Menachos 50b

מנחות נ׳ ע״ב

Menachot 50b

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

Open Menachos 50b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Gift incense is forbidden; the כהן גדול's daily חביתין: one full עשרון split in half, how it is prepared, and why it overrides שבת

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא that says incense (קטורת) may never be brought as a voluntary gift. Neither a ציבור nor a יחיד may bring it, and it may not be offered on either altar. רב פפא explains that the ברייתא uses a 'לא מיבעיא' style, and that the incense of the נשיאים was only a הוראת שעה. A new משנה then teaches that the כהן גדול brings one full עשרון of flour for his daily חביתין, splits it, and offers half in the morning and half in the afternoon. If he dies after the morning half, his replacement brings a fresh full עשרון, so two halves are offered and two are lost. A ברייתא learns all this from the word ״מַחֲצִיתָהּ״, and רב נחמן and רב אשי discuss why both leftover halves must be left overnight (עיבור צורה) before burning. The גמרא then records a dispute about whether the חביתין are baked before or after frying, based on readings of the word ״תֻּפִינֵי״. Finally it asks why preparing the חביתין overrides שבת. רב הונא, the school of רבי ישמעאל, and אביי each give a source, and אביי's explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. ChallengeEven the community may not bring gift incense
2. ChallengeGift incense is not allowed on the outer altar either
3. Resolutionרב פפא explains the ברייתא with a 'goes without saying' style
4. StatementNew משנה: the כהן גדול's griddle-cakes come from one full tenth
5. StatementWhen the כהן גדול dies after the morning half
6. StatementWhat we would have thought without the exact wording
7. ConclusionThe פסוק teaches half of a complete עשרון
8. StatementIf the afternoon half becomes impure or is lost
9. ConclusionHow the replacement for a lost half works
10. StatementThe כהן גדול dies after the morning half
11. ConclusionThe פסוק requires a half from a whole
12. ConclusionHow the new כהן גדול carries this out
13. StatementWhat to do with the two leftover halves
14. ChallengeWhy should the second half have to wait before burning?
15. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows the school of רבה בר אבוה
16. Resolutionרב אשי: both halves were fit when divided
17. QuestionHow are the חביתין prepared?
18. ResponseBake then fry, or fry then bake
19. ProofSupport for baking first: the loaves must be baked while still nice
20. ProofSupport for frying first: the loaves are baked once they are partly cooked
21. StatementThe same argument already appears among the תנאים
22. Statementרבי יוסי: bake it a lot, so both readings are true
23. Statementמשנה: the חביתין are prepared inside the עזרה and override שבת
24. QuestionWhere do we learn that this overrides שבת?
25. Responseרב הונא: the loaves must be fresh, so they cannot be baked the day before
26. Challengeרב יוסף: just keep it fresh by covering it with greens
27. ResponseSchool of רבי ישמעאל: 'It shall be made', even on שבת and in טומאה
28. Responseאביי begins a different source from 'perpetually'