## Menachot Daf 39a

###### Menachot 39a:1
[Menachot 39a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:1)

דִּלְמָא דְּאִיקְּטַר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this proof: **Perhaps** the sons of Rabbi Ḥiyya were referring to a case **where** one **tied knots** between the sets of windings even though there is no obligation to do so.


###### Menachot 39a:2
[Menachot 39a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:2)

וְאָמַר רַבָּה: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ, קֶשֶׁר עֶלְיוֹן דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא, דְּאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ דְּרַבָּנַן, מַאי אִיצְטְרִיךְ לְמִישְׁרֵי סָדִין בְּצִיצִית? פְּשִׁיטָא! הַתּוֹכֵף תְּכִיפָה אַחַת אֵינוֹ חִיבּוּר, אֶלָּא שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabba says: Learn from it** that **the uppermost knot** in the ritual fringes is required **by Torah** law. **As, if** it **enters your mind** to say that it is **by rabbinic** law, whereas by Torah law it is sufficient to merely insert the strings into the hole without tying any knots, for **what** reason **was** it **necessary** for the Torah **to permit** placing wool **ritual fringes** on a linen **cloak?** It is **obvious** that it is permitted, since if **one attaches** a swatch of wool and a swatch of linen **with a single connection, it is not** considered **a connection** with regard to the prohibition against wearing a garment that includes both wool and linen. **Rather, learn from** it that the uppermost knot is required **by Torah law.**


###### Menachot 39a:3
[Menachot 39a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:3)

אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר רַב אַדָּא אָמַר רַב אַדָּא אָמַר רַב: אִם נִפְסַק הַחוּט מֵעִיקָּרוֹ – פְּסוּלָה. יָתֵיב רַב נַחְמָן וְקָא אָמַר לְהָא שְׁמַעְתָּא, אֵיתִיבֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַב נַחְמָן: בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים – בִּתְחִילָּתוֹ, אֲבָל סוֹפוֹ – שְׁיָרָיו וְגַרְדּוּמָּיו כׇּל שֶׁהוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabba bar Rav Adda says** that **Rav Adda says** that **Rav says: If a string was severed at its base,** i.e., where it is connected to the garment, the ritual fringes are **unfit. Rav Naḥman sat** in the study hall **and stated this *halakha*. Rava raised an objection to Rav Naḥman** from a *baraita*: **In what** case **is this statement said,** i.e., that there is a minimum length required for the strings? That is only when the strings are **initially** affixed to the garment. **But** in the **end,** i.e., after the strings are affixed in an acceptable manner, **its remainder and its severed** strings are fit at **any** length.


###### Menachot 39a:4
[Menachot 39a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:4)

מַאי שְׁיָרָיו וּמַאי גַּרְדּוּמָּיו? מַאי לָאו ״שְׁיָרָיו״ – דְּאִיפְּסִיק מִינַּיְיהוּ וְאִישְׁתַּיַּיר מִינַּיְיהוּ, ״גַּרְדּוּמָּיו״ – דְּאִיגַּרְדּוּם אִיגַּרְדּוֹמֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara clarifies: **What** is **its remainder and what** are **its severed** strings? **What, is it not** that when the *baraita* mentions **its remainder** it is referring to a case **where** parts **of the** strings **were severed and** parts **of them remain, and** when the *baraita* mentions **its severed** strings it is referring to a case **where** the strings **were completely severed,** and nevertheless the strings are fit for the mitzva?


###### Menachot 39a:5
[Menachot 39a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:5)

לָא, חֲדָא קָתָנֵי, שַׁיּוֹרֵי גַּרְדּוּמָּיו כׇּל שֶׁהוּא. וְלֵימָא: ״גַּרְדּוּמָּיו״, ״שְׁיָרָיו״ לְמָה לִי? הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן, דְּבָעֵינַן שִׁיּוּרָא לְגַרְדּוּמָּיו כְּדֵי לְעׇנְבָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara responds to Rava’s objection: **No,** the *tanna* of the *baraita* **is teaching one** *halakha*, and the *baraita* should be understood as follows: **The remainder of its severed** strings are fit at **any length.** The Gemara asks: If so, **let** the *baraita* simply **say: Its severed** strings are fit at any length; **why do I** need the mention of **its remainder? This teaches us that we require a remainder of its severed** strings long **enough to** wrap them around the other strings and **tie them in a slipknot.**


###### Menachot 39a:6
[Menachot 39a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:6)

יָתֵיב רַבָּה וְקָאָמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: חוּט שֶׁל כֶּרֶךְ עוֹלֶה מִן הַמִּנְיָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב יוֹסֵף: שְׁמוּאֵל אַמְרַהּ וְלָא רַב. אִיתְּמַר נָמֵי: אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה, סָח לִי רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה דְּמִן אוּשָׁא: חוּט שֶׁל כֶּרֶךְ עוֹלָה לָהּ מִן הַמִּנְיָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabba sat** in the study hall **and said in the name of Rav:** The **string** used **for winding** around the other strings **is counted in the quota** of ritual fringes, i.e., it is one of the eight strings on each corner, and there is no need to have an additional string for winding. **Rav Yosef said to** Rabba: **Shmuel said it, and not Rav.** This **was also stated** by another *amora*: **Rabba bar bar Ḥana says: Rabbi Yoshiya of Usha told me** that the **string** used **for winding** around the other strings **is counted in the quota** of ritual fringes.


###### Menachot 39a:7
[Menachot 39a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:7)

יָתֵיב רָבָא וְקָא אָמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל: תְּכֵלֶת שֶׁכָּרַךְ רוּבָּהּ – כְּשֵׁרָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב יוֹסֵף: רַב אַמְרַהּ, וְלָא שְׁמוּאֵל. אִיתְּמַר נָמֵי, אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בַּר יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת אָמַר רַב יִרְמְיָה בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַב: תְּכֵלֶת שֶׁכָּרַךְ רוּבָּהּ – כְּשֵׁרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava sat** in the study hall **and said in the name of Shmuel:** If one **wound the majority of** the white and the **sky-blue** strings instead of leaving the larger portion of the strings hanging loose beyond the windings, the ritual fringes are nevertheless **fit. Rav Yosef said to** Rava: **Rav said it, and not Shmuel.** The Gemara supports Rav Yosef’s version from that which **was also stated: Rav Huna bar Yehuda says** that **Rav Sheshet says** that **Rav Yirmeya bar Abba says** that **Rav says:** If one **wound the majority of** the white and the **sky-blue** strings, the ritual fringes are nevertheless **fit.**


###### Menachot 39a:8
[Menachot 39a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:8)

רַב חִיָּיא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב נָתָן מַתְנֵי הָכִי: אָמַר רַב הוּנָא, אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת, אָמַר רַב יִרְמְיָה בַּר אַבָּא, אָמַר רַב: תְּכֵלֶת שֶׁכָּרַךְ רוּבָּהּ – כְּשֵׁרָה, וַאֲפִילּוּ לֹא כָּרַךְ בָּהּ אֶלָּא חוּלְיָא אַחַת – כְּשֵׁרָה, וְנוֹיֵי תְכֵלֶת – שְׁלִישׁ גְּדִיל וּשְׁנֵי שְׁלִישֵׁי עָנָף.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ḥiyya, son of Rav Natan, teaches** this discussion **like this: Rav Huna says** that **Rav Sheshet says** that **Rav Yirmeya bar Abba says** that **Rav says:** If one **wound the majority of** the white and the **sky-blue** strings, the ritual fringes are nevertheless **fit. And even** if **he wound only one set of** windings, the ritual fringes are **fit. But** the **finest** way to affix the white and **sky-blue** strings is to ensure that **one-third** of the length of the strings is **windings and two-thirds** are **loose** hanging strings.


###### Menachot 39a:9
[Menachot 39a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:9)

וְכַמָּה שִׁיעוּר חוּלְיָא? תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּכְרוֹךְ וְיִשְׁנֶה וִישַׁלֵּשׁ. תָּאנָא: הַפּוֹחֵת לֹא יִפְחוֹת מִשֶּׁבַע, וְהַמּוֹסִיף לֹא יוֹסִיף עַל שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And what** is the **measure** of **a set** of windings? It **is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi **says:** It is **such that one winds** once **and** winds **a second and third** time, i.e., each set must contain at least three windings. It was **taught: One who minimizes** the sets of windings **may not** have **fewer than seven** sets, **and one who adds** to this number of sets **may not** have **more than thirteen** sets of windings.


###### Menachot 39a:10
[Menachot 39a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:10)

הַפּוֹחֵת לֹא יִפְחוֹת מִשֶּׁבַע, כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִים, וְהַמּוֹסִיף לֹא יוֹסִיף עַל שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה, כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִין וְשִׁשָּׁה אֲוִירִין שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara provides explanations for these guidelines: **One who minimizes** the sets of windings **may not** wind **fewer than seven** sets, **corresponding to** the **seven firmaments. And one who adds** to this number of sets **may not** wind **more than thirteen** sets of windings, **corresponding to** the **seven firmaments and** the **six air** spaces **between them.**


###### Menachot 39a:11
[Menachot 39a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:11)

תָּנָא: כְּשֶׁהוּא מַתְחִיל – מַתְחִיל בַּלָּבָן: ״הַכָּנָף״ – מִין כָּנָף, וּכְשֶׁהוּא מְסַיֵּים – מְסַיֵּים בַּלָּבָן, מַעֲלִין בַּקּוֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא מוֹרִידִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It was **taught: When one begins** to form the windings, he **begins** winding **with a white** string. This is because the verse indicates that one first inserts “the fringe of **the corner”** (Numbers 15:38), i.e., the white strings, which are of the same **type** as the **corner** of the garment. **And when he concludes** the windings, **he concludes with a white** string, in accordance with the principle: **One elevates** to a higher level **in** matters of **sanctity and does not downgrade.**


###### Menachot 39a:12
[Menachot 39a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/39a:12)

רַב וְרַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה הֲווֹ יָתְבִי, הֲוָה קָא חָלֵיף וְאָזֵיל הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּמִיכַּסֵּי גְּלִימָא דְּכוּלֵּהּ תְּכֵלְתָּא, וּרְמֵי לֵיהּ תְּכֵלְתָּא

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara relates: **Rav and Rabba bar bar Ḥana were sitting** together. **A certain man was passing by wearing a cloak that** was made **entirely of sky-blue** wool, **on which he had affixed** white and **sky-blue** strings,