Menachot 171

ואם הביא פסול (והתניא ואם הביא כשר) מפני שהוא שרף

and if one did bring it it was invalid, for it is only the sap [of the olive]? - R'Joseph answered, It is no difficulty; one teaching<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the Baraitha which states that anfakinon is absolutely invalid.');">¹</span> represents the view of R'Hiyya, and the other represents the view of R'Simeon son of Rabbi.

אמר רב יוסף לא קשיא הא ר' חייא הא ר' שמעון בר רבי דר' חייא זריק ליה ור' שמעון בר רבי מטבל [ביה] (ליה) וסימניך עשירים מקמצין:

For R'Hiyya used to throw it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. anfakinon, the sap of the olives.');">²</span> away, while R'Simeon son of Rabbi used to dip his food in it.

(אסתר ב, יב) ששה חדשים בשמן המור מאי שמן המור רב הונא בר חייא אמר סטכתא ר' ירמיה בר אבא אמר שמן זית שלא הביא שליש:

And in order to remember this think of the saying.' The rich are parsimonious'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus informing us that it was R. Simeon, the son of the Nasi and a wealthy man, who would use it with his food. Cf. Hul. 46a.');">³</span>

תניא (נמי הכי) רבי יהודה אומר אנפקנון שמן זית שלא הביא שליש למה סכין אותו שמשיר את השיער ומעדן את הבשר:

'Six months with oil of myrrh.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Esth. II, 12. t,fyx');">⁴</span> What is oil of myrrh? - R'Huna B'Hiyya said, It is stacte.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' , oil of myrrh.');">⁵</span>

אין מביאין מן הגרגרין שנשרו במים תנו רבנן שמן זית כבוש שלוק שרוי ושל שמרים ושל ריח רע לא יביא ואם הביא פסול

R'Jeremiah B'Abba said, It is oil from olives not a third grown. It was taught: R'Judah says.

בעי רבה הקדישו מהו שילקה עליו משום בעל מום כיון דפסול כבעל מום דמי או דלמא אין בעל מום אלא בבהמה תיקו:

Anfakinon is the oil of olives not a third grown. And why is it used for smearing?

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> שלשה זיתים הן ובהן שלשה שלשה שמנים

Because it removes the hair and softens the skin. ONE MAY NOT BRING IT FROM OLIVE-BERRIES WHICH HAD BEEN SOAKED IN WATER'Our Rabbis taught: Oil from olives which had been preserved or stewed or soaked in water, or oil from the olive dregs, or from foul smelling olives may not be brought, and if it was brought it is invalid.

הזית הראשון מגרגרו בראש הזית וכותש ונותן לתוך הסל ר' יהודה אומר סביבות הסל זה ראשון

Rabba raised the question, If a man consecrated it 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 question remains undecided.

[חזר] וטוען בקורה ר' יהודה אומר באבנים זה שני

<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>THERE ARE THREE [PERIODS OF GATHERING IN THE] OLIVES AND EACH CROP GIVES THREE KINDS OF OIL.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Another interpretation is: There are three ways of making ready the olives and from each of them come three kinds of oil. urdrdn rdrd');">⁶</span> THE FIRST CROP OF OLIVES IS WHEN THE OLIVES ARE PICKED<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. from root = to pick single berries as soon as they ripen. According to the other interpretation the translation of this sentence would read: The first way of making ready the olives is this: the olives are allowed to become fully ripe. then they are pounded etc.');">⁷</span>

חזר וטחן וטען זה שלישי

FROM THE TOP OF THE TREE; THEY ARE POUNDED<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In a mortar.');">⁸</span> AND PUT INTO THE BASKET<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the oil oozes out and filters through the basket into the vessel below.');">⁹</span>

הראשון למנורה והשאר למנחות

;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The pounded olives are placed around the sides of the basket so that the oil when it oozes out does not mix with any solid matter but runs down the sides and filters through the bottom of the basket.');">¹⁰</span> THIS GIVES THE FIRST OIL.

השני מגרגרו בראש הגג וכותש ונותן לתוך הסל רבי יהודה אומר סביבות הסל זה ראשון

THEY<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the pounded olives.');">¹¹</span> ARE THEN PRESSED WITH THE BEAM (R'JUDAH SAYS, WITH STONES) ;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But not with the beam, for the heavy pressure of the beam would squeeze out the dregs with the oil.');">¹²</span>

טוען בקורה ורבי יהודה אומר באבנים זה שני

THIS GIVES THE SECOND OIL. THEY<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the olives after being pressed.');">¹³</span>

חזר וטחן וטען זה שלישי

ARE THEN GROUND AND PRESSED AGAIN; THIS GIVES THE THIRD OIL. THE FIRST [OIL] IS FIT FOR THE CANDLESTICK AND THE OTHERS FOR MEAL-OFFERINGS.

הראשון למנורה והשאר למנחות

THE SECOND CROP IS WHEN THE OLIVES AT ROOF-LEVEL<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the middle branches of the tree, whose fruits do not ripen as early as the fruit on the top branches. As olive-trees often grew near the houses it was even possible to pluck the olives from the middle branches while standing on the roof. According to the other interpretation mentioned supra p. 519, n. 6, the translation here would be: The second way of making ready the olives is this: The olives are allowed to become fully ripe on the rood-tops, then they are ground etc.');">¹⁴</span> ARE PICKED FROM THE TREE; THEY ARE POUNDED AND PUT INTO THE BASKET (R'JUDAH SAYS, AROUND THE BASKET) ; THIS GIVES THE FIRST OIL.

שלישי עוטנו בבית הבד עד שילקה ומעלהו ומנגבו בראש הגג כותש ונותן לתוך הסל רבי יהודה אומר סביבות הסל זה ראשון

THEY ARE THEN PRESSED WITH THE BEAM (R'JUDAH SAYS, WITH STONES) ; THIS GIVES THE SECOND OIL. THEY ARE THEN GROUND AND PRESSED AGAIN; THIS GIVES THE THIRD OIL.

טוען בקורה רבי יהודה אומר באבנים זה שני

THE FIRST [OIL] IS FIT FOR THE CANDLESTICK AND THE OTHERS FOR MEAL-OFFERINGS. THE THIRD CROP IS WHEN THE LAST OLIVES<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., those on the lowest branches which for lack of sun will never ripen on the tree. According to the other interpretation mentioned the rendering here would be: The third way of making ready the olives is this: the olives are packed etc.');">¹⁵</span>

חזר וטחן וטען זה שלישי

OF THE TREE ARE PACKED IN THE VAT UNTIL THEY BECOME OVERRIPE;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'become rotten'. urdrdn ukdkdn');">¹⁶</span> THEY ARE THEN TAKEN UP AND DRIED ON THE ROOF, AND THEN POUNDED AND PUT INTO THE BASKET (R'JUDAH SAYS, AROUND THE BASKET) ; THIS GIVES THE FIRST OIL.

הראשון למנורה והשאר למנחות:

THEY ARE NEXT PRESSED WITH THE BEAM (R'JUDAH SAYS, WITH STONES) THIS GIVES THE SECOND OIL. THEY ARE THEN GROUND AND PRESSED AGAIN; THIS GIVES THE THIRD OIL.

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> איבעיא להו מגרגרו תנן או מגלגלו תנן

THE FIRST [OIL] IS FIT FOR THE CANDLESTICK AND THE OTHERS FOR MEAL-OFFERINGS. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>It was asked: Does the Mishnah read megargero or megalgelo?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' or The question may be simply orthographical, and the two words really bear the same meaning. viz., to pick single fruits as urdrdn ukdkdn soon as they ripen. Aliter: , to pick single berries; , to allow the olives to remain on the tree until they are fully ripe (cf. ,kdkudn vmhc , a well-roasted egg) and then pick them.');">¹⁷</span>

תא שמע דתניא שמן זית מזיתו מכאן אמרו זית ראשון מגלגלו בראש הזית וכונסו לבית הבד וטוחנו בריחים ונותנו בסלין שמן היוצא ממנו זה היה ראשון

- Come and hear, for it was taught: Olive oil,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXVII, 20.');">¹⁸</span> that is, from the olive tree.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the olives must be fully ripe on the tree before being plucked. ukdkdn');">¹⁹</span>

טען בקורה שמן היוצא ממנו זה היה שני וחזר ופרק טחן וטען זה היה שלישי הראשון למנורה והשאר למנחות וכן זית שני

Hence they said, The first crop is when the fully ripe olives are picked<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. V. notes on the MISHNAH:');">²⁰</span> from the top of the tree; they are brought into the olive-press, are ground in a mill and put into baskets.

וזית שלישי עוטנו בבית הבד עד שילקה ומעלה לראש הגג ועושה אותו כמין תמרה עד שיזובו מימיו וכונסו לבית הבד וטוחנו בריחים ונותנו בסלין ושמן היוצא ממנו זה היה ראשון

The oil which oozes out is the first kind [of oil]. They are then pressed with the beam, and the oil which oozes out is the second kind.

טען בקורה שמן היוצא ממנו זה היה שני פרק חזר וטחן וטען זה היה שלישי הראשון למנורה והשאר למנחות

Then they are taken out [of the olive-press] and ground and pressed again; this gives the third kind. The first kind is fit for the candlestick and the others for meal-offerings.

רבי יהודה אומר לא היה טוחנו בריחים אלא כותשו במכתשת ולא היה טוען בקורה אלא באבנים ולא היה נותנו בסלין אלא לתוך סביבות הסל

T same [procedure applies] to the second crop of olives. The third crop of olives is when the last olives of the tree are packed in the vat until they become overripe; they are then taken up on to the roof and dried in the same manner as dates, until the juice has run off.

הא גופא קשיא כותש מני רבי יהודה היא תוך הסל אתאן לרבנן

They are then brought into the olive-press, are ground in a mill and put into baskets; and the oil which oozes out is the first kind [of oil]. They are then pressed with th beam; and the oil which oozes out is the second kind.

האי תנא סבר לה כותיה בחדא ופליג עליה בחדא:

Then they are taken out [of the olive-press] and ground and pressed again; this gives the third kind. The first kind is fit for the candlestick and the others fo meal-offerings.

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> הראשון שבראשון אין למעלה הימנו השני שבראשון והראשון שבשני שוין השלישי שבראשון והשני שבשני והראשון שבשלישי שוין השלישי שבשני והשני שבשלישי שוין השלישי שבשלישי אין למטה הימנו

R'Judah says. The olives were not ground in a mill but pounded in a mortar; they were not pressed with the beam but with stones; and they were not put into the baskets but around the sides of the baskets.

אף כל המנחות היו בדין שיטענו שמן זית זך מה מנורה שאינה לאכילה טעונה שמן זית זך מנחות שהן לאכילה אינו דין שיטענו שמן זית זך תלמוד לאמר (שמות כז, כ) זך כתית למאור ואין זך כתית למנחות

Is not [the text itself of our Mishnah] self-contradictory? The statement THEY ARE POUNDED is in agreement with R'Judah whilst the statement PUT INTO THE BASKET is in agreement with the Rabbis! - This Tanna [of our Mishnah] agrees with R'Judah in one thing and disagrees with him in the other. <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>As TO THE FIRST OIL OF THE FIRST CROP, THERE IS NONE BETTER THAN IT. THE SECOND OIL OF THE FIRST CROP AND THE FIRST OIL OF THE SECOND CROP ARE EQUAL. THE THIRD OIL OF THE FIRST CROP. THE SECOND OIL OF THE SECOND CROP. AND THE FIRST OIL OF THE THIRD CROP ARE EQUAL. THE THIRD OIL OF THE SECOND CROP AND THE SECOND OIL OF THE THIRD CROP ARE EQUAL. AS TO THE THIRD OIL OF THE THIRD CROP. THERE IS NONE WORSE THAN IT. BY RIGHT IT COULD BE INFERRED BY THE FOLLOWING ARGUMENT THAT MEAL-OFFERINGS SHOULD REQUIRE THE PUREST OLIVE OIL: IF THE CANDLESTICK, WHICH DOES NOT NEED [THE OIL] FOR EATING, REQUIRES PURE OLIVE OIL, HOW MUCH MORE DO MEAL-OFFERINGS, WHICH [NEED THE OIL] FOR EATING,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., for burning upon the altar, which is described as 'eating'. cf. Lev. VI, 3.');">²¹</span> REQUIRE PURE OLIVE OIL! BUT THE TEXT STATES, PURE OLIVE OIL BEATEN FOR THE LIGHT,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXVII, 20.');">²²</span> BUT NOT 'PURE OLIVE OIL BEATEN FOR MEAL-OFFERINGS.