Menachos 20b

מנחות כ׳ ע״ב

Menachot 20b

Learn Menachos 20b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 20b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which altar items need salt? Why the limbs, and not blood, are compared to the מנחה, and how the ברייתא about wood and blood fits with רבי's view that wood needs salt.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier debate about why the limbs of a burnt offering, and not blood, are compared to the מנחה for the salt requirement. The גמרא first argues that blood looks like a better match. The answer is that the limbs share more features with the מנחה. Then the גמרא returns to a line in the ברייתא: 'I would think even wood and blood, which are called a קרבן, need salt.' It asks who holds that wood is called a קרבן, and the answer is רבי. But רבי holds that wood does need salt, as another ברייתא proves, and רבא and רב פפא add that for רבי wood even needs קמיצה and other wood to burn on. So the גמרא removes 'wood' from the ברייתא. That fix raises a new question: what does the פסוק's limiting word exclude, if blood is already excluded by 'מעל מנחתך'? The answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (10)

1. ChallengeBlood should have been included instead
2. ResolutionThe limbs share more features
3. StatementQuoting the ברייתא about wood and blood
4. QuestionWho holds that wood is called a קרבן?
5. ChallengeBut רבי holds that wood needs salt!
6. ProofThe ברייתא proving רבי requires salt on wood
7. Statementרבא: for רבי, wood needs קמיצה
8. Statementרב פפא: for רבי, wood needs other wood
9. ResolutionTake wood out of the ברייתא
10. ChallengeThen what does the פסוק exclude?