לי אלא בכורי קציר חטים קציר שעורים מנין תלמוד לאמר (שמות כג, טז) וחג הקציר בכורי מעשיך אשר תזרע בשדה
4 and as this word is not required [twice] for [the teaching that it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the offering of the Two Loaves; and so throughout this passage.');"><sup>5</sup></span> is to be] the firs before [all meal-offerings] of wheat, you may use it for [the teaching that it is to be] the first before [all meal-offerings] of barley. And whence do I know that it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the offering of the Two Loaves; and so throughout this passage.');"><sup>5</sup></span>
ה ואין לי אלא שתזרע עלו מאליהן מנין תלמוד לומר בשדה
5 shall be offered before the first-fruits?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., before the first-fruits of wheat.');"><sup>9</sup></span> Because the text states, And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first-fruits of wheat harvest.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIV, 22. Thus the offering of the Feast of Weeks, I.e., the Two Loaves, shall even be before the first-fruits of the wheat harvest.');"><sup>10</sup></span> I thus know that it shall be offered before the first-fruits of the wheat harvest; but whence do I know that it shall be offered before the first-fruits of the barley harvest?
ו ואין לי אלא בשדה מנין לרבות שבגג ושבחורבה ושבעציץ ושבספינה תלמוד לאמר (במדבר יח, יג) בכורי כל אשר בארצם
6 Because the text states, And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labours which thou sowest in the field.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXIII, 16. 'Thy labours which thou sowest' includes the barley harvest.');"><sup>11</sup></span> I thus know that it shall be before [the harvest] which thou sowest; whence do I know that it shall be before that which grew of itself? Because the text states, In the field.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXIII, 16. 'Thy labours which thou sowest' includes the barley harvest.');"><sup>11</sup></span>
ז מנין שתהא קודמת לנסכים ופירות האילן נאמר כאן בכורי מעשיך ונאמר להלן (שמות כג, טז) באספך את מעשיך מן השדה מה להלן נסכים ופירות אילן אף כאן נסכים ופירות אילן
7 I thus know that it shall be before that which grew in the field; but whence do I know that it shall also be before that which grew on the roof, or among ruins, or in a plant-pot, or in a ship?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the first-fruits gathered from the roof etc. shall not be offered before the Two Loaves.');"><sup>12</sup></span> Because the text states, The first-fruits of all that is in their land.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVIII, 13.');"><sup>13</sup></span> And whence do I know that it shall be before the drink-offerings [of the new fruits] and the new fruits of the tree?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that drink-offerings from the new crops of olives and grapes, and the fruits of the first-fruits (excluding the corn) shall not be offered before the Two Loaves.');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ח קתני מיהא שבגג שבחורבה שבעציץ ושבספינה סיפא אתאן למנחות
8 Because it says here, The first-fruits of th labours,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXIII, 16.');"><sup>15</sup></span> and it says there, When thou gatherest in thy labours out of the field;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXIII, 16. This refers to the feast of ingathering, Sukkoth, at the end of the agricultural year when everything is gathered in from the field.');"><sup>16</sup></span> as there it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The expression 'thy labours'.');"><sup>17</sup></span>
ט מתקיף לה רב אדא בר אהבה אי הכי היינו דכתיב (במדבר יח, יא) כל טהור בביתך יאכל אותו ואי מנחות לזכרי כהונה הוא דמיתאכלן
9 includes the [fruits for the] drink-offerings and the fruits of the tree, so here it includes the drink-offerings and the fru of the tree. Now it stated above 'that which grew on the roof, or among ruins, or in a plant-pot, or in a ship'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was said that the produce grown on a roof etc. may be offered as first-fruits (save it may not be offered before the offering of the Two Loaves; v. supra p. 510, n.9) ; how much more is it permitted to offer as first-fruits that which grew on the hill-country or in the valleys! Thus 'Ulla's view is refuted.');"><sup>18</sup></span> - This last clause refers to meal-offerings.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that meal-offerings brought from produce grown on a roof etc. (although invalid as first-fruits, in accordance with 'Ulla's view) may not be offered before the offering of the Two Loaves.');"><sup>19</sup></span>
י אמר רב משרשיא תרי קראי כתיבי (במדבר יח, יג) לך יהיה וכתיב כל טהור בביתך יאכל אותו הא כיצד כאן בביכורים כאן במנחות
10 To this R'Adda B'Ahabah demurred, saying, But then it says in that same verse, Every one that is clean in thy house may eat thereof;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XVIII, 13.');"><sup>20</sup></span> [so that it cannot refer to meal-offerings since] meal-offerings may be eaten only by the males of the priesthood! - R'Mesharsheya replied. There are two [ordinances in this] verse: Shall be thine,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. This regulation implies only the males.');"><sup>21</sup></span>
יא רב אשי אמר כוליה במנחות וסיפא דקרא אתאן ללחמי תודה
11 and 'Every one that is clean in thy house may eat thereof'. How are they to be explained? The latter refers to the first-fruits and the former to meal-offerings.
יב בפלוגתא ר' יוחנן אמר אם הביא לא קדש ריש לקיש אמר אם הביא קדש נעשה ככחוש בקדשים
12 R'Ashi said, The entire verse speaks of meal-offerings, but the latter part refers to the [priestly portion of the] cakes of the thank-offering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which may be eaten by every one of the priestly stock, males and females alike. V. Zeb. V, 7.');"><sup>22</sup></span> There is also the following dispute [on the matter]. R'Johanan said, If one brought [these fruits],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the dates of the hill-country and the produce of the valley as first-fruits.');"><sup>23</sup></span>
יג בשלמא ריש לקיש כדאמר טעמא אלא רבי יוחנן מאי טעמא אמר רבי אלעזר רבי יוחנן חזאי בחלום מילתא מעלייתא אמינא אמר קרא (דברים כו, ב) מראשית ולא כל ראשית (דברים כו, ב) מארצך ולא כל ארצך
13 they are not consecrated [as first-fruits]. But Resh Lakish said, If he brought them they are consecrated [as first-fruit for they are considered in the same light as a lean beast that was offered for an offering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which undoubtedly is consecrated.');"><sup>24</sup></span> Now Resh Lakish's view is clear, as he states his reason for it; but what is the reason for R'Johanan's view? - R'Eleazar replied.'
יד וריש לקיש האי ארצך מאי עביד ליה מיבעי ליה לכדתניא רבן גמליאל בר רבי אומר נאמר כאן ארץ ונאמר להלן ארץ מה להלן שבח ארץ אף כאן שבח ארץ
14 I saw R'Johanan in a dream, so [I am sure that] I will say an excellent thing. The verse says Of the first,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVI, 2.');"><sup>25</sup></span> but not all the first[-fruits];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus excluding all other kinds of fruit apart from the seven species enumerated in Deut. VIII. 8. V. supra p. 509, n. 6.');"><sup>26</sup></span>
טו ואידך ארץ מארץ
15 it also says, From thy land,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVI, 2.');"><sup>25</sup></span> but not from every part of thy land'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus excluding the dates in the hill-country and the produce in the valleys.');"><sup>27</sup></span> And to what purpose does Resh Lakish apply this expression 'from thy land'? - He requires it for the exposition given in the following Baraitha: R'Gamaliel son of Rabbi says, The word 'land'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVI, 2.');"><sup>25</sup></span>
טז ואידך ארץ מארץ לא משמע ליה
16 is stated here and the word 'land' is stated there;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. ibid.');"><sup>28</sup></span> as there it refers to the species for which the land was famed, so here it refers to the species for which the land was famed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But among the seven species all fruits are valid as first-fruits, even those growing in the hill-country and in the valleys.');"><sup>29</sup></span> And the other?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What answer can R. Johanan give to this argument?');"><sup>30</sup></span>
יז תני חדא שבגג ושבחורבה שבעציץ ושבספינה מביא וקורא ותניא אידך מביא ואינו קורא
17 - [For that exposition the expression] 'land' [is sufficient], but [there is also written] 'from thy land'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This suggests another exposition, taking 'from' in a partitive sense, thus excluding inferior quality fruits.');"><sup>31</sup></span> And the other?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Resh Lakish.');"><sup>32</sup></span> - He does not accept [as separate expositions] 'land' and 'from thy land'.
יח בשלמא ריש לקיש גג אגג לא קשיא הא בגג דמערה הא בגג דבית
18 One [Baraitha] taught: A man may bring the produce grown on a roof, or among ruins, or in a plant-pot, or in a ship [as firstfruits], and also make the recital.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the presentation of the first-fruits at the Sanctuary. V. Deut. XXVI, 5-11.');"><sup>33</sup></span> But another [Baraitha] taught: He may bring it but does not make the recital. Now according to Resh Lakish there is no contradiction between [the rulings concerning the produce grown on] a roof, for one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Baraitha.');"><sup>34</sup></span>
יט חורבה אחורבה לא קשיא כאן בחורבה עבודה כאן בחורבה שאינה עבודה
19 [Baraitha] speaks of the roof of a cave<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is regarded as land in the ordinary sense, and the produce thereof may be brought as first-fruits.');"><sup>35</sup></span> and the other<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The second Baraitha.');"><sup>36</sup></span> of the roof of a house.
כ עציץ אעציץ לא קשיא כאן בנקובה כאן בשאינו נקובה
20 Likewise there is no contradiction between [the rulings concerning what is grown among] ruins, for one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Baraitha.');"><sup>34</sup></span> [Baraitha] speaks of ruins that have been tilled,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is regarded as land in the ordinary sense, and the produce thereof may be brought as first-fruits.');"><sup>35</sup></span> and the other of ruins that have not been tilled.
כא ספינה אספינה לא קשיא כאן בספינה של עץ כאן בספינה של חרס
21 Likewise there is no contradiction between [the rulings concerning what is grown in] a plant-pot, for one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Baraitha.');"><sup>34</sup></span> [Baraitha] speaks of a perforated [pot] and the other of an unperforated [pot]. Likewise there is no contradiction between [the rulings concerning what is grown in] a ship, for one [Baraitha]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The second Baraitha.');"><sup>36</sup></span> speaks of a ship made of wood and the other<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Baraitha. itf');"><sup>37</sup></span> of a ship made of clay.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What is grown in this ship is regarded as grown on land. V, however, Tosaf. s.v.) .');"><sup>38</sup></span>
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