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Menachos 29a

מנחות כ״ט ע״א

Menachot 29a

Learn Menachos 29a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 29a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The מנורה's decorations, height, gold and heavenly design; then the rules of letters in a מזוזה

Overview

The גמרא finishes counting the decorations of the מנורה: 22 גביעים, 11 כפתורים, and 9 פרחים, with the ninth flower coming from a פסוק in במדבר. רב says the מנורה is nine טפחים tall. When challenged from the three-step stone the כהן used, he explains that he meant only from the branches up. Next, 'מכלות זהב' is explained to mean that שלמה's ten מנורות used up all his pure gold, refined from a thousand כיכרים down to one each. The גמרא then asks why the מנורה is called 'טהורה.' Since a metal vessel can obviously become טמא, the word must teach that its design came from Heaven. This leads to teachings about fiery models shown to משה, גבריאל showing the מנורה, and things ה׳ pointed out with His finger. Finally the גמרא returns to the משנה about the מזוזה: even one letter not surrounded by blank parchment makes it unfit. It then discusses a hole in the letter ה״י and begins a story about אגרא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְתַמְנֵי סְרֵי דְּקָנִים,

and the eighteen of the branches,

הָא עֶשְׂרִין וְתַרְתֵּין.

this makes twenty-two.

כַּפְתּוֹרִין נָמֵי אַחַד עָשָׂר כַּפְתּוֹרִין:

The knobs too: eleven knobs:

תְּרֵי דִּידַהּ, וְשִׁשָּׁה דְּקָנִים,

two of its own, and six of the branches,

The steps (34)

  1. StatementThe goblets and knobs add up correctly
  2. ChallengeThe flowers seem to come out only eight
  3. ResolutionA verse in במדבר gives the ninth flower
  4. Statementרב says the מנורה is nine handbreadths tall
  5. ChallengeWhy would the כהן need steps for something so short?
  6. Resolutionרב meant only the part from the branches up
  7. QuestionWhat does 'מכלות זהב' mean?
  8. ResponseIt used up all of שלמה's pure gold
  9. ProofA thousand כיכרים of gold for each מנורה
  10. ChallengeBut שלמה had plenty of gold left
  11. ResolutionOnly the pure gold was used up
  12. ChallengeDoes refining really shrink gold so much?
  13. ResolutionOnce gold is pure, it stops shrinking
  14. StatementThe design of the מנורה came from Heaven
  15. ChallengeThen the שלחן would also be from Heaven
  16. Resolution'Pure' means it can become impure
  17. RejectionThe word 'pure' really teaches something new about the Table
  18. QuestionWhat 'affection' were the pilgrims shown?
  19. ResponseThe miracle of the shewbread staying hot
  20. RejectionFor the מנורה, 'it can become impure' is obvious
  21. ConclusionSo the מנורה's design came from Heaven
  22. ProofVessels of fire came down from Heaven
  23. ChallengeWas a fiery משכן also shown to משה?
  24. ResolutionThe wording is different: fashion versus pattern
  25. Statementגבריאל showed משה how to make the מנורה
  26. StatementThings God showed משה with His finger
  27. StatementBack to the משנה: the two sections of the מזוזה
  28. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
  29. ResolutionThe rule is needed for the tiny tip of a יוד
  30. ChallengeBut that is also obvious
  31. ResolutionEvery letter must have blank parchment all around it
  32. StatementA hole in the letter ה״י
  33. StatementA second version: it depends how much of the leg is left
  34. StatementOpening a story about אגרא, father-in-law of רבי אבא