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What do you mean by that? In the case of a meal offering, the parts that the priests are allowed to eat do not become permitted until two steps have taken place: the kometz—a handful of flour taken for the altar—and the levona, the frankincense, are both placed on the altar. The Mishnah on today’sContinue reading “Menachot 16”

Our daf today covers the following ideas: What’s the gem? One rabbi. And not even really him, just his name: Rabbi Abba the small Yes, his name is Rabbi Little Daddy. His rapper name would be Lil’ Dada. That makes me smile.

We have already learned that our thoughts can render our offerings impure. Today’s daf asks about a situation where a priest wants to eat half an olive bulk after it’s designated time (so, not-allowed but half the minimum amount required to render the sacrifice piggul – forbidden) and then at another point during the sacrificeContinue reading “Menachot 14”

When Intentions Don’t Add Up Menachot 13 is filled with debates about fractions: half an olive’s worth of intention, part of an offering, one component affecting another. Over and over, the Gemara asks the same question in different forms: When do partial intentions combine — and when don’t they? The answer is surprisingly restrained. NotContinue reading “Menachot 13”

Today’s gem is a reminder that thoughts and intentions matter. Menachot 12 teaches that meal offerings are governed by the same spiritual standards as animal sacrifices. The mishnah states that improper thoughts at key moments can invalidate a minḥa, just as they do an animal offering — thoughts about time render it piggul, and thoughtsContinue reading “Menachot 12”

On today’s daf, we learn that each finger has a sacred purpose: Abaye teaches: This small finger is for measuring a span (see Exodus 28:16), i.e., the distance between the thumb and the little finger. This fourth finger is used for removal of a handful from the meal offering, i.e., the measurement of a handfulContinue reading “Menachot 11”

I often have to repeat myself when talking to my youngest child before he’ll really hear what I am saying. But the Torah? If it’s repeating, the repetition is there to teach something new, as we learn on today’s daf: The Gemara asks: And concerning the other verses that specify the left hand of aContinue reading “Menachot 10”

When Does Holiness Begin? Today’s daf focuses on the question: At what point does a meal offering become sacred? A minḥa is made from flour, oil, and frankincense — but what if those ingredients were mixed outside the Temple courtyard? Rabbi Yoḥanan says the offering is invalid; Reish Lakish says it is fine. Reish LakishContinue reading “Menachot 9”

Today’s gem comes from the end of today’s daf. . . Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: From where is it derived that if gentiles surrounded the Temple courtyard and were firing projectiles inside to the point that it became impossible to remain in the courtyard on account of the threat, that the priests enter theContinue reading “Menachot 8”

Who do you learn from? On our daf today we see that we should be willing to learn both from those who we don’t get along with and that we can learn from our students as well as those with higher “status.” Rabbi Zeira said to him: You have touched upon a dilemma that was already raised beforeContinue reading “Menachot 7”