Menachos 71a

מנחות ע״א ע״א

Menachot 71a

Learn Menachos 71a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 71a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The source for the עומר permitting rooted grain, the rules of reaping before the עומר, and the practices of the people of יריחו

Overview

The amud opens by searching for the source of the משנה's rule that the עומר permits even grain that has only taken root. רבי יאשיה, שמואל and רבי יצחק each suggest a word in a פסוק (אביב, מהחל חרמש, קמה), and each proof is pushed off to a later stage of growth. רבא finally proves it from אשר תזרע בשדה: 'which you sow' reaches back to the earliest stage, and 'in the field' limits it to grain that has rooted. A new משנה follows. It lists cases where grain may be reaped before the עומר: irrigated valley fields, fodder, saplings, a house of mourning and the בית המדרש. It also gives the ideal and the fallback ways to harvest the עומר itself. The גמרא uses רבי בנימין's reading of two phrases in one פסוק to show that only fields fit for the עומר are restricted. With help from רבי יוחנן, it shows the split is by type of field, not by type of grain. Finally, it identifies the יריחו line of the משנה as רבי יהודה's. It then challenges that from a ברייתא in which רבי יהודה says none of יריחו's practices were approved, only some were not protested. The list of protested practices continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. Questionרבי יאשיה is pressed for the source of the rooting rule
2. Responseרבי יאשיה learns it from the word אביב
3. RejectionMaybe the implied grain reached one-third
4. Responseשמואל learns it from 'when the sickle is first put'
5. RejectionMaybe the implied grain is unripe fodder
6. ResponseA third proof from the word 'standing grain'
7. RejectionGrain that cannot stand may just be soft marsh grain
8. Responseרבא proves it from 'which you sow'
9. Challengeרב פפא: then even unrooted seed should count
10. Resolution'In the field' means it has rooted
11. StatementNew משנה: irrigated valley fields and the people of Jericho
12. StatementReaping for animal fodder: רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון disagree
13. StatementReaping for saplings, mourners, and the בית המדרש
14. StatementThe ideal and fallback ways to harvest the עומר
15. StatementTwo phrases in one פסוק seem to clash about reaping before the עומר
16. ResolutionThe phrases apply to different kinds of fields
17. ChallengeWhy not split by type of grain instead?
18. Resolutionרבי יוחנן already showed that all five grains are included
19. StatementThe משנה about the people of יריחו
20. QuestionWho talks about protesting and not protesting?
21. ResponseIt is רבי יהודה
22. ChallengeDoes רבי יהודה really think the reaping was approved?
23. Statementרבי מאיר's list of the six practices
24. Statementרבי יהודה: none of the six were approved
25. Statementרבי יהודה lists the three practices the חכמים did not protest
26. Statementרבי יהודה opens the list of practices the חכמים protested