Menachot 21

Chapter 21

א או קורט לבונה פסול: כל הני למה לי

1 OR A DROP OF FRANKINCENSE IT IS INVALID. Why are all these mentioned? - They are all necessary; for had [the Mishnah] only stated a small stone, [I should have said that it is invalid] because it is something that cannot be offered [upon the altar], but as for salt, since it is offered.1 I would say that it does not render [the handful] invalid.

ב צריכא דאי תנא צרור משום דלאו בת הקרבה היא אבל מלח דבת הקרבה היא אימא תתכשר

2 And had the Mishnah stated salt only, [I should have said that it was invalid] because it is not prescribed to be brought with the meal-offering in the beginning, but as for frankincense, since it is prescribed to be brought with the meal-offering in the beginning, I would say that it does not render [the handful] invalid. We are therefore taught them all. FOR THEY HAVE RULED: IF THE HANDFUL WAS TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE IT IS INVALID.

ג ואי תנא מלח דלא איקבע בהדי מנחה מעיקרא (שאינו מולח אלא הקומץ בלבד) אבל לבונה דאיקבע בהדי מנחה מעיקרא אימא תתכשר קמ"ל:

3 Why is the reason given because it is too much or too little? Surely [it is invalid] because of the interposition?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When there is a stone or some other substance included in the handful it interposes or separates between the flour and the fingers, and this renders it invalid. And even where the stone happens to lie in the middle of the flour and does not touch the fingers it is also invalid for it interposes between the flour and divides it into two!');">2 - R'Jeremiah answered.

ד מפני שאמרו הקומץ החסר או היתר פסול: מאי איריא משום חסר ויתר ותיפוק ליה משום חציצה א"ר ירמיה מן הצד

4 It might have been at one side.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The stone might have been at the end of the handful i.e., near the thumb or the little finger, so that there is no question of interposition, but it is invalid only because the handful is too little, since there is lacking flour to the extent of the volume of the stone.');">3 Abaye asked Raba, How is the handful taken? - He replied, As people usually take a handful.4 He then raised the following objection against him: It was taught:5

ה אמר ליה אביי לרבא כיצד קומצין אמר ליה כדקמצי אינשי איתיביה זו זרת זו קמיצה

5 This one6 is [for measuring] the span,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the distance from the tip of the little finger to the tip of the thumb of a spread hand. The span was the measure of the breastplate of the High Priest; v. Ex. XXVIII, 16.');">7 this one8

ו זו אמה זו אצבע זו גודל

6 [for taking] the handful,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This finger was the limit on the one end of the handful, the thumb limiting it at the other end; so that the little finger was not used in taking the handful, contra Raba.');">9 this one10 [for measuring] the cubit,11

ז אלא להשוות (כלומר קומץ מלא היד כדי שלא יהא חסר ואחר כך מוחק באצבע קטנה מלמטה)

7 this one12 is the finger,13 and this one14

ח היכי עביד אמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב חופה שלש אצבעותיו עד שמגיע על פס ידו וקומץ

8 the thumb!15 - It is used only in order to smooth the edge.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The little finger was to be employed only to smooth level the side of the handful so that none of the flour should appear to be bursting out; this levelling was also performed at the other end by the thumb. It is clear, however, that the actual handful was made up by bending the middle three fingers over the palm. In cur. edd. there appears here in the text an explanatory gloss which is not found in any MS., it is struck out by Sh. Mek.');">16 How then was it done? - R'Zutra B'Tobiah said in the name of Rab, He bends his three fingers until he reaches the palm of his hand and then takes the handful.

ט תניא נמי הכי מלא קומצו יכול מבורץ ת"ל בקומצו

9 [A Baraitha] has been taught to this effect: I is written, And he shall take out a full handful.17 Now one might suppose that it should be overflowing, another verse therefore says, In his handful.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. VI, 8: the meaning of this expression being that the flour shall be entirely within the handful, so that none should burst out at the ends or between the fingers.');">18 But from the verse, In his handful, one might suppose that it may be taken with the finger tips, it is therefore written, A full handful.

י אי בקומצו יכול בראשי אצבעותיו ת"ל מלא קומצו הא כיצד חופה שלש אצבעותיו על פס ידו וקומץ

10 How is it then to be? He should bend his three fingers over on to the palm of his hand and thus take the handful. In the case of a meal-offering prepared on a griddle or in a pan.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These meal-offerings were first baked into cakes, the cakes broken into pieces, and then the priest took out a handful. They were not, however, broken fine, and therefore when the handful was taken, particles of the cakes would be protruding on all sides; the thumb and little finger were then brought into operation so as to smooth the sides-an awkward and difficult manipulation.');">19

יא במחבת ובמרחשת מוחק בגודלו מלמעלה ובאצבעו קטנה מלמטה וזו היא עבודה קשה שבמקדש

11 he must level it with his thumb on top and with his little finger below. And this was the most difficult service in the Temple. This, and none other?

יב זהו ותו לא והאיכא מליקה והאיכא חפינה אלא זו היא אחת מעבודות קשות שבמקדש

12 Was there not the nipping?20 and the taking of 'both hands full'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. ibid. XVI, 12, where it is stated that the High Priest on the Day of Atonement took both hands full of incense and offered it in the Holy of Holies. The circumstances in which he took these were such as to render the taking a very difficult task. V. Yoma 49b.');">21 - Render: And this was one of the most difficult services in the Temple.

יג א"ר פפא פשיטא לי מלא קומצו כדקמצי אינשי בעי רב פפא קמץ בראשי אצבעותיו מאי

13 R'Papa said, I have no doubt at all that the expression 'a full handful' means in the manner in which people usually take a handful.22 But, asked R'Papa, what if he took out the handful with his fingertips,23 or with the side [of his hand],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By laying his hand, palm upwards, upon the surface of the flour and moving it to and fro he gradually scooped up a handful. Another interpretation is: he took the handful from the flour at the side of the vessel and not from the middle.');">24

יד מן הצדדין מאי ממטה למעלה מאי תיקו

14 or [if he took it] from below upwards?25 These questions remain undecided. R'Papa said, I have no doubt at all that the expression 'his hands full'26

טו אמר רב פפא פשיטא לי מלא חפניו כדחפני אינשי בעי רב פפא חפן בראשי אצבעותיו מהו מן הצדדין מהו חפן בזו ובזו וקרבן זו אצל זו מהו תיקו

15 means in the manner in which people usually fill the hands.27 But, asked R'Papa, what if he filled his hands with his finger tips, or with the sides,28 or if he filled each hand separately and brought them together? - These questions remain undecided.

טז בעי רב פפא דבקיה לקומץ בדפניה דמנא מאי תוך כלי בעינן והאיכא או דלמא הנחה בתוכו בעינן וליכא תיקו

16 R'Papa raised the question: What if he stuck the handful to the side of the vessel?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When putting back the handful to be hallowed in a vessel of ministry, the priest did not put it down in the bottom of the vessel but stuck it on the side of the vessel.');">29 Must it be put inside the vessel, which is the case here; or must it be put down inside the vessel, which is not the case here? - This remains undecided. Mar B'R'Ashi raised the following question: What if he turned the vessel upside down and put down the handful on the bottom of the vessel?30

יז בעי מר בר רב אשי הפכיה למנא ודבקיה לקומץ בארעיתא דמנא מאי הנחה בתוכו בעינן והאיכא או דלמא כתיקנו בעינן וליכא תיקו:

17 Must it be put inside the vessel, which is the case here; or must it be put down in a normal manner,31 which is not the case here? - This remains undecided. <big>MISHNAH: </big>HOW SHOULD HE DO IT?

יח <big>מתני׳</big> כיצד הוא עושה פושט את אצבעותיו על פס ידו ריבה שמנה חסר שמנה חיסר לבונתה פסולה:

18 HE SHOULD STRETCH OUT HIS FINGERS ON TO THE PALM OF HIS HAND. IF HE PUT IN TOO MUCH OF ITS OIL OR TOO LITTLE OF ITS OIL.32 OR TOO LITTLE OF ITS FRANKINCENSE,33

יט <big>גמ׳</big> היכי דמי ריבה שמנה א"ר אליעזר כגון שהפריש לה שני לוגין ולוקמה כגון דעריב בה שמן דחולין ושמן דחבירתה

19 THE OFFERING IS INVALID. <big>GEMARA: </big>What is meant by TOO MUCH OF ITS OIL? R'Eleazar said, If, for example, one set apart for it two logs of oil.34

כ וכי תימא שמן דחולין ושמן דחבירתה לא פסל מתקיף לה רב זוטרא בר טוביה אלא מעתה מנחת חוטא דפסל בה שמן היכי משכחת לה

20 And why did he not suggest that ordinary [unconsecrated] oil or oil from another [meal-offering] was added to it? Should you, however, retort that [the addition of] ordinary [unconsecrated] oil or oil from another [meal-offering] would not render the offering invalid, then there is the objection (raised by R'Zutra B'Tobiah) :35 How can the ruling, that the sinner's meal-offering

כא אי דידה הא לית לה אי דחולין ודחבירת' הא אמרת לא פסל (ואי אמרת דאפריש לה שמן כיון דלית לה שמן כלל חולין נינהו)

21 Another interpretation is: he filled his hands with incense taken from the side of the vessel and not from the middle. is rendered invalid by the addition of oil,36 ever be applied?

כב ור' אליעזר לא מיבעיא קאמר לא מיבעיא דחולין ודחבירתה דפסיל אבל הפריש לה שני לוגין הואיל והאי חזי לי' והאי חזי לי' אימא לא ליפסיל קמ"ל

22 If [you say that oil was especially set aside] for it - but it does not require any;37 and if [you say that] ordinary [unconsecrated] oil or oil from another [meal-offering] was added to it - but you have now said that this would not render the offering invalid? And R'Eleazar [what does he say to this]?38

כג ומנא ליה לר' אליעזר הא אמר רבא מתני' קשיתיה מאי איריא דתני ריבה שמנה ליתני ריבה לה שמן אלא הא קמ"ל דאע"ג דהפריש לה שני לוגין:

23 - It is a case of 'it goes without saying'; thus, it goe without saying that the offering is rendered invalid by the addition of ordinary [unconsecrated] oil or oil of another [meal-offering]; but in the case where a man set aside for it two logs of oil, since each [log separately] is suitable for the purpose. I would say that it is not invalid; he therefore teaches us [that it is invalid]. But whence does R'Eleazar know this? - Raba said, Our Mishnah presented a difficulty to him.

כד חיסר לבונתה: ת"ר חסרה ועמדה על קורט אחד פסולה על שני קרטין כשרה דברי רבי יהודה רבי שמעון אומר על קורט אחד כשרה פחות מכאן פסולה

24 Why does it use the expression. IF HE PUT IN TOO MUCH OF ITS OIL? It should have stated, 'If he put in too much oil for it'. But its teaches us39 that [it is invalid] even though he set aside for it two logs of oil. IF HE PUT IN TOO LITTLE OF ITS FRANKINCENSE. Our Rabbis taught: If the frankincense had diminished until there remained one grain only, the offering is invalid; if there remained two grains, it is valid. So R'Judah. R'Simeon says. If there remained one grain, it is valid; if less than that it is invalid.

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