## Menachot Daf 87a ###### Menachot 87a:1 [Menachot 87a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:1) הַקְּמָחִין, וְלֹא מִשּׁוּלֶיהָ – מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁמָרִים, אֶלָּא מֵבִיא מִשְּׁלִישָׁהּ מֵאֶמְצָעָהּ. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **the flour-**like white scum that floats on the surface, **nor from** the wine at **bottom of** the cask **due to the sediment** that collects there. **Rather, one brings from** the wine in **its middle third.** ###### Menachot 87a:2 [Menachot 87a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:2) כֵּיצַד הוּא בּוֹדֵק? הַגִּזְבָּר יוֹשֵׁב, וְהַקָּנֶה בְּיָדוֹ, זָרַק הַגִּיר, הִקִּישׁ בַּקָּנֶה. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **How does** the Temple treasurer **inspect** the wine to determine that it is from the middle of the cask? **The treasurer sits** alongside the cask **and** has **the** measuring **reed in his hand.** The spigot is opened and the wine begins to flow. When he sees that the wine emerging **draws** with it **chalk**-like scum **[*hagir*], he** immediately **knocks with the reed** to indicate that the spigot should be closed. ###### Menachot 87a:3 [Menachot 87a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:3) רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ קְמָחִין – פָּסוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תְּמִימִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם״, ״וּמִנְחָתָם״, ״תְּמִימִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם״. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says:** Wine **in which there is flour-**like white scum is **unfit** for libations, **as it is stated** with regard to animal offerings: **“Unblemished they shall be for you…and their meal offering** shall be fine flour mixed with **oil…unblemished they shall be for you, and their libations”** (Numbers 28:19–20, 31). This indicates that animal offerings, meal offerings, and libations must all be brought from flawless products. Therefore, the presence of flour-like white scum in wine renders it unfit. ###### Menachot 87a:4 [Menachot 87a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:4) **גְּמָ׳** אֵין מְבִיאִין לֹא מָתוֹק וְלֹא מְבוּשָּׁל וְלֹא מְעוּשָּׁן, וְאִם הֵבִיא – פָּסוּל. וְהָא קָתָנֵי רֵישָׁא: אֵין מְבִיאִין אֶת הֶלִיסְטְיוֹן, וְאִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר? **William Davidson Edition - English:** **GEMARA:** The mishna teaches: **One may not bring** libations from **sweet** wine, **nor** from **boiled** wine, **nor** from wine produced from **smoked** grapes, **and if one did bring** a libation from such wine, it is **not valid.** The Gemara asks: **But doesn’t the first clause teach: One may not bring libations from sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes, but if one did bring** a libation from such wine it is **valid?** How can one clause teach that a libation of one type of sweet wine is valid, and the other clause teach that a libation of another type of sweet wine is not valid? ###### Menachot 87a:5 [Menachot 87a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:5) אָמַר רָבִינָא: כְּרוֹךְ וְתָנֵי. רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: חוּלְיָא דְּשִׁימְשָׁא – לָא מְאִיס, חוּלְיָא דְּפֵירָא – מְאִיס. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **Ravina said:** The text of the mishna is corrupt. To correct it, **combine** the two clauses into one **and teach** with regard to all the wines mentioned that they are unfit to be used for libations. **Rav Ashi said:** The text of the mishna is correct. The reason for the difference between the two wines is that **the sweetness** of grapes sweetened **by the sun is not objectionable,** so libations of wine made from such grapes are valid, while **sweetness** that results from the sugars **of the fruit** itself **is objectionable,** so libations of wine made from such grapes are not valid. ###### Menachot 87a:6 [Menachot 87a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:6) אֵין מְבִיאִין יָשָׁן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי, וַחֲכָמִים מַכְשִׁירִין. אָמַר חִזְקִיָּה: מַאי טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי? אָמַר קְרָא ״לַכֶּבֶשׂ יָיִן״, מָה כֶּבֶשׂ בֶּן שְׁנָתוֹ, אַף יַיִן בֶּן שְׁנָתוֹ. **William Davidson Edition - English:** § The mishna teaches: **One may not bring** wine **aged** for one year; this is **the statement of Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi, **but the Rabbis deem it valid.** The Gemara provides the source for Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s ruling. **Rabbi Ḥizkiyya said: What is the reasoning of Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi? **The verse states** with regard to the libations that accompany the New Moon offering: “And their libations: Half a *hin* for a bull, a third of a *hin* for a ram, and a quarter of a *hin* **for a lamb, of wine”** (Numbers 28:14). The juxtaposition of the terms lamb and wine teaches that **just as a lamb** is fit to be used as an offering only if brought **in its** first **year, so too wine** is fit to be used as a libation only if it is **in its** first **year.** ###### Menachot 87a:7 [Menachot 87a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:7) אִי מָה כֶּבֶשׂ בֶּן שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים – פָּסוּל, אַף יַיִן בֶּן שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים – פָּסוּל! וְכִי תֵּימָא הָכִי נָמֵי, וְהָתַנְיָא: יַיִן בֶּן שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים לֹא יָבִיא, וְאִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר! מַאן שָׁמְעַתְּ לֵיהּ דְּאָמַר ״לֹא יָבִיא״? רַבִּי, וְקָאָמַר: אִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר. **William Davidson Edition - English:** The Gemara ask: **If** so, take the analogy further and conclude that **just as** if one offers **a lamb in** its **second year,** it is **not valid, so too** a libation of **wine in** its **second year** is **not valid. And if you would say** that this is **indeed** the *halakha*, that is difficult: **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* that **wine in** its **second year may not be brought** *ab initio*, but **if one did bring it** as a libation, it is **valid?** That *baraita* certainly expresses the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, as **whom did you hear who said** that aged wine **may not be brought?** Only **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi, who explicitly states this opinion in the mishna. **And yet he says** in the *baraita*: **If one did bring** a libation of aged wine, it is **valid.** According to Rabbi Ḥizkiyya’s explanation of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s opinion, such an opinion is illogical. ###### Menachot 87a:8 [Menachot 87a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:8) אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא: הַיְינוּ טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי, דִּכְתִיב ״אַל תֵּרֶא יַיִן כִּי יִתְאַדָּם״. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **Rather, Rava said: This is the reasoning of Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi: **As it is written** in the verse exhorting a person not to be enticed by fine wines: **“Look not upon the wine when it is red”** (Proverbs 23:31). Evidently, the redness of wine is indicative of its quality. After a year, wine begins to lose its redness and so it should not be used, *ab initio*. Nevertheless, it is still of a sufficient quality to be acceptable, after the fact. ###### Menachot 87a:9 [Menachot 87a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:9) אֵין מְבִיאִין לֹא מִן הַדָּלִיּוֹת כּוּ׳. תָּנָא: כְּרָמִים הָעֲבוּדִים פַּעֲמַיִם בַּשָּׁנָה. **William Davidson Edition - English:** § The mishna teaches: **One may not bring** wine produced from **grapes suspended** on stakes or trees; rather, one brings wine produced from grapes at foot height and from vineyards that are cultivated. The definition of vineyards that are cultivated is clarified in a *baraita* that **taught: Vineyards that are cultivated twice a year.** This is done by hoeing the earth underneath the vines. ###### Menachot 87a:10 [Menachot 87a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:10) רַב יוֹסֵף הֲוָה לֵיהּ קַרְנָא דְּפַרְדֵּיסָא, דְּרָפֵיק בֵּיהּ טְפֵי רִיפְקָא, וְעָבֵד חַמְרָא דְּדָרֵי מַיָּא עַל חַד תְּרֵין. **William Davidson Edition - English:** The Gemara relates the efficacy of cultivating the land twice a year: **Rav Yosef had a tract** of land **that was** used as **an orchard [*depardeisa*]** to **which he** used to **give an extra hoeing, and** consequently **it produced wine** of such superior quality that when preparing the wine for drinking it required **a dilution using twice** the amount **of water** than that which is usually used to dilute wine. ###### Menachot 87a:11 [Menachot 87a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:11) לֹא הָיוּ כּוֹנְסִין אוֹתָן בַּחֲצָבִין גְּדוֹלִים, תָּנָא: חָבִיּוֹת כַּדִּיּוֹת לוּדִיּוֹת וּבֵינוֹנִיּוֹת. **William Davidson Edition - English:** § The mishna teaches: When people produced wine for libations **they would not collect** the wine **into large barrels,** as it causes the wine to spoil; rather, it would be placed in small casks. The Sages **taught** in a *baraita*: The **casks** referred to by the mishna are **flasks** that are made in **Lod and** that **are medium-sized.** ###### Menachot 87a:12 [Menachot 87a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:12) אֵין מַנִּיחִין אוֹתָן שְׁתַּיִם שְׁתַּיִם, אֶלָּא אַחַת אַחַת. **William Davidson Edition - English:** The Gemara adds another *halakha*: When storing casks containing wine for libations, **they should not be placed in twos,** i.e., one atop the other, but **rather singly,** i.e., each one should be placed separately. ###### Menachot 87a:13 [Menachot 87a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:13) כֵּיצַד בּוֹדֵק גִּזְבָּר? יוֹשֵׁב וְקָנֶה בְּיָדוֹ. זָרַק הַגִּיר – הִקִּישׁ בַּקָּנֶה. תָּנָא: זָרַק הַגִּיר שֶׁל שְׁמָרִים – גִּזְבָּר הִקִּישׁ בַּקָּנֶה. **William Davidson Edition - English:** § The mishna teaches: **How does** the Temple treasurer **inspect** wine to determine that it is from the middle of the cask? The **treasurer sits** alongside the cask **and** has **the** measuring **reed in his hand.** The spigot is opened and the wine begins to flow. If he sees that the wine emerging **draws** with it **chalk**-like scum, **he** immediately **knocks with the reed** to indicate that the spigot should be closed. The precise point at which he knocks is clarified in a *baraita* that **taught:** If the wine **draws** with it **chalk**-like scum, which comes **from the sediment, the treasurer knocks with the reed.** ###### Menachot 87a:14 [Menachot 87a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:14) וְלֵימָא לֵיהּ מֵימָר? מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַדִּיבּוּר יָפֶה לַבְּשָׂמִים, כָּךְ דִּיבּוּר רַע לַיַּיִן. **William Davidson Edition - English:** The Gemara challenges: Why does the treasurer knock with the reed; **let him** simply **speak.** The Gemara explains: This **supports** the opinion **of Rabbi Yoḥanan, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Just as speech is beneficial to the** incense **spices, so is speech detrimental to wine,** and so the treasurer avoids speaking. ###### Menachot 87a:15 [Menachot 87a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:15) רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר וְכוּ׳. בָּעֵי רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הִקְדִּישׁוֹ, מַהוּ שֶׁיִּלְקֶה עָלָיו מִשּׁוּם בַּעַל מוּם? כֵּיוָן דְּפָסוּל – כְּבַעַל מוּם דָּמֵי, אוֹ דִלְמָא אֵין בַּעַל מוּם אֶלָּא בִּבְהֵמָה? תֵּיקוּ. **William Davidson Edition - English:** § The mishna teaches: **Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says:** Wine in which there is flour-like white scum is unfit for libations. **Rabbi Yoḥanan raises a dilemma** concerning such wine: If **one consecrated it** to be used as a libation, **what is** the *halakha* with regard to whether **he should be flogged for** consecrating **it due to** the prohibition against consecrating **a flawed** item as an offering? Does one say that **since it** is **unfit, it is comparable to a blemished** animal? **Or perhaps,** the prohibition to consecrate **a flawed** item **applies only to an animal.** The Gemara concludes: The dilemma **shall stand** unresolved. ###### Menachot 87a:16 [Menachot 87a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:16) תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵילִים מִמּוֹאָב, כְּבָשִׂים מֵחֶבְרוֹן, עֲגָלִים מִשָּׁרוֹן, גּוֹזָלוֹת מֵהַר הַמֶּלֶךְ. **William Davidson Edition - English:** § Having discussed which flours, oils, and wine are fit to be offered in the Temple, the Gemara considers which animals are of sufficient quality to be used as offerings. **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: The choicest **rams** are those **from Moab;** the choicest **lambs** are those **from Hebron;** the choicest **calves** are those **from Sharon;** and the choicest **fledglings,** i.e., doves and pigeons, are those **from the King’s Mountain.** ###### Menachot 87a:17 [Menachot 87a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:17) רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מְבִיאִין כְּבָשִׂים שֶׁגׇּבְהָן כְּרׇחְבָּן. אָמַר רָבָא בַּר רַב שֵׁילָא: מַאי טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה? דִּכְתִיב: ״יִרְעֶה מִקְנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כַּר נִרְחָב״. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **Rabbi Yehuda says: One should bring lambs whose height is like their width,** i.e., they are so robust that they are as wide as they are tall. **Rava bar Rav Sheila said: What is the reason of Rabbi Yehuda? As it is written:** “And He will give the rain for your seed, with which you sow the ground, and bread of the produce of the ground, and it shall be fat and bountiful; **your cattle shall graze in wide pastures [*kar nirḥav*] on that day”** (Isaiah 30:23). The word “*kar*” can also mean a lamb, and “*nirḥav*” means wide. Accordingly, Rabbi Yehuda interprets this verse, on a homiletical level, to be alluding to robust sheep. ###### Menachot 87a:18 [Menachot 87a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:18) כְּתִיב: ״עַל חוֹמֹתַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַם הִפְקַדְתִּי שֹׁמְרִים כׇּל הַיּוֹם וְכׇל הַלַּיְלָה תָּמִיד לֹא יֶחֱשׁוּ הַמַּזְכִּירִים אֶת ה׳ אַל דֳּמִי לָכֶם״. מַאי אָמְרִי? הָכִי אָמַר רָבָא בַּר רַב שֵׁילָא: ״אַתָּה תָקוּם תְּרַחֵם צִיּוֹן״. **William Davidson Edition - English:** The chapter concludes by quoting an additional prophecy of Isaiah concerning the rebuilding of Eretz Yisrael: It **is written: “I have set watchmen upon your walls, Jerusalem; they shall never be silent day nor night; those who remind the Lord, take no rest”** (Isaiah 62:6). This is referring to the angels appointed by God to bring the redemption. The Gemara asks: **What** do these watchmen **say** to remind the Lord? **This** is what **Rava bar Rav Sheila said:** They recite the verse: **“You will arise and have compassion upon Zion;** for it is time to be gracious to her, for the appointed time has come” (Psalms 102:14). ###### Menachot 87a:19 [Menachot 87a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:19) רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: ״בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ה׳״. וּמֵעִיקָּרָא מַאי הֲווֹ אָמְרִי? אָמַר רָבָא בַּר רַב שֵׁילָא: ״כִּי בָחַר ה׳ בְּצִיּוֹן אִוָּהּ לְמוֹשָׁב לוֹ״. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says:** They recite the verse: **“The Lord builds up Jerusalem,** He gathers together the dispersed of Israel” (Psalms 147:2). The Gemara asks: **And initially,** when the Temple still stood and the Jewish people were gathered together in Eretz Yisrael, **what would** the watchmen **say? Rava bar Rav Sheila says:** They would say: **“For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation.** This is My resting place forever; here will I dwell for I have desired it” (Psalms 132:13–14). ###### Menachot 87a:20 [Menachot 87a:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:20) **הֲדַרַן עֲלָךְ כׇּל קׇרְבְּנוֹת הַצִּיבּוּר.** ###### Menachot 87a:21 [Menachot 87a:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:21) מַתְנִי׳ **שְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת** שֶׁל יָבֵשׁ הָיוּ בְּמִקְדָּשׁ, עִשָּׂרוֹן וַחֲצִי עִשָּׂרוֹן. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: עִשָּׂרוֹן, עִשָּׂרוֹן, וַחֲצִי עִשָּׂרוֹן. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **MISHNA:** **Two** sizes of **measuring vessels for dry** substances **were** used **in the Temple** for measuring flour for the meal offerings. One held **a tenth** of an ephah **and** the other held **one-half of a tenth** of an ephah. **Rabbi Meir says:** There were three measuring vessels; one that held **a tenth** of an ephah, another one that also held **a tenth** of an ephah, **and** a third one that held **one**-**half of a tenth** of an ephah. ###### Menachot 87a:22 [Menachot 87a:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:22) עִשָּׂרוֹן, מֶה הָיָה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ? שֶׁבּוֹ הָיָה מוֹדֵד לְכׇל הַמְּנָחוֹת, לֹא הָיָה מוֹדֵד לֹא בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה לַפָּר, וְלֹא בְּשֶׁל שְׁנַיִם לָאַיִל, אֶלָּא מוֹדְדָן עֶשְׂרוֹנוֹת. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **What** purpose **did** the **tenth** of an ephah measuring vessel **serve?** It was the vessel **with which one would measure** flour **for all the meal offerings. One would not measure** the flour by using a measuring vessel of a size that held the entire volume of flour required at once, i.e., **neither with** a vessel of **three-**tenths of an ephah **for** the meal offering accompanying the sacrifice of **a bull, nor with** a vessel of **two**-tenths of an ephah **for** the meal offering accompanying the sacrifice of **a ram. Rather, one measures** the flour for **them** by repeatedly using the tenth of an ephah measuring vessel to measure the required number of **tenths.** ###### Menachot 87a:23 [Menachot 87a:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:23) חֲצִי עִשָּׂרוֹן, מָה הָיָה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ? שֶׁבּוֹ הָיָה מוֹדֵד חֲבִיתֵּי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, מֶחֱצָה בַּבֹּקֶר וּמֶחֱצָה בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **What** purpose **did** the **one**-**half of a tenth** of an ephah measuring vessel **serve?** It was the vessel **with which one would measure** the flour for the **High Priest’s griddle-cake** offering. A tenth of an ephah was required each day; he sacrificed **half** of it **in the morning and** the other **half** of it **in the afternoon.** ###### Menachot 87a:24 [Menachot 87a:24](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:24) **גְּמָ׳** תַּנְיָא: הָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״עִשָּׂרוֹן עִשָּׂרוֹן לַכֶּבֶשׂ הָאֶחָד״? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרוֹנוֹת הָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ, אֶחָד גָּדוּשׁ וְאֶחָד מָחוּק. **William Davidson Edition - English:** **GEMARA:** The Gemara cites a *baraita* that clarifies Rabbi Meir’s opinion. It **is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Meir would say: What** is the meaning when **the verse states: “A tenth, a tenth, for every lamb”** (Numbers 28:29)? The fact the word “tenth” appears twice **teaches that there were two** measuring vessels that each held **a tenth** of an ephah **in the Temple. One** of them held that volume when it was **heaped, and** the other **one** was slightly larger and held that same volume when the flour was **leveled** with the rim. ###### Menachot 87a:25 [Menachot 87a:25](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Menachot/r/87a:25) גָּדוּשׁ שֶׁבּוֹ הָיָה מוֹדֵד לְכׇל הַמְּנָחוֹת, **William Davidson Edition - English:** The one that held a tenth of an ephah when **heaped** was the vessel **with which one would measure** the flour **for all the meal offerings.**