Menachos 50a

מנחות נ׳ ע״א

Menachot 50a

Learn Menachos 50a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 50a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The six inspected lambs, how new Temple vessels are first put into use (חינוך), and donated incense

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a question on the משנה about keeping six inspected lambs 'enough for שבת and the two days of ראש השנה.' The count seems to reach seven, so the גמרא says six is a general number and the phrase is only a memory aid, which the word 'כדי' supports. Next comes the משנה about a missed morning תמיד. The גמרא fills in missing words: a new מזבח must begin with the morning lamb, but once it is in use the afternoon lamb is brought anyway, which a ברייתא learns from the פסוק that calls the afternoon lamb 'the second.' רבי שמעון limits this to cases of force or mistake, and רבא explains that only the guilty כהנים lose the right to bring it, while missed incense is always burned because כהנים treasure that service. The גמרא then shows that תנאים disagree whether a new golden altar starts with the morning or afternoon incense, and אביי supports the afternoon view from the פסוק about fixing the lamps. It also explains that a new שלחן starts, and its bread becomes holy, only on שבת, just as the מנורה starts with its evening lighting. Finally, a ברייתא about the one-time incense of the נשיאים on the outer altar leads to a challenge about whether an individual or the community may ever donate incense, and that discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. ChallengeThe count still comes out to seven lambs
2. ResolutionThe משנה is speaking generally, and the phrase is just a memory aid
3. ProofThe משנה's exact wording supports the memory-aid reading
4. StatementThe משנה about a missed morning offering, and רבי שמעון's comment
5. ChallengeWho mentioned putting the altar into use?
6. ResolutionThe משנה has missing words about the altar's first use
7. Statementרבי שמעון limits the rule to forced or mistaken cases
8. QuestionWhat is the source for the rule?
9. ResponseThe verse calls the afternoon lamb 'the second'
10. StatementThe verse's limit applies only before the altar's חינוך
11. StatementThe ברייתא also brings רבי שמעון's limit
12. ChallengeShould the altar sit idle because the כהנים sinned?
13. ResolutionOnly the guilty כהנים may not offer the afternoon lamb
14. StatementWhy missed incense is still burned, even by the same כהנים
15. Statementרבי שמעון: a new golden altar starts with the afternoon incense
16. ChallengeA ברייתא says it starts with the morning incense
17. ResolutionIt is a disagreement between תנאים
18. Proofאביי: the afternoon view makes more sense, from a פסוק
19. ProofMorning cleaning proves evening lighting came first
20. QuestionWhat is the source for starting with the morning incense?
21. ResponseLearned from the outer altar
22. StatementThe משנה on starting a new table
23. ChallengeDoes weekday showbread become holy?
24. ResolutionBoth first use and holiness happen only on שבת
25. StatementA one-time case of an individual's incense on the outer altar
26. QuestionWhich case is the ברייתא talking about?
27. ResponseIt was the incense of the נשיאים
28. ChallengeTwo problems with what the ברייתא implies
29. ChallengeA ברייתא: an individual may not donate incense even on the inner altar
30. ChallengeThe ברייתא continues: maybe only an individual is excluded