Menachot 192

Chapter 192

א והאיכא מסגרתו

1 But there was also the border of the table!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is assumed that the border was a rim or a ledge which rose above the table; accordingly the bread would have to be placed above this ledge, and as the border was one handbreadth wide each row of bread would then reach to a height of sixteen handbreadths above the table.');">1 - It is in accordance with the view of him who says that the border was underneath [the table].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The border was a frame which joined together the four legs of the table. The top of the table, however, was a flat board and not attached to the frame, so that either side of the board could have been used as the table top.');">2

ב כמאן דאמר מסגרתו למטה היתה ולמאן דאמר מסגרתו למעלה היתה פרקודי הוה מפרקדא ולחם בגויה דשלחן הוה יתיב

2 But [what can be said] according to him who says that the border was above [the table]? - It slanted outwards so that the bread actually rested on the table. As was taught: R'Jose says, There were no props there at all but the border of the table supported the bread.

ג כדתניא ר' יוסי אומר לא היה שם סניפין אלא מסגרתו של שלחן מעמדת את הלחם אמרו לו מסגרתו למטה היתה

3 But they said to him, The border was beneath [the table]. R'Johanan said, According to him who says that the border was beneath the table, it follows that a board which can be used on either side3

ד אמר ר' יוחנן לדברי האומר מסגרתו למטה היתה טבלא המתהפכת טמאה

4 is susceptible to uncleanness;4 but according to him who says that the border was above the table,5

ה לדברי האומר מסגרתו למעלה היתה טבלא המתהפכת תיבעי לך

5 there is still a doubt as to whether a board which can be used on either side [is susceptible to uncleanness or not]. It is evident [from the above] that the table was susceptible to uncleanness, but surely it is a wooden vessel made to rest, and a wooden vessel made to rest is not susceptible to uncleanness! For what reason?

ו מכלל דשלחן בר קבולי טומאה הוא כלי עץ העשוי לנחת הוא וכל כלי עץ העשוי לנחת אין מקבל טומאה

6 We require it to be like a sack:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A wooden vessel in order to be susceptible to uncleanness must in the manner of its use be like a sack, for the two are mentioned together in one verse in respect of uncleanness (Lev. XI, 32) .');">6 just as a sack is movable both full and empty so everything that is movable both full and empty is susceptible to uncleanness!7

ז מאי טעמא דומיא דשק בעינן מה שק מטלטל מלא וריקן אף כל מטלטל מלא וריקן

7 - The table, too, was movable both full and empty, in accordance with Resh Lakish's statement. For Resh Lakish said, What is the meaning of the verse, upon the clean table?8

ח שלחן נמי מטלטל מלא וריקן כדריש לקיש דאמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (ויקרא כד, ו) על השלחן הטהור טהור מכלל דאיכא טמא

8 The inference is that it is susceptible to uncleanness. But why?

ט אלא מלמד שמגביהין אותו לעולי רגלים ומראין בו לחם ואומרים להם ראו חיבתכם לפני המקום

9 It is a wooden vessel made to rest and cannot therefore contract uncleanness!9 It teaches that they used to lift it up and exhibit the Shewbread thereon to those who came up for the Festivals, saying to them, Behold the love in which you are held by God! This is in accordance with R'Joshua B'Levi; for R'Joshua B'Levi said, A great miracle was wrought in regard to the Shewbread: it was taken away as [fresh as] when it was set down, as it is written, To put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.10

י כדברי רבי יהושע בן לוי דאמר רבי יהושע בן לוי נס גדול נעשה בלחם הפנים סילוקו כסידורו שנאמר (שמואל א כא, ז) לשום לחם חם ביום הלקחו

10 But surely you can arrive at this11 from the fact that it was overlaid [with gold]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This establishes it as a metal vessel, and metal vessels are susceptible to uncleanness even though made to rest, for they are not likened to a sack. (v. p. 590, n. 4) .');">12

יא ותיפוק לי משום ציפוי מי לא תנן השלחן והדולבקי שנפחתו או שחיפן בשייש ושייר בהן מקום הנחת כוסות טמאין רבי יהודה אומר מקום הנחת חתיכות

11 For we have learnt:13 If a table or a side-table14

יב שייר אין לא שייר לא

12 was damaged,15 or was overlaid with marble,16

יג וכי תימא כאן בציפוי עומד כאן בציפוי שאינו עומד והא בעא מיניה ריש לקיש מרבי יוחנן בציפוי עומד או בציפוי שאינו עומד בשחיפה את

13 yet room enough was left to set cups thereon,17 it is still susceptible to uncleanness. R'Judah says, There must be room enough left to set portions [of food thereon]. Now if there was room enough left it is [susceptible] but if there was not room enough left it is not [susceptible].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus if the entire table was damaged, or if it was entirely overlaid with marble, it is not susceptible to uncleanness; hence it is evident that we consider a vessel in regard to uncleanness according to the material of its overlaying.');">18 And should you say that in the one case19 the overlaying was fixed, whereas in the other it was not fixed;20 but [it has been reported] that Resh Lakish enquired of R'Johanan, [Does it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the teaching of the above-quoted Mishnah viz., that the material of the overlaying of a vessel is regarded for the purposes of uncleanness as the material of the vessel.');">21 apply only] to a fixed overlaying or also to an overlaying that is not fixed? And furthermore does it apply only to the case where the rims were also overlaid

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