Menachot 104a — the Talmud in English

And that man

said about himself as well:

he relies upon the baker

—I too understand [the statement of] those who rely upon the baker, for I am worried and have no strength to answer.

The Gemara asks: Ultimately,

what has become of it

—what is the answer to the difficulty raised by Rabbi Yitzhak bar Bisna?

Rabbi Yosef said:

Rabbi Yehuda

son of Rabbi Ilai

was the halakhic authority of the house of the Nasi

—he was the decisor of halakha in the house of the Nasi—

and he instructed him according to his teaching

—he instructed them that the blood of an animal carcass imparts impurity, according to his opinion—:

For we learned: Rabbi Yehuda

son of Rabbi Ilai

says:

There are six matters

that are

among the leniencies of the House of Shammai and the stringencies of the House of Hillel,

and one of them is:

The blood of carcasses: The House of Shammai declares it pure, and the House of Hillel declares it impure,

It follows that according to the view of the House of Hillel, the blood of carcasses imparts impurity, and Rabbi Yehuda instructed according to their view.

Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Yehuda said:

Even when the House of Hillel declared it impure, they declared it impure only in the measure of a quarter-log, since it can coagulate and stand at the measure of

the measure of

an olive-bulk,

which is the measure of meat for the impurity of carcasses.

Mishna:

A person may volunteer wine alone, to pour its libations upon the altar, provided that he volunteers it according to the measure of libations stated in the Torah. Therefore:

One may not volunteer one log

alone, or

two or five

—or five—logs, for we have not found libations in this measure.

But one may volunteer three

logs, like the libations of a lamb,

and four

logs, like the libations of a ram,

and six

like the libations of a bull,

and

likewise

from six

logs

and above,

for seven logs equal the libations of a lamb and a ram together, and eight logs equal the libations of two rams, and so on.

Gemara:

It was asked of them:

Is there a fixed measure for libations,

that is, when one says, “It is incumbent upon me to bring such-and-such logs for libations,” have all the logs been fixed to be offered all at once—

or is there no fixed measure for libations,

and he may offer them not all at once?

The Gemara asks:

What are the circumstances,

that is, what practical difference is there?

And the Gemara explains:

For example, he brought five

—he vowed to bring five logs of wine—which is not a measure in which we have libations and he cannot bring them, as explained in the Mishna, and it is uncertain what he should do:

If you say that there is no fixed measure for libations,

then

he continues and offers

—pours—

four of them, which are fit for a ram

—he pours four logs, the measure of a ram’s libations—,

and the other is a voluntary offering

—the additional log, which he cannot pour, is redeemed, and with its value burnt-offerings are brought for the maintenance of the altar.

And if you say that there is a fixed measure for libations,

then

until he completes them

—until he volunteers additional libations that complete the measure of libations in the Torah—

they are not offered,

even the four suitable for the libations of a lamb, since he cannot offer the five except all at once.

What

is the law in this circumstance?

Abaye said: Come and hear

that he cannot offer four, and the fifth log does not go to a voluntary offering—from what we learned in Shekalim:

Six

collection boxes [boxes made in the form of horns, whose mouths were narrow and whose lower portions were broad] were in the Temple

for voluntary offerings

—in order to place in them money used for the maintenance of the altar.

And we say: Corresponding to what,

that is, why were there six collection boxes there?

Corresponding to the remainder of a sin-offering

—for example, he set aside money for a sin-offering, the lambs became cheaper, and money remained for him—

and the remainder

of ordinary

guilt-offerings, and the remainder of a nazirite’s guilt-offering, and the remainder of a leper’s guilt-offering,

for all these remainders go to the maintenance of the altar.

And if it is so,

that when one vows five logs, one log goes to the maintenance of the altar, then

let them establish another collection box corresponding to the remainder of libations

—let the Sages establish a seventh collection box in which to place this money; rather, certainly nothing goes to a voluntary offering. Instead, he waits until the measure is completed and offers them all at once.

And we answer: Even if we say that there is no fixed measure for libations, and he offers what is fit, nevertheless there is no need to make a collection box for the remainder. For granted,

these

—the remainders mentioned above—

go to the communal voluntary offering

—they go to the communal voluntary offering, that is, the maintenance of the altar—it is necessary to wait until there is a need for his money, in order to bring offerings from it upon the altar, which is idle without offerings, and therefore they place them meanwhile in collection boxes—

but

these

—the remainders of libations—do not require him to wait, for

they are common

—remainders of libations are found—and

it is possible that the remainder of this person and the remainder of that person will join with one another and be offered,

—it is possible that the remainders of his and another’s offerings will join to form a complete measure of libations, and they will be offered.

Rava said: Come and hear

that there is no fixed measure for libations, and if one volunteered five, he brings as much as he can, from what was taught in a beraita:

It is written in the passage of libations, after the Torah detailed all the laws of libations: “Every

citizen

shall do these things in this manner,” and it is superfluous. Rather,

it teaches that one may volunteer libations

alone.

And how much

may one volunteer?

Three logs,

which is the smallest measure among libations, as we derive from “in this manner” that one may not diminish from this measure.

And from where is it derived that if he wishes to add

to this measure,

he may add?

The verse states

further in that passage: “Half a hin

shall be

for a bull,” implying that there are other libations as well.

One might think he may reduce

from three logs.

The verse states “[A0198]]in this manner.”

так».

But

what

“he may add”

is it that we required to learn it from Scripture?

If you say four and six

logs, this cannot be said, for this requires no special verse, because:

What is different about three

that he can volunteer it, because

they are fit

—they are suitable—

for a lamb,

but

four and six are also fit:

four

for a ram and

six for a

bull.

Rather, is it not

that the verse comes to teach that one may volunteer

five,

but certainly he offers only the measure that is fit, and the remainder goes to a voluntary offering,

and learn from it: There is no fixed measure for libations.

And we conclude: Indeed,

learn from it

that there is no fixed measure for libations.

He said,

astonished,

Rav Ashi:

But we

in our Mishna

did not learn so,

rather, that one may not volunteer five, for we learned:

One may not volunteer one log, two, or five—

Behold,

it teaches “

five”

analogously to “

two.”

Just as two are not fit at all,

for they are less than the measure,

so five too are not fit at all,

teaching that he offers nothing, because there is a fixed measure for libations!? And we answer:

Is that necessarily so

—is he necessarily required to compare them!? Rather, it may be said:

this [“

five”]

is as it is, and

this [“

two”]

is as it is.

Abaye said:

If you should conclude

that

there is no fixed measure for libations—there is no fixed measure for libations,

and I have nothing to add concerning this; however,

if you should conclude

that

there is a fixed measure for libations—

behold:

If he vowed

up to ten

logs,

it is obvious to me

what their law will be, as was explained above—