## Mishnah Menachot Chapter 8

###### Mishnah Menachot 8:1
[Mishnah Menachot 8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Menachot/r/8:1)

כָּל קָרְבְּנוֹת הַצִּבּוּר וְהַיָּחִיד בָּאִים מִן הָאָרֶץ וּמִחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, מִן הֶחָדָשׁ וּמִן הַיָּשָׁן, חוּץ מִן הָעֹמֶר וּשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם, שֶׁאֵינָן בָּאִים אֶלָּא מִן הֶחָדָשׁ וּמִן הָאָרֶץ. וְכֻלָּן אֵינָן בָּאִים אֶלָּא מִן הַמֻּבְחָר. וְאֵיזֶהוּ מֻבְחָר. מִכְמָס וּמְזוֹנִיחָה, אַלְפָא לַסֹּלֶת. שְׁנִיָּה לָהֶם, חֲפָרַיִם בַּבִּקְעָה. כָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת הָיוּ כְשֵׁרוֹת, אֶלָּא מִכָּאן הָיוּ מְבִיאִים:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**All communal and individual** meal **offerings** may **come from** produce grown in **Eretz** Yisrael **and from outside Eretz** Yisrael, **from the new** crop, i.e., the current year’s crop, **and from the old** crop from previous years. This is the *halakha* of all meal offerings **except for the *omer*,** i.e., the measure of barley brought as a communal offering on the sixteenth of Nisan, **and the two loaves,** i.e., the communal offering brought on the festival of *Shavuot*, **as they come only from the new** crop **and from Eretz** Yisrael. **And all** meal offerings **come only from the optimal-**quality grain. **And which** places have the **optimal** grain **for them?** Fields in **Makhnis and Zateḥa** are the **primary [*alfa*]** source **for fine flour. Secondary to them** is **Aforayim in the valley.** A**ll the regions were valid** as the source of the grain**, but** it is **from here,** the primary and secondary places, that **they would bring** grain, because it was of optimal quality.


###### Mishnah Menachot 8:2
[Mishnah Menachot 8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Menachot/r/8:2)

אֵין מְבִיאִין לֹא מִבֵּית הַזְּבָלִים, וְלֹא מִבֵּית הַשְּׁלָחִים, וְלֹא מִבֵּית הָאִילָן. וְאִם הֵבִיא, כָּשֵׁר. כֵּיצַד הוּא עוֹשֶׂה, נָרָהּ שָׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וּבַשְּׁנִיָּה זוֹרְעָהּ קֹדֶם לַפֶּסַח שִׁבְעִים יוֹם, וְהִיא עוֹשָׂה סֹלֶת מְרֻבָּה. כֵּיצַד הוּא בוֹדֵק. הַגִּזְבָּר מַכְנִיס אֶת יָדוֹ לְתוֹכָהּ. עָלָה בָהּ אָבָק, פְּסוּלָה, עַד שֶׁיְּנִיפֶנָּה. וְאִם הִתְלִיעָה, פְּסוּלָה:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Even when selecting grain for meal offerings from the locations mentioned in the previous mishna, **one may not bring** as a meal offering grain **from a fertilized field, nor from an irrigated field, nor from a field of trees,** as such fields do not produce grain of optimal quality. **But if** one **did bring** a meal offering of grain from such fields, it is **fit.** **How does one produce** optimal-quality grain? **He plows** the field during the **first year,** but he does not sow it, **and in the second year, he sows it seventy days before Passover, and** in that manner **it produces** grain that will provide **an abundance of fine,** high-quality, **flour.** **How does** the Temple treasurer **inspect** the flour to determine whether it is of sufficiently high quality? **The treasurer inserts his hand into** the flour. If, when he removes his hand, flour **powder covers it,** the flour is **unfit, until one sifts it** with a fine sifter, so that no powder will remain. **And if** the flour **became wormy,** it is **unfit** for use in a meal offering.


###### Mishnah Menachot 8:3
[Mishnah Menachot 8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Menachot/r/8:3)

תְּקוֹעָה, אַלְפָא לַשָּׁמֶן. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר, שְׁנִיָּה לָהּ רֶגֶב בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן. כָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת הָיוּ כְשֵׁרוֹת, אֶלָּא מִכָּאן הָיוּ מְבִיאִין. אֵין מְבִיאִין לֹא מִבֵּית הַזְּבָלִים, וְלֹא מִבֵּית הַשְּׁלָחִים, וְלֹא מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּזְרַע בֵּינֵיהֶם. וְאִם הֵבִיא, כָּשֵׁר. אֵין מְבִיאִין אַנְפִּיקְנוֹן. וְאִם הֵבִיא, פָּסוּל. אֵין מְבִיאִין מִן הַגַּרְגְּרִים שֶׁנִּשְׁרוּ בַמַּיִם, וְלֹא מִן הַכְּבוּשִׁים, וְלֹא מִן הַשְּׁלוּקִין. וְאִם הֵבִיא, פָּסוּל:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Olive trees in **Tekoa** are the **primary** source **of oil** to be used in meal offerings. **Abba Shaul says: Secondary to** Tekoa **is Regev on the** east **bank of the Jordan** River. **All the regions were valid** for oil to be brought from them, **but** it was **from here** that **they would bring** it. **One may not bring** a meal offering containing oil from olives taken **from a fertilized** olive **grove, nor** from olives taken **from an irrigated** olive **grove, nor** from olives taken **from** an olive grove where grain **was sown between** the trees. **But if one did bring** a meal offering containing oil from such groves, it is **valid. One may not bring** a meal offering containing oil from **unripe olives [*anpiktan*], but if one did bring** it, it is **not valid. One may not bring** a meal offering containing oil **from olives that were soaked in water, nor from pickled** olives, **nor from boiled** olives, **and** even if **one did bring** it, it is **not valid.**


###### Mishnah Menachot 8:4
[Mishnah Menachot 8:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Menachot/r/8:4)

שְׁלשָׁה זֵיתִים, וּבָהֶן שְׁלשָׁה שְׁלשָׁה שְׁמָנִים. הַזַּיִת הָרִאשׁוֹן, מְגַרְגְּרוֹ בְרֹאשׁ הַזַּיִת וְכוֹתֵשׁ וְנוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ הַסַּל. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, סְבִיבוֹת הַסַּל. זֶה רִאשׁוֹן. טָעַן בְּקוֹרָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בַּאֲבָנִים. זֶה שֵׁנִי. חָזַר וְטָחַן וְטָעַן, זֶה שְׁלִישִׁי. הָרִאשׁוֹן לַמְּנוֹרָה, וְהַשְּׁאָר לַמְּנָחוֹת. הַזַּיִת הַשֵּׁנִי מְגַרְגְּרוֹ בְרֹאשׁ הַגַּג, וְכוֹתֵשׁ וְנוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ הַסַּל. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, סְבִיבוֹת הַסַּל, זֶה רִאשׁוֹן. טָעַן בְּקוֹרָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בַּאֲבָנִים, זֶה שֵׁנִי. חָזַר וְטָחַן וְטָעַן, זֶה שְׁלִישִׁי. הָרִאשׁוֹן לַמְּנוֹרָה, וְהַשְּׁאָר לַמְּנָחוֹת. הַזַּיִת הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, עוֹטְנוֹ בְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת עַד שֶׁיִּלְקֶה, וּמַעֲלֵהוּ וּמְנַגְּבוֹ בְרֹאשׁ הַגַּג, וְכוֹתֵשׁ וְנוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ הַסַּל. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, סְבִיבוֹת הַסַּל, זֶה רִאשׁוֹן. טָעַן בְּקוֹרָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בַּאֲבָנִים, זֶה שֵׁנִי. חָזַר וְטָחַן וְטָעַן, זֶה שְׁלִישִׁי. הָרִאשׁוֹן לַמְּנוֹרָה, וְהַשְּׁאָר לַמְּנָחוֹת:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**There are three** harvests of **olives** each year, **and in each** of **them, three** different grades of **oils** are produced. How is **the first olive** harvest processed? **One picks** the ripe olives **at the top of the olive** tree, as those are the first to ripen, **and crushes** them in a mortar **and places** them **inside** the bottom of a wicker **basket** that has many small holes in it. The oil will then drip from the olives through those holes into a vessel placed underneath the basket. **Rabbi Yehuda says:** One positions the olives on the walls, **surrounding the basket.** This produces more refined oil, as the dregs stick to the walls of the basket. **This is the first** grade of oil produced from the first harvest. After the oil ceases to seep from the crushed olives, **one then presses down with** a wooden **beam** upon them, causing additional oil to flow from the basket into the vessel. **Rabbi Yehuda says:** The excessive pressure produced by pressing down with a beam would cause some of the flesh of the olives to get mixed in with the oil, compromising its quality. Rather, one applies pressure **by** placing **stones** upon the olives. **This is the second** grade of oil. **One then ground** the olives with a millstone **and pressed down** with a beam on those olives to extract any remaining oil; **this is the third** grade of oil. **The first** grade is fit **for** kindling **the Candelabrum,** which requires: “Refined olive oil” (Leviticus 24:2), **and the rest** are fit **for** use in **meal offerings.** How is **the second** olive harvest processed? **One picks** the crop of olives that is accessible while one is standing **on the rooftop.** This was the second lot of olives to ripen. **And one crushes** it in a mortar **and places** those olives **into** a wicker **basket,** allowing the oil to drip through the holes into a vessel underneath. **Rabbi Yehuda says:** One positions the olives on the walls, **surrounding the basket. This** is the **first** grade of oil from the second harvest. **One** then **presses down** upon those olives **with** a wooden **beam,** thereby producing more oil. **And Rabbi Yehuda says:** One applies pressure only **by** placing **stones** upon them. **This** is the **second** grade of oil. **One then ground** the olives with a millstone **and pressed down** upon them with a beam, thereby extracting any remaining oil; **this** is the **third** grade of oil. **The first** grade is fit **for** kindling **the Candelabrum, and the rest** are fit **for** use in **meal offerings.** How is the **third** olive harvest processed? This harvest consists of all the olives that still remain on trees. **One packs it into a vat [*oteno*] in** the building that houses **the olive press [*beit habbad*]** where it remains **until it softens, and** then **one raises** it **up** to the roof **and dries it on the rooftop** to remove the foul-smelling liquid secreted from the olives while in the vat. Then, **one crushes** the olives in a mortar **and places** them **into** a wicker **basket,** allowing the oil to drip through the holes into a vessel underneath. **Rabbi Yehuda says:** One positions them on the walls, **surrounding the basket. This** is **the first** grade of oil. **One** then **presses down** on those olives **with** a wooden **beam,** thereby producing more oil. **And Rabbi Yehuda says:** One applies pressure only **by** placing **stones** upon them. **This** is the **second** grade of oil. **One would then grind** the olives with a millstone **and press down** upon them with a beam, thereby extracting any remaining oil; **this** is the **third** grade of oil. **The first** grade is fit **for** kindling **the Candelabrum, and the rest** are fit **for** use in **meal offerings.**


###### Mishnah Menachot 8:5
[Mishnah Menachot 8:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Menachot/r/8:5)

הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבָּרִאשׁוֹן, אֵין לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ. הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁבָּרִאשׁוֹן וְהָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבַּשֵּׁנִי, שָׁוִין. הַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁבָּרִאשׁוֹן וְהַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁבַּשֵּׁנִי וְהָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבַּשְּׁלִישִׁי, שָׁוִין. הַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁבַּשֵּׁנִי וְהַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁבַּשְּׁלִישִׁי, שָׁוִין. הַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁבַּשְּׁלִישִׁי, אֵין לְמַטָּה מִמֶּנּוּ. אַף הַמְּנָחוֹת הָיוּ בַדִּין שֶׁיִּטָּעֲנוּ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זַךְ. מָה אִם הַמְּנוֹרָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ לַאֲכִילָה, טְעוּנָה שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זַךְ, הַמְּנָחוֹת, שֶׁהֵן לַאֲכִילָה, אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁיִּטָּעֲנוּ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זַךְ. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות כז), זָךְ כָּתִית לַמָּאוֹר, וְלֹא זַךְ כָּתִית לַמְּנָחוֹת:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Having enumerated the nine grades of oils in the previous mishna, this mishna proceeds to rank them by their quality: As for **the first** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the first** harvest, **there is none superior to it. The second** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the first** harvest **and the first** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the second** harvest are of **equal** quality; there is no reason to choose one over the other. **The third** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the first** harvest **and the second** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the second** harvest **and the first** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the third** harvest are of **equal** quality. **The third** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the second** harvest **and the second** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the third** harvest are of **equal** quality. As for **the third** grade of oil **that is** produced **from the third** harvest, **there is none inferior to it.** **Also,** with regard to **all the meal offerings, it was logical that they should require** the highest quality of **refined olive oil,** just like the Candelabrum. Because **if** the **Candelabrum, whose** oil **is not to be consumed** on the altar, **requires refined olive oil,** then **meal offerings, which** are **to be consumed** on the altar, **is it not logical that they should require refined olive oil?** To dispel this notion, **the verse states: “Refined pounded** olive oil **for illumination”** (Leviticus 24:2), which indicates that the high-quality, refined, pounded oil is required for the Candelabrum, **but there is no** need for **refined pounded** olive oil **for meal offerings.**


###### Mishnah Menachot 8:6
[Mishnah Menachot 8:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Menachot/r/8:6)

וּמִנַּיִן הָיוּ מְבִיאִין אֶת הַיַּיִן. קְרוּתִים וְהַטּוּלִים, אַלְפָא לַיָּיִן. שְׁנִיָּה לָהֶן, בֵּית רִמָּה וּבֵית לָבָן בָּהָר, וּכְפַר סִגְנָה בַבִּקְעָה. כָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת הָיוּ כְשֵׁרוֹת, אֶלָּא מִכָּאן הָיוּ מְבִיאִין. אֵין מְבִיאִין, לֹא מִבֵּית הַזְּבָלִים, וְלֹא מִבֵּית הַשְּׁלָחִין, וְלֹא מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּזְרַע בֵּינֵיהֶן. וְאִם הֵבִיא, כָּשֵׁר. אֵין מְבִיאִין אִלְיוּסְטָן. וְאִם הֵבִיא, כָּשֵׁר. אֵין מְבִיאִין יָשָׁן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי. וַחֲכָמִים מַכְשִׁירִין. אֵין מְבִיאִין, לֹא מָתוֹק, וְלֹא מְעֻשָּׁן, וְלֹא מְבֻשָּׁל. וְאִם הֵבִיא, פָּסוּל. אֵין מְבִיאִין מִן הַדָּלִיּוֹת, אֶלָּא מִן הָרוֹגְלִיּוֹת וּמִן הַכְּרָמִים הָעֲבוּדִים:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**From where would they bring the wine** for libations? **Keduḥim and Attulin** are the **primary** sources **for wine. Secondary to them** is **Beit Rima and Beit Lavan,** located **in the mountain, and** the **village of Signa,** located **in the valley. All the regions were valid** sources for wine; **but** it was **from here,** i.e., the aforementioned locations, that **they would bring** the wine. **One may not bring** libations of wine that come **from a fertilized vineyard, or from an irrigated vineyard, or from** a vineyard in **which** grain **was sown between** the vines. **But if one did bring** a libation from such wine, it is **valid. One may not bring** libations from **sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes [*hilyasteyon*], but if one did bring** a libation from such wine, it is **valid. One may not bring** wine **aged** for one year; this is **the statement of Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi, **but the Rabbis deem it valid. One may not bring** libations from **sweet** wine, **nor** from wine produced from **smoked** grapes, **nor** libations **from boiled** wine, **and if one did bring** a libation from such wine, it is **not valid. And one may not bring** wine produced from **grapes suspended** on stakes or trees; **rather,** one brings it **from grapes at foot** height, i.e., that rest on the ground, which are superior-quality grapes, and from **vineyards that are cultivated,** i.e., where one hoes beneath the vines twice a year.


###### Mishnah Menachot 8:7
[Mishnah Menachot 8:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Menachot/r/8:7)

לֹא הָיוּ כוֹנְסִים אוֹתוֹ בַחֲצָבִים גְּדוֹלִים, אֶלָּא בְחָבִיּוֹת קְטַנּוֹת. וְאֵינוֹ מְמַלֵּא אֶת הֶחָבִיּוֹת עַד פִּיהֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף. אֵינוֹ מֵבִיא, לֹא מִפִּיהָ, מִפְּנֵי הַקְּמָחִין. וְלֹא מִשּׁוּלֶיהָ, מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁמָרִים. אֶלָּא מֵבִיא מִשְּׁלִישָׁהּ וּמֵאֶמְצָעָהּ. כֵּיצַד הוּא בוֹדֵק, הַגִּזְבָּר יוֹשֵׁב וְהַקָּנֶה בְיָדוֹ, זָרַק אֶת הַגִּיד וְהִקִּישׁ בַּקָּנֶה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, יַיִן שֶׁעָלָה בוֹ קְמָחִין, פָּסוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, תְּמִימִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם וּמִנְחָתָם (במדבר כח), תְּמִימִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם (שם):

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** when producing wine for libations, **one should not collect** the wine **into large barrels,** as it causes the wine to spoil; **rather,** it should be placed **in small casks. And one does not fill up** the cask **until its mouth;** rather, one leaves some empty space **so that its fragrance will** collect there and **diffuse** when the lid is opened. **One should not bring** libations **from** wine that rests at the **mouth of** the cask **due to** **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.** **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. **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.