Gemara Clarity

Menachos 110a

מנחות ק״י ע״א

Menachot 110a

Learn Menachos 110a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 110a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Torah study in place of קרבנות, and the final משנה: big or small, what matters is the heart

Overview

This amud finishes the story of the altar Jews built in Alexandria, and explains 'עיר ההרס' as the city of the sun, with a proof from איוב. רב הונא explains that the 'sons' in ישעיהו are the settled exiles of בבל and the 'daughters' are the unsettled exiles of other lands. רב teaches that only the nations between צור and קרטיגני recognize ישראל and ה׳. When challenged from מלאכי, he answers that the far-away nations only call Him 'the God of gods'. A series of teachings follows: Torah learning, anywhere and even at night, counts like bringing קרבנות and doing the Temple service, and רבא adds that one who learns Torah does not need קרבנות at all. The last משנה of the מסכת teaches that a big קרבן and a small one are equal, as long as the heart is aimed at Heaven. The גמרא backs this up with פסוקים from קהלת and a ברייתא of בן עזאי showing that ה׳ needs nothing from our offerings. It ends with the rule that a קרבן slaughtered without awareness (מתעסק) is פסול, and closes מסכת מנחות.

Opening lines

וְנִשְׁבָּעוֹת לַה׳ צְבָאוֹת״.

and swear to the Lord of hosts.

הָלְכוּ לַאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָּא שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם

They went to Alexandria of Egypt

וּבָנוּ מִזְבֵּחַ

and built an altar

וְהֶעֱלוּ עָלָיו לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם,

and offered sacrifices on it for the sake of Heaven,

The steps (34)

  1. StatementAn altar is built in Alexandria
  2. QuestionWhat does 'the city of destruction' mean?
  3. Responseרב יוסף: the city of the sun
  4. QuestionHow do we know 'הרס' means sun?
  5. ProofProof from איוב: 'חרס' is the sun
  6. Statementרב הונא: sons from afar and daughters from the ends of the earth
  7. StatementFrom צור to קרטיגני the nations recognize ישראל
  8. ChallengeA verse suggests that ה׳'s name is great everywhere
  9. ResolutionThey call Him the God of gods
  10. QuestionCan offerings really be brought in every place?
  11. ResponseTorah scholars learning anywhere count as bringing offerings
  12. StatementA pure מנחה is learning Torah in purity
  13. QuestionWhat does 'at night' mean in the Temple?
  14. ResponseLearning Torah at night counts as the Temple service
  15. StatementAn altar in Heaven where Michael brings offerings
  16. StatementScholars learning the laws of the service are like building the Temple
  17. StatementLearning Torah is like bringing every kind of offering
  18. Challengeרבא questions the wording behind ריש לקיש's reading
  19. Resolutionרבא: one who learns Torah does not need offerings at all
  20. StatementLearning the laws of a חטאת or אשם is like bringing one
  21. StatementBig or small offering, what matters is the heart
  22. Proofרבי זירא's source: the sweet sleep of the worker
  23. Proofרב אדא בר אהבה's source: more food, more eaters
  24. StatementOnly the name of ה׳ appears in the sections about offerings
  25. StatementA big bull, a small bird and a flour offering are all called a pleasing aroma
  26. ChallengeMaybe ה׳ needs the offerings as food
  27. ResolutionVerses from תהלים show ה׳ does not need food
  28. ConclusionOfferings are brought for our own good, not for ה׳'s needs
  29. StatementA second reading: sacrifice with awareness
  30. Questionשמואל asks: where do we learn that a מתעסק disqualifies a קרבן?
  31. ResponseFirst answer: slaughter for the sake of a bull
  32. Challengeשמואל pushes back: that does not show it is essential
  33. Resolution'לרצנכם' makes awareness essential
  34. Conclusionהדרן: closing the chapter הרי עלי עשרון and מסכת מנחות