Menachos 96a

מנחות צ״ו ע״א

Menachot 96a

Learn Menachos 96a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 96a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The source for רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון's argument about לחם הפנים, the משנה on the חביתין, שבת and the כלי שרת, and the measurements and arrangement of the לחם הפנים on the שולחן

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a discussion about דוד eating the לחם הפנים at נוב. He was allowed only because his life was in danger. The גמרא then concludes that רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון disagree based on different received traditions. It proves this from רבי שמעון's wording, 'one should always be accustomed to say.' A new משנה follows. It teaches that the kneading, shaping and baking of the חביתי כהן גדול override שבת, but grinding and sifting do not, and רבי עקיבא gives the general rule behind this. The same משנה adds that the steps of the מנחות done inside the עזרה use a כלי שרת. It then gives the sizes of the שתי הלחם, the לחם הפנים and the שולחן, with רבי יהודה and רבי מאיר arguing over how the loaves were folded onto the table. It also describes the golden panels and rods that held the bread. The גמרא finds the source for using a כלי in a פסוק in יחזקאל. Finally, רבי יוחנן calculates how high the שולחן's holiness reaches, and the גמרא answers challenges from the rods, the air gaps, the בזיכין and the קרנות.

Opening lines

The steps (35)

1. Resolutionדוד was allowed to eat because he was in danger
2. ConclusionThe two sages disagree based on tradition
3. ProofProof from the wording 'always be accustomed to say'
4. StatementWhich steps of the כהן גדול's griddle-cakes override שבת
5. Statementרבי עקיבא's general rule about overriding שבת
6. StatementInside steps use a כלי שרת, outside steps do not
7. StatementThe measurements of the two breads
8. StatementA memory trick for the numbers
9. StatementThe shewbread must have flat sides
10. StatementThe table and the bread are the same size
11. StatementLaying the long bread across the table
12. Statementרבי מאיר's measurements of the table and the bread
13. Statementרבי מאיר's arrangement with a gap in the middle for air
14. Statementאבא שאול says the לבונה bowls sat in the gap
15. ChallengeThe חכמים object from the פסוק saying the לבונה goes on the arrangement
16. Resolutionאבא שאול answers that עַל can mean 'next to'
17. StatementThe four golden panels and twenty-eight hollow rods
18. StatementThe rods do not override שבת
19. StatementAll Temple vessels lie along the length of the building
20. QuestionWhere do we learn that every meal offering needs a vessel inside?
21. Responseרבי quotes the פסוק in יחזקאל
22. ResponseThe meal offering is like the sin and guilt offerings
23. StatementHow high the Table's holiness reaches
24. ChallengeDon't the rods add height?
25. ResolutionThe rods sink into the loaves
26. QuestionWhy are the rods there?
27. ResponseTo keep the bread from going moldy
28. ChallengeSunk-in rods won't stop mold
29. ResolutionThe rods are lifted a little
30. ChallengeThe small gaps should add height
31. ResolutionGaps smaller than a טפח are not counted
32. ChallengeThe frankincense bowls should add height
33. ResolutionThe bowls sit inside the bread
34. ChallengeThe horn-like corners should add height
35. ResolutionThe horns are folded in under the next loaf