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Menachos 27b

מנחות כ״ז ע״ב

Menachot 27b

Learn Menachos 27b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 27b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How strict are the sprinklings (הזאות) of the פרה אדומה compared with the inner sprinklings and the מצורע's oil? Two ברייתות seem to contradict each other, and רב חסדא settles it as a מחלוקת between רבי יהודה and רבנן.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier point: if one placement of blood is missing, the service does not count. A ברייתא then says the פרה אדומה's sprinklings are invalid if done שלא לשמן or not aimed toward the אהל מועד. For the inner sprinklings and the מצורע's sprinklings, only the wrong intent ruins them. A second ברייתא says aim does not matter for the פרה either. רב חסדא answers that the two ברייתות follow רבי יהודה and רבנן. To show their dispute, the גמרא brings a ברייתא about a pure person who goes too far into the היכל: for רבנן, death begins inside the פרוכת, while for רבי יהודה it begins only before the כפורת. Each side reads ויקרא 16:2 so that the other side's reading would leave a phrase extra. The argument ends up turning on whether the word 'אל' is exact. רבי יהודה reads it as exact, so for him the פרה's sprinkling 'אל נכח' needs exact aim. רבנן read it as not exact. רב יוסף then challenges רבי יהודה from the בית שני, which had no כפורת, and רבה בר עולא answers him. Finally, רבא begins a different answer: both ברייתות follow רבנן. His explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁאִם חִיסֵּר אַחַת מִן הַמַּתָּנוֹת

that if he omitted one of the placements

לֹא עָשָׂה כְּלוּם.

he has done nothing.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שֶׁבַע הַזָּאוֹת שֶׁבַּפָּרָה,

The Rabbis taught: the seven sprinklings of the red heifer,

שֶׁעֲשָׂאָן – בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָן,

that he performed either not for their own sake,

The steps (24)

  1. ConclusionMissing one blood placement ruins the whole service
  2. StatementThe פרה אדומה's sprinklings need the right intent and the right direction
  3. StatementInner and מצורע sprinklings: intent matters, aim does not
  4. ChallengeAnother source says aim does not matter for the פרה אדומה
  5. Resolutionרב חסדא: the two sources follow two different opinions
  6. ProofThe ברייתא opens: impure people who enter the עזרה
  7. StatementPure people who go too far in: lashes or death
  8. QuestionWhat is the argument based on? The פסוק of 'ואל יבוא בכל עת'
  9. ResponseHow רבנן split the פסוק
  10. ResponseHow רבי יהודה splits the פסוק
  11. QuestionWhat is the reasoning of רבנן?
  12. Responseרבנן: otherwise 'inside the Curtain' would be extra
  13. Resolutionרבי יהודה: without it, we would exclude the Sanctuary
  14. Rejectionרבנן: the whole היכל is called 'holy'
  15. QuestionWhat is רבי יהודה's reasoning?
  16. Responseרבי יהודה: otherwise 'before the Ark Cover' would be extra
  17. Resolutionרבנן: 'before the Ark Cover' excludes a roundabout path
  18. Proof'Before' always means the east side
  19. Resolutionרבי יהודה learns from the extra word 'אל'
  20. Resolutionרבי יהודה reads 'אל נכח' as exact for the פרה אדומה
  21. Conclusionרבנן read 'אל' as not exact in both places
  22. ChallengeIf 'על' is exact, how did they sprinkle in the בית שני?
  23. ResolutionThe place set aside for the ארון is enough
  24. Resolutionרבא begins a new answer: both teachings follow רבנן