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Menachos 96b

מנחות צ״ו ע״ב

Menachot 96b

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

Open Menachos 96b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The frame of the שולחן, and whether and why the שולחן can become טמא: the flat-board rule, being carried full and empty, and its gold covering.

Overview

The גמרא asks whether the frame of the שולחן raised the bread higher than an earlier calculation allowed. It gives two answers. One opinion holds that the frame was below the tabletop. Even according to the opinion that the frame was on top, it slanted outward and the bread sat inside it. A ברייתא shows that רבי יוסי and the חכמים really argued about where the frame was. From the view that the frame was below, רבי יוחנן learns that a flat board that can be turned over can become טמא. The גמרא then asks how the שולחן can become טמא at all, since a wooden vessel that stays in one place cannot. It answers with ריש לקיש's teaching: the שולחן was lifted with the bread on it to show the עולי רגלים the miracle of the לחם הפנים staying hot all week. Finally the גמרא asks why the gold covering alone would not make the שולחן able to become טמא, and the discussion of fixed and loose coverings continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

וְהָאִיכָּא מִסְגַּרְתּוֹ!

But there is its frame!

כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר מִסְגַּרְתּוֹ לְמַטָּה הָיְתָה,

It follows the one who said its frame was below,

וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר מִסְגַּרְתּוֹ לְמַעְלָה הָיְתָה –

And according to the one who said its frame was above –

פַּרְקוֹדֵי הֲוָה מְפַרְקְדָא,

it was tilted, slanting outward,

The steps (17)

  1. ChallengeBut what about the table's frame?
  2. ResolutionAnswer one: the frame was below the tabletop
  3. ResolutionAnswer two: even a frame on top was slanted, with the bread inside
  4. ProofSource of the dispute: רבי יוסי and the חכמים
  5. Statementרבי יוחנן: a flat board that can be flipped can become טמא
  6. StatementWith the frame on top, the flat-board question stays open
  7. ChallengeHow can the שולחן become טמא at all?
  8. ProofThe source: wooden vessels must be like a sack
  9. ResolutionThe שולחן was also carried full and empty
  10. Challengeריש לקיש: 'the pure table' means it can become impure
  11. ResolutionThe שולחן was lifted to show the pilgrims the bread
  12. ProofThe miracle of the לחם הפנים staying hot
  13. ChallengeWhy not say the gold covering makes it able to become טמא?
  14. ProofThe משנה about a table covered with marble
  15. ProofReading the משנה: the covering decides
  16. ResolutionMaybe a fixed covering differs from a loose covering
  17. Challengeריש לקיש was unsure whether the משנה is limited to a fixed covering