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Menachos 54b

מנחות נ״ד ע״ב

Menachot 54b

Learn Menachos 54b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 54b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Food that shrank and swelled again: is it permanently rejected (יש דיחוי באיסורין)? And whether food is measured by its current size or its original size.

Overview

The גמרא first pins down where the dispute really lies: food that had the required size, shrank below it, and then swelled back. One side says the shrinking rejects it for good (יש דיחוי באיסורין), and the other says it does not (אין דיחוי באיסורין). A משנה in טהרות says that shrunken impure foods, and shrunken פיגול, נותר and חלב, become impure and forbidden again once they swell back in the rain. That is a full תיובתא against the 'rejection' view. The גמרא then returns to the main question: is food measured by its current size or its original size? It brings a ברייתא about separating fresh figs for dried figs 'by number' and dried figs for fresh figs 'by measure'. Each half seems to fit only one view, because otherwise the person gives too much tithe and ruins his tithes. The גמרא first answers that the ברייתא is about standard תרומה given generously. The story of רבי יוסי giving ten figs for ninety rules that out. So the גמרא says the case is תרומת מעשר, following אבא אלעזר בן גומל, who holds that תרומת מעשר may be taken by estimate just like standard תרומה. His statement continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

כִּי פְּלִיגִי,

When they disagree,

כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ כְּשִׁיעוּר

it is in a case where it had the required measure

וְצָמַק וְחָזַר וְתָפַח,

and it shrank, and then swelled again,

דְּמָר סָבַר:

that one Sage holds:

The steps (14)

  1. ResolutionWhere the dispute really is: food that shrank and then swelled back
  2. ChallengeChallenge: a משנה says shrunken foods lose their status
  3. ChallengeThe punchline: when they swell back, the status returns
  4. ConclusionThe 'rejection' view is refuted
  5. ProofNew proof: separating תרומה from fresh figs for dried figs by number
  6. ProofThe first half of the ברייתא fits only 'original size'
  7. ProofGiving too much tithe ruins the tithes
  8. ChallengeBut the second half of the ברייתא says 'by measure'
  9. ChallengeThe second half fits only 'current size'
  10. ResolutionBoth clauses are about standard תרומה given generously
  11. ChallengeTen figs is far too much for standard תרומה
  12. ResolutionThe ברייתא is about תרומת מעשר and follows אבא אלעזר בן גומל
  13. ProofThe פסוק speaks about two kinds of תרומה
  14. Proofתרומת מעשר may also be taken by estimate