Menachos 101a

מנחות ק״א ע״א

Menachot 101a

Learn Menachos 101a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 101a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

When holy items may be redeemed: blemished animals, impure versus pure מנחות (שמואל and those who argue with him), and items kept from redemption because they are rare.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier point: nothing made holy in a כלי שרת is ever redeemed. A ברייתא then shows that the תורה calls a blemished animal (בעל מום) 'טמא,' and that only a permanent blemish, not a מום עובר, allows redemption. רב הונא בר מנוח challenges שמואל, who allows pure מנחות and נסכים to be redeemed. He uses the משנה that impure wood, לבונה and כלי שרת cannot be redeemed, arguing that these items still count as 'pure.' The גמרא answers that pure items can be redeemed, and these items are an exception only because they are hard to find. That includes wood, since wood fit for the altar must be free of worms. רב פפא says a ברייתא about unblemished animals given to בדק הבית would have made שמואל retract. The גמרא answers that perfect animals are also rare, so the same reason applies. Next come opposing views: רב כהנא, רבי אושעיא (reported two ways) and רבי אלעזר, who exempts the poor sinner's מנחה based on 'מחטאתו' and 'על חטאתו.' Finally רבי אושעיא reports רבי שמעון's view that a פיגול מנחה cannot become impure as food, and the supporting source continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. ConclusionItems made holy in a service vessel are never redeemed
2. QuestionWhere is a blemished animal called impure?
3. ResponseA ברייתא reads the verse as speaking about blemished animals
4. QuestionMaybe the verse means a truly non-kosher animal
5. ResponseAnother verse already covers the non-kosher animal
6. QuestionCan a temporary blemish allow redemption?
7. ResponseOnly an animal that can never be offered is redeemed
8. Challengeרב הונא בר מנוח quotes a teaching about impure holy items
9. ChallengeBirds make sense, but why not redeem wood, frankincense and vessels?
10. ChallengeWhy these impure items still count as pure
11. ChallengeDetails: wood, frankincense and vessels have only limited impurity
12. ResolutionPure items can be redeemed; these items are a special case because they are hard to find
13. ChallengeWood is easy to find, so why can't it be redeemed?
14. ResolutionWood fit for the altar is also hard to find
15. Challengeרב פפא: a ברייתא about unblemished animals would have made שמואל change his mind
16. Rejectionשמואל knew the ברייתא and explained it as a 'not commonly available' case
17. ResolutionUnblemished animals are also rare, because blemishes are so common
18. Statementרב כהנא and רבי אושעיא: only impure ones are redeemed
19. StatementAnother version: רבי אושעיא says even pure ones are redeemed
20. Statementרבי אלעזר: pure ones are not redeemed, except the poor sinner's flour offering
21. ProofThe Torah's wording, "מחטאתו" and "על חטאתו", is the source for the exception
22. StatementA פיגול meal offering does not become impure as food
23. ProofThe source begins: ערלה and כלאי הכרם