## Menachot Daf 38b

###### Menachot 38b:1
[Menachot 38b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:1)

אִילֵּימָא חִיסֵּר מִצְוָה דְּלָבָן וְקִיֵּים מִצְוָה דִּתְכֵלֶת – לְרַבִּי עַכּוֹבֵי מְעַכֵּב אַהֲדָדֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**If we say** that the individual **omitted** the **mitzva of white** strings **and fulfilled** only the **mitzva of sky-blue** strings, how is this possible? **According to** the opinion of **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi, the absence of either one **prevents** fulfillment of the mitzva **with the other,** and therefore in this case one would not fulfill any mitzva at all.


###### Menachot 38b:2
[Menachot 38b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:2)

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: שֶׁחִיסֵּר מִצְוָה וְעָשָׂה מִצְוָה, וּמַאי חִיסֵּר מִצְוָה? דְּלָא עֲבַד מִצְוָה מִן הַמּוּבְחָר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers that **Rav Yehuda said** that **Rav said:** It means **that he omitted a mitzva but** nevertheless **performed a mitzva. And what** does it mean that he **omitted a mitzva?** It means **that he did not perform** the **mitzva in the optimal manner** because he did not insert the white strings first, but he did fulfill the mitzva of ritual fringes.


###### Menachot 38b:3
[Menachot 38b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:3)

הָתִינַח לָבָן דְּאֵינוֹ מְעַכֵּב אֶת הַתְּכֵלֶת, תְּכֵלֶת דְּאֵינָהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת אֶת הַלָּבָן – מַאי הִיא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **This works out well** with regard to the mishna’s statement that absence of the **white** strings **does not prevent** fulfillment of the mitzva with **the sky-blue** strings, which has been interpreted to mean that failing to insert the white strings before the sky-blue strings does not invalidate the ritual fringes. But **what is** the meaning of the mishna’s statement **that** the absence of **sky-blue** strings **does not prevent** fulfillment of the mitzva with **the white** strings?


###### Menachot 38b:4
[Menachot 38b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:4)

אָמַר רָמֵי בַּר חָמָא: לֹא נִצְרְכָא אֶלָּא לְטַלִּית שֶׁכּוּלָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rami bar Ḥama said:** That statement of the mishna **is necessary only** in the case of **a garment that** consists **entirely** of **sky-blue wool.** In such a case, one is supposed to insert the sky-blue strings before the white strings.


###### Menachot 38b:5
[Menachot 38b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:5)

אִיתְּמַר נָמֵי: אֲמַר לֵיהּ לֵוִי לִשְׁמוּאֵל: אַרְיוֹךְ, לָא תִּיתֵּיב אַכַּרְעָךְ עַד דִּמְפָרְשַׁתְּ לִי לְהָא מִילְּתָא: הַתְּכֵלֶת אֵינָהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת אֶת הַלָּבָן, וְהַלָּבָן אֵינוֹ מְעַכֵּב אֶת הַתְּכֵלֶת – מַאי הִיא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא נִצְרְכָא אֶלָּא לְסָדִין בְּצִיצִית, דְּמִצְוָה לְאַקְדּוֹמֵי לָבָן בְּרֵישָׁא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara notes that this **was also stated** by *amora’im*: **Levi said to Shmuel: Aryokh, do not sit on your feet until you explain to me this matter:** When the mishna states that the absence of **the sky-blue** strings **does not prevent** fulfillment of the mitzva of ritual fringes **with the white** strings, **and the** absence of **white** strings **does not prevent** fulfillment of the mitzva **with the sky-blue** strings, **what** does **it** mean? Shmuel **said to** Levi: That statement **is necessary only** in the case of a linen **cloak** on which one places **ritual fringes, where** there is **a mitzva to** insert the **white** strings **first.**


###### Menachot 38b:6
[Menachot 38b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:6)

מַאי טַעְמָא? ״הַכָּנָף״ – מִין כָּנָף, וְאִי אַקְדֵּים תְּכֵלֶת לְלָבָן – לֵית לַן בַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**What is the reason** for this? The verse states: “And they shall put on the fringe of the corner a sky-blue thread” (Numbers 15:38). “The fringe of **the corner”** is a reference to the string that is the same **type** as the **corner** of the garment. In the case of a linen cloak, which is generally white, this is a reference to the white strings, and since the verse mentions “the fringe of the corner” before the sky-blue thread, the white strings must be inserted before the sky-blue strings. The mishna therefore teaches that **if** one inserted the **sky-blue** strings **before the white** strings, **we have no** problem **with it** after the fact, and the ritual fringes are valid.


###### Menachot 38b:7
[Menachot 38b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:7)

תִּינַח לָבָן דְּאֵינוֹ מְעַכֵּב אֶת הַתְּכֵלֶת, תְּכֵלֶת דְּאֵינָהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת אֶת הַלָּבָן מַאי הִיא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: This **works out well** with regard to the mishna’s statement **that** absence of the **white** strings **does not prevent** fulfillment of the mitzva **with the sky-blue** strings. But **what is** the meaning of the mishna’s statement **that** the absence of **sky-blue** strings **does not prevent** fulfillment of the mitzva **with the white** strings?


###### Menachot 38b:8
[Menachot 38b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:8)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָמֵי בַּר חָמָא: לֹא נִצְרְכָא אֶלָּא לְטַלִּית שֶׁכּוּלָּהּ תְּכֵלֶת, דְּמִצְוָה לְאַקְדּוֹמֵי תְּכֵלֶת בְּרֵישָׁא, דְּ״הַכָּנָף״ – מִין כָּנָף, וְאִי אַקְדֵּים לָבָן בְּרֵישָׁא לֵית לַן בַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rami bar Ḥama said to him:** That statement of the mishna **is necessary only** in the case of **a garment that** consists **entirely** of **sky-blue wool, where** it is **a mitzva to** insert the **sky-blue** strings **first, as** the phrase: “The fringe of **the corner”** indicates that the first strings one inserts into the garment are those that are the same **type** as the **corner** of the garment. The mishna therefore teaches that **if** one inserted the **white** strings **first, we have no** problem **with it** after the fact, and the ritual fringes are fit.


###### Menachot 38b:9
[Menachot 38b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:9)

אָמַר רָבָא: מִידֵּי צִיבְעָא קָא גָרֵים? אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא: לֹא נִצְרְכָא אֶלָּא לְגַרְדּוּמִּין, דְּאִי אִיגַּרְדַּם תְּכֵלֶת וְקָאֵי לָבָן, וְאִי אִיגַּרְדַּם לָבָן וְקָאֵי תְּכֵלֶת – לֵית לַן בַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said: Is it** actually the **color** of the garment that **determines** the proper order in which one should insert the strings? **Rather, Rava said:** The ruling of the mishna **is necessary only for** a case of **severed** strings. The mishna teaches **that if** the **sky-blue** strings **were severed and** the **white** ones **remain, or if** the **white** strings **were severed and** the **sky-blue** strings **remain, we have no** problem **with it,** and the ritual fringes are fit.


###### Menachot 38b:10
[Menachot 38b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:10)

דְּאָמְרִי בְּנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּיא: גַּרְדּוּמֵּי תְּכֵלֶת כְּשֵׁרִין, וְגַרְדּוּמֵּי אֵזוֹב כְּשֵׁרִין. וְכַמָּה שִׁיעוּר גַּרְדּוּמִּין? אָמַר בַּר הַמְדּוּרֵי אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: כְּדֵי לְעׇנְבָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As the sons of Rabbi Ḥiyya say: Severed** white or **sky-blue** strings **are fit, and** similarly, **severed hyssop** branches **are fit** for sprinkling the water of purification mixed with the ashes of a red heifer. The Gemara asks: **What measure** do **severed** strings need to be in order to remain fit? **Bar Hamduri says** that **Shmuel says:** The strings must remain long **enough to tie them in a slipknot.**


###### Menachot 38b:11
[Menachot 38b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:11)

אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: כְּדֵי לְעׇנְבָן – לְעׇנְבָן כּוּלְּהוּ בַּהֲדָדֵי, אוֹ דִלְמָא כֹּל חַד וְחַד לְחוֹדֵיהּ? תֵּיקוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**A dilemma was raised before** the Sages: When Shmuel says that severed strings must still be long **enough to tie them in a slipknot,** does that mean **to tie all of the** strings **together in a slipknot? Or perhaps** the strings may be even shorter, provided that they are long enough to tie **each one individually.** The Gemara concludes: The dilemma **shall stand** unresolved.


###### Menachot 38b:12
[Menachot 38b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:12)

בָּעֵי רַב אָשֵׁי: אַלִּימֵי דְּלָא מִיעַנְבִי, וְאִי הֲווֹ קַטִּינֵי מִיעַנְבִי, מַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבָא לְרַב אָשֵׁי: כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן דְּמִינְּכַר מִצְוָתַיְיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi asks:** If the strings are **thick** and **cannot be tied in a slipknot, but if they were** the same length but **thin** they **could be tied in a slipknot, what** is their status? **Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, said to Rav Ashi:** If the strings are long enough to be fit if they are thin, **all the more so** they are fit if they are thick, **as the mitzva** one fulfills **with them is** more **recognizable** with thicker strings.


###### Menachot 38b:13
[Menachot 38b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:13)

וּמַאן תַּנָּא דִּפְלִיג עֲלֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי? הַאי תַּנָּא הוּא, דְּתַנְיָא: רַבִּי יִצְחָק אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי נָתָן, שֶׁאָמַר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי, שֶׁאָמַר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי: אֵין לוֹ תְּכֵלֶת – מֵטִיל לָבָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara cited the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, who holds that one cannot fulfill the mitzva of ritual fringes without both white and sky-blue strings, and the Gemara explained that the mishna can be interpreted in accordance with his opinion. The Gemara now asks: **Who is the *tanna* who disagrees with Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi and holds that the sky-blue strings and the white strings are not interdependent? The Gemara answers: **It is this** following ***tanna*, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Yitzḥak says in the name of Rabbi Natan, who said in the name of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, who said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri:** If **one does not have sky-blue** strings, he nevertheless **affixes white** strings.


###### Menachot 38b:14
[Menachot 38b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/38b:14)

אָמַר רָבָא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ, צָרִיךְ לִקְשׁוֹר עַל כׇּל חוּלְיָא וְחוּלְיָא, דְּאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ לֹא צָרִיךְ – הָא דְּאָמְרִי בְּנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּיא: גַּרְדּוּמֵּי תְכֵלֶת כְּשֵׁרִין וְגַרְדּוּמֵּי אֵזוֹב כְּשֵׁרִין, כֵּיוָן דְּאִישְׁתְּרִי לֵיהּ עִילַּאי אִישְׁתְּרִי לֵיהּ כּוּלֵּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said: Learn from** the sons of Rabbi Ḥiyya that one is **required to tie** a knot **after each and every set** of windings, and one cannot suffice with only one knot at the end of all the windings. **As, if** it **enters your mind** to say that one is **not required** to tie a knot after each set of windings, then **that which the sons of Rabbi Ḥiyya say: Severed** white or **sky-blue** strings **are fit, and** similarly, **severed hyssop** branches **are fit,** is difficult: **Once the uppermost** knot **is undone,** all of the windings on **the entire** corner will **come undone,** as there are no other knots holding the windings in place, and in that case the garment will not have valid ritual fringes.