## Menachot Daf 66a

###### Menachot 66a:1
[Menachot 66a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:1)

הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״תִּסְפׇּר לָךְ״, סְפִירָה תְּלוּיָה בְּבֵית דִּין, יָצְתָה שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁסְּפִירָתָהּ בְּכׇל אָדָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**as** the verse **states:** “Seven weeks **you shall number for you;** from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain you shall begin to number seven weeks” (Deuteronomy 16:9). By using the term “for you,” the verse indicates that the **counting** of the weeks **is dependent upon** the decision of the **court,** as they know how to calculate the new months. This serves to **exclude** the possibility that the counting starts after the **Shabbat of Creation, whose counting** can be performed **by every person,** not only the court.


###### Menachot 66a:2
[Menachot 66a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:2)

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: ״מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת״ – מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב. אַתָּה אוֹמֵר מִמָּחֳרַת יוֹם טוֹב, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִמָּחֳרַת שַׁבַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית? אָמַרְתָּ: וְכִי נֶאֱמַר ״מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַפֶּסַח״? וַהֲלֹא לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא ״מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת״, דְּכׇל הַשָּׁנָה כּוּלָּהּ מְלֵאָה שַׁבָּתוֹת, צֵא וּבְדוֹק אֵיזוֹ שַׁבָּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yosei says** that the verse: “And you shall count for you **from the morrow after the day of rest [*hashabbat*]”** (Leviticus 23:15), means **from the morrow after the festival** of Passover. **Do you say** it means **from the morrow after the festival** of Passover, **or is it only** referring to **from the morrow after Shabbat of Creation,** i.e., Sunday? **You** can **say** in response: **Is it stated: From the morrow after the day of rest [*hashabbat*] that is during Passover? No, it is stated only: “From the morrow after the day of rest [*hashabbat*].”** Considering **that the entire year is full of *Shabbatot*, go and** try to **examine** to **which Shabbat** the verse is referring. How does one know which Shabbat this means? Clearly, then, this “day of rest” is the Festival, not Shabbat.


###### Menachot 66a:3
[Menachot 66a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:3)

וְעוֹד, נֶאֶמְרָה ״שַׁבָּת״ לְמַטָּה, וְנֶאֶמְרָה ״שַׁבָּת״ לְמַעְלָה. מָה לְהַלָּן – רֶגֶל וּתְחִילַּת רֶגֶל, אַף כָּאן – רֶגֶל וּתְחִילַּת רֶגֶל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Yosei cites another proof: **And furthermore,** it is **stated “*shabbat*” below,** with regard to the festival of *Shavuot* (Leviticus 23:16), **and** it is also **stated “*shabbat*” above** (Leviticus 23:15), with regard to starting the counting of the *omer*. **Just as below,** with regard to the **festival** of *Shavuot*, it is stated: “Even until the morrow after the seventh week [*shabbat*] you shall number fifty days,” **and** the word *shabbat* is referring to a time at the **beginning of the Festival; so too here,** with regard to the bringing of *omer*, the word *shabbat* means **Festival,** and the counting starts **near the beginning of the Festival,** on the second day of Passover. According to the Boethusians, sometimes the commencement of the counting is well after the start of Passover.


###### Menachot 66a:4
[Menachot 66a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:4)

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת״, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״שִׁבְעַת יָמִים מַצּוֹת תֹּאכֵלוּ״. הָא כֵּיצַד? מַצָּה שֶׁאִי אַתָּה יָכוֹל לְאוֹכְלָהּ שִׁבְעָה מִן הֶחָדָשׁ – אַתָּה יָכוֹל לְאוֹכְלָהּ שִׁשָּׁה מִן הֶחָדָשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* continues: **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says** there is yet another proof: **One verse states: “Six days you shall eat unleavened bread”** (Deuteronomy 16:8), **and one verse states: “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread”** (Exodus 12:15). **How** can **these** texts be reconciled? Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar explains that there is ***matza* that you are unable to eat for** all **seven** days of Passover, due to the prohibition of harvesting and eating **from the new** crop of grain that ripened before Passover until after the *omer* offering. But **you are able to eat** that same *matza* **for six** days, although it is **from the new** crop, as it is permitted after the bringing of the *omer* offering on the second day of Passover. This resolution of the verses is possible only if the *omer* offering is brought on the sixteenth of Nisan, not on any other date.


###### Menachot 66a:5
[Menachot 66a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:5)

״מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם ... תִּסְפְּרוּ״ – יָכוֹל יִקְצוֹר וְיָבִיא, וְאֵימָתַי שֶׁיִּרְצֶה יִסְפּוֹר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar clarifies another two verses that deal with the counting of the *omer*: “And you shall count for you from the morrow after the day of rest, **from the day that you brought** the sheaf [*omer*] of the waving; seven weeks there shall be complete; even until the morrow after the seventh week **you shall number** fifty days; and you shall present a new meal offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 23:15–16). One **might** have thought that although one must **harvest and bring** the *omer* meal offering on the second day of Passover, the sixteenth of Nisan, **he** may start to **count** the *omer* **from whenever he wishes** after that day.


###### Menachot 66a:6
[Menachot 66a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:6)

תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״מֵהָחֵל חֶרְמֵשׁ בַּקָּמָה תָּחֵל לִסְפֹּר״. אִי ״מֵהָחֵל חֶרְמֵשׁ תָּחֵל לִסְפּוֹר״ – יָכוֹל יִקְצוֹר וְיִסְפּוֹר, וְאֵימָתַי שֶׁיִּרְצֶה יָבִיא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Therefore, **the verse states:** “Seven weeks you shall number for you; **from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain you shall begin to number** seven weeks” (Deuteronomy 16:9). This verse indicates that the counting should commence upon the reaping of the grain for the *omer* offering. **If** one would read just this verse: **“From the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain you shall begin to number,”** one **might** have thought that one can **harvest and count and** then **bring** the *omer* offering **whenever he wishes.** Therefore, **the** other **verse states: “From the day that you brought** the sheaf of the waving…you shall number fifty days,” indicating that the counting should start on the day the *omer* offering is brought.


###### Menachot 66a:7
[Menachot 66a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:7)

אִי ״מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם״ – יָכוֹל יִקְצוֹר וְיִסְפּוֹר וְיָבִיא בַּיּוֹם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה״. אֵימָתַי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת תְּמִימוֹת? בִּזְמַן שֶׁאַתָּה מַתְחִיל לִימְנוֹת מִבָּעֶרֶב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**If** one would derive the *halakha* from this verse: **“From the day that you brought** the sheaf of the waving,” one **might** have thought that he should **harvest and count and bring** the *omer* offering **during the day,** not on the night of the sixteenth of Nisan. Therefore, **the verse states:** “From the day that you brought the sheaf of the waving; **seven weeks there shall be complete.” When do you find** that there are **seven complete weeks?** You find it **at the time when you begin to count from the evening.** Only if the counting commences at night, at the start of the sixteenth of Nisan, will the seven weeks of counting be complete, without missing that first evening.


###### Menachot 66a:8
[Menachot 66a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:8)

יָכוֹל יִקְצוֹר וְיָבִיא וְיִסְפּוֹר בַּלַּיְלָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם״, הָא כֵּיצַד? קְצִירָה וּסְפִירָה בַּלַּיְלָה, וַהֲבָאָה בַּיּוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If so, one **might** have thought that all of the rites of the *omer* should be at night, and therefore one should **harvest and bring** the *omer* offering **and** start to **count at night.** Therefore **the verse states: From the day that you brought** the sheaf of the waving. **How** can **these** texts be reconciled? Does one start at night or in the day? **Harvesting and counting** should be performed **at night, and** the **bringing** of the *omer* offering is **during the day.**


###### Menachot 66a:9
[Menachot 66a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:9)

אָמַר רָבָא: כּוּלְּהוּ אִית לְהוּ פִּירְכָא, בַּר מִתַּרְתֵּי תַּנָּאֵי בָּתְרָאֵי, בֵּין בְּמַתְנִיתָא קַמַּיְיתָא בֵּין בְּמַתְנִיתָא בָּתְרָיְיתָא, דְּלֵית לְהוּ פִּירְכָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara has presented two *baraitot* with ten proofs between them countering the Boethusian claim that the counting of the *omer* begins on the Sunday after Passover. **Rava said: For all** of the suggested proofs **there is** a possible **refutation except for** those of the **two last *tanna’im*** cited, **both in the first *baraita* and in the second *baraita*, for which there is no refutation.**


###### Menachot 66a:10
[Menachot 66a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:10)

אִי מִדְּרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, דִּלְמָא כִּדְאַבָּיֵי, דְּאָמַר אַבָּיֵי: מִצְוָה לְמִימְנֵי יוֹמֵי, וּמִצְוָה לְמִימְנֵי שָׁבוּעֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rava elaborates: **If** one seeks to prove **from that** which **Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai** said, that there is a contradiction between two verses, as one indicates that there is an obligation to count fifty days and another that the obligation is to count seven weeks, **perhaps** this contradiction can be resolved **in accordance with** the statement of **Abaye. As Abaye said:** It is **a mitzva to count days, and** it is also **a mitzva to count** seven **weeks.** When one counts, he should track both the number of days and the number of weeks.


###### Menachot 66a:11
[Menachot 66a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:11)

אִי מִדְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, מִמַּאי דִּבְיוֹם טוֹב רִאשׁוֹן קָאֵי? דִּלְמָא בְּיוֹם טוֹב אַחֲרוֹן קָאֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Eliezer derived that the counting is dependent upon the court, not the individual. Therefore, he claimed that when the verse mentions *shabbat* it must be referring to the Festival, not a regular Shabbat, which does not require a court for its determination. Rabbi Yehoshua derived that just as the counting and sanctifying of the New Moon is performed at a distinct time, so too the counting of the *omer* and start of *Shavuot* that follows must occur on a specific date. Rava refutes both of these claims: **If** the proof is **from that** which **Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua** said, granted that their proofs successfully demonstrate that the counting should start after the Festival, not after Shabbat, but **from where** does one know that it **is referring to the first day of the Festival? Perhaps** it **is referring to the last day of the Festival,** i.e., the seventh day of Passover?


###### Menachot 66a:12
[Menachot 66a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:12)

דְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָא – לֵית לְהוּ פִּירְכָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rava now addresses the statements of the final two *tanna’im* cited in the first *baraita*: With regard to the proof given **by Rabbi Yishmael** from the two loaves that are brought at the beginning of a Festival, **and** the proof mentioned by **Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira** from the usage of the word *shabbat* in connection with *Shavuot*, Rava said: **They have no refutation.**


###### Menachot 66a:13
[Menachot 66a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:13)

אִי מִדְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה, הֲוָה אָמֵינָא: דִּלְמָא חַמְשִׁין לְבַר מֵהָנֵי שִׁיתָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Continuing with the proofs of the *tanna’im* from the second *baraita*, Rava said: **If** one seeks to disprove the Boethusian claim **from that** which **Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda,** said, that if the counting starts from Shabbat then *Shavuot* can occur anywhere from fifty to fifty-six days from the date the counting had started the previous year, **I would say** that **perhaps** the verse means **fifty** days **excluding these six** extra days.


###### Menachot 66a:14
[Menachot 66a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:14)

אִי מִדְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָא – מִמַּאי דִּבְיוֹם טוֹב רִאשׁוֹן קָאֵי? דִּלְמָא בְּיוֹם טוֹב אַחֲרוֹן קָאֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rava continues: **If** one seeks to prove **from that** which **Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira** said in the second *baraita*, that the verse indicates that the counting is dependent upon the decision of the court, not an individual, this can too be refuted: **From where** does one know that it **is referring to the first day of the Festival? Perhaps** it **is referring to the last day of the Festival,** the seventh day of Passover?


###### Menachot 66a:15
[Menachot 66a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:15)

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי נָמֵי חָזֵי לֵיהּ פִּירְכָא, וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר ״וְעוֹד״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rava concludes: The first proof cited by **Rabbi Yosei** was that if the counting starts the day after a regular Shabbat then it would be impossible to determine which Shabbat is meant. Rabbi Yosei himself **saw** that **it** is **also** subject to **refutation, and this is** why Rabbi Yosei continued and **said: Furthermore,** and suggested a second proof. As Rava declared, the last two proofs cited in the second *baraita*, the second proof provided by Rabbi Yosei and the proof of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar, stand without refutation.


###### Menachot 66a:16
[Menachot 66a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:16)

גּוּפָא, אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: מִצְוָה לְמִימְנֵי יוֹמֵי, וּמִצְוָה לְמִימְנֵי שָׁבוּעֵי. רַבָּנַן דְּבֵי רַב אָשֵׁי מָנוּ יוֹמֵי וּמָנוּ שָׁבוּעֵי, אַמֵּימָר מָנֵי יוֹמֵי וְלָא מָנֵי שָׁבוּעֵי, אָמַר: זֵכֶר לַמִּקְדָּשׁ הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara analyzes **the** matter **itself** of Abaye’s statement cited in the course of the previous discussion. **Abaye said:** It is **a mitzva to count days, and** it is also **a mitzva to count weeks.** The Gemara notes that in fact **the Sages of the study hall of Rav Ashi counted days and they** also **counted weeks. Ameimar counted days but not weeks.** In explanation of his practice, Ameimar **said:** Since there is no longer an *omer* offering, the counting **is** performed only in **commemoration of the Temple.** Therefore, one does not need to be so scrupulous to count both days and weeks.


###### Menachot 66a:17
[Menachot 66a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:17)

**מַתְנִי׳** קְצָרוּהוּ וּנְתָנוּהוּ בְּקוּפּוֹת, הֱבִיאוּהוּ לָעֲזָרָה, וְהָיוּ מְהַבְהֲבִין אוֹתוֹ בָּאוּר, כְּדֵי לְקַיֵּים בּוֹ מִצְוַת קָלִי, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: בְּקָנִים וּבְקוֹלָחוֹת חוֹבְטִין אוֹתוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְמַעֵךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** After **they harvested** the *omer* **and placed it in** the **baskets, they brought it to the** Temple **courtyard. And they would singe in** the **fire** the kernels of barley while they were still on the stalks, **in order to fulfill the mitzva of parched** grain, as it is written: “And if you bring a meal offering of first fruits to the Lord, you shall bring for the meal offering of your first fruits grain in the ear parched with fire” (Leviticus 2:14). This is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say:** Prior to parching the kernels, they would remove them from the stalks by **beating** them **with** soft, moist **reeds and with cabbage stalks,** not with sticks, **so that** the kernels **would not be crushed.**


###### Menachot 66a:18
[Menachot 66a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:18)

נְתָנוּהוּ לְאַבּוּב, וְאַבּוּב הָיָה מְנוּקָּב, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא הָאוּר שׁוֹלֵט בְּכוּלּוֹ. שְׁטָחוּהוּ בָּעֲזָרָה, וְהָרוּחַ מְנַשֶּׁבֶת בּוֹ. נְתָנוּהוּ לְרֵיחַיִם שֶׁל גָּרוֹסוֹת, וְהוֹצִיאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ עִשָּׂרוֹן, שֶׁהוּא מְנוּפֶּה בִּשְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה נָפָה, וְהַשְּׁאָר נִפְדֶּה וְנֶאֱכָל לְכׇל אָדָם, וְחַיָּיב בַּחַלָּה, וּפָטוּר מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מְחַיֵּיב בַּחַלָּה וּבַמַּעַשְׂרוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**They** then **placed** the grain **into a hollow vessel [*le’abuv*], and** this **vessel was perforated so that the fire would take hold of** the grain **in its entirety.** After parching the kernels, **they** would **spread** the kernels **in the** Temple **courtyard and the wind would blow upon** the kernels, cooling and drying them. **They** then **placed** the kernels **in a mill** used **to** grind **grits,** so that the barley would not be ground so fine that the shell would be mixed with the grain. **And they produced from** the ground barley **a tenth** of an ephah of barley flour **that was sifted through thirteen sifters, and the rest is redeemed and** may be **eaten by any person. And** dough from this barley flour **is obligated in** the separation of ***ḥalla*, and** the grain is **exempt from the** separation of **tithe. Rabbi Akiva deems** this flour **obligated in** having ***ḥalla* and tithes** separated from it.


###### Menachot 66a:19
[Menachot 66a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/66a:19)

**גְּמָ׳** תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״אָבִיב״ – זֶה אָבִיב, ״קָלוּי בָּאֵשׁ״ – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְהַבְהֲבִין אוֹתוֹ בָּאֵשׁ כְּדֵי לְקַיֵּים בּוֹ מִצְוַת קָלִי, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna cited a disagreement between Rabbi Meir and the Rabbis as to whether the barley kernels were first singed while they were in their stalks or only after they were beaten and removed from their stalks, when they were placed in a hollow vessel. **The Sages taught** in a *baraita* with regard to the verse: “And if you bring a meal offering of first fruits to the Lord, you shall bring for the meal offering of your first fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, even groats of the fresh ear” (Leviticus 2:14). **“Grain in the ear”; this** is a reference to the **grain,** i.e., the barley kernel. **“Parched [*kalui*] with fire”;** this **teaches that the Jewish people would singe it in fire, in order to fulfill the mitzva of** bringing **parched** grain. This is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say:**