Menachot 75a (עה.) — the Talmud in English

What is the implication here,

with regard to the minḥat marḥeshet,

the placing of oil in a vessel

before its preparation,

so too there,

with regard to the minḥat maḥavat,

the placing of oil in a vessel

before its preparation.

The Gemara now explains the source for the second and third applications of oil in the two meal-offerings.

And what is the implication there,

with regard to the minḥat maḥavat, it contains

pouring

of oil

and mixing,

as the verse states: “Fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall pour oil upon it.”

So too here,

with regard to the minḥat marḥeshet,

pouring and mixing—

We have therefore learned that there are three applications of oil, both in the minḥat maḥavat and in the minḥat marḥeshet.

We learned in the Mishna:

Loaves—

he mixes them, the words of Rabbi.

And the Sages say: Fine flour.

The Sages taught:

It is stated with regard to the minḥat maḥavat: “

Fine flour

mixed,”

the verse teaches

that

it is mixed

with oil when the meal-offering is

fine flour.

Rabbi says: Loaves—

he mixes them.

As it is stated

with regard to the meal-offering baked in an oven: “

Loaves

of unleavened bread

mixed

with oil,” indicating that the mixing takes place when they have already been made into loaves, that is, after their baking.

They said to him,

the Sages:

But

even with regard to

the loaves of the thanksgiving-offering it is stated: “

Loaves

mixed with oil,”

and it is impossible to mix them except as fine flour

[this will be explained in the Gemara below].

How does one prepare

the minḥat maḥavat and minḥat marḥeshet, according to the Sages?

He places oil in a vessel before preparing them

[this is the first application of oil],

and places it

with the meal-offering upon the oil,

and

again

he places oil upon it and mixes it

[this is the second application of oil, and it is the “mixing”],

and kneads it

with lukewarm water,

and bakes it

in a maḥavat or marḥeshet,

and breaks it into pieces

[he breaks it into fragments],

and places upon it

[upon the meal-offering after breaking it into pieces]

oil

[this is the third application of oil, and it is the “pouring”],

and takes a handful.

The Gemara explains the words of the beraita:

Rabbi says: Loaves, he mixes them, as it is stated: “

Loaves mixed with oil.”

How does one prepare

the minḥat maḥavat and minḥat marḥeshet, according to Rabbi?

He places oil in a vessel before preparing it, and places it

upon the fine flour of the meal-offering over the oil,

and kneads it

with lukewarm water,

and bakes it

in a maḥavat or marḥeshet,

and breaks it into pieces, places oil upon it, mixes it, and again places oil upon it

[this is the pouring],

and takes a handful.

We learned in a beraita: The Sages said to him: But with regard to the loaves of the thanksgiving-offering, “loaves” is stated concerning them, and

it is impossible

to mix them when they are already loaves.

And it is explained in the Tosefta that

the Sages spoke properly to Rabbi,

as we learned there: Rabbi said, “Their words appear more convincing than my words.”

And the Gemara asks:

What is it?

What was the Sages’ argument, and what proof did they derive from the loaves of the thanksgiving-offering? And why is it impossible to interpret the law of the loaves of the thanksgiving-offering in accordance with Rabbi’s words as well?

He said,

explained

Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak: A quarter

of a log of

oil

alone

is

for the ten loaves and ten wafers of the loaves of the thanksgiving-offering together, and

how is it divided

this small quantity

among several loaves!?

For this is the law concerning the loaves and wafers of the thanksgiving-offering: One brings half a log of oil and divides it, half for the ten loaves and ten wafers. The measure of fine flour in the loaves and wafers was seventeen issaron less one-third, and after their baking they are dry and absorb more oil because of the fire; a quarter-log of oil is insufficient for them.

We learned in the Mishna:

The loaves

[of the meal-offering baked in an oven]

require mixing, while the wafers require anointing:

The Sages taught:

Only

loaves

would he make

mixed

with oil before their baking [in accordance with the opinion of the Sages].

But he did not make wafers mixed

with oil. Rather, they were anointed with oil after their baking, while they were whole, before breaking them into pieces.

One might have thought

to say:

Is it not logical

that the wafers should be mixed with oil? For

if loaves, which do not require anointing, require mixing,

wafers, which require anointing, should surely require mixing.

The verse states: “

Loaves

of unleavened bread

mixed,”

but not wafers mixed.

The beraita further explains:

Wafers are anointed

with oil,

but loaves are not anointed—

one might have thought

to say:

Is it not logical

that the loaves should be anointed? For

if wafers, which do not require mixing, require anointing,

loaves, which require mixing, should surely require anointing—

The verse states: Wafers are anointed [“Wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil”],

but loaves are not anointed.

but not loaves spread.

The Gemara now asks about what we have said—that the loaves do not require anointing, and the wafers do not require mixing:

What is the scriptural basis,

how can this matter be derived!? Although the verse mentions mixing with regard to loaves and anointing with regard to wafers, one could say that when the verse states anointing with regard to wafers, the same law applies to loaves. Similarly, when the verse states mixing with regard to loaves, the same law applies to wafers.

He said,

explained

Rava:

The proof is that

the verse does not happen to state

anywhere

and write: “

Loaves anointed and wafers mixed.” Rather, everywhere it specifically states mixing with regard to loaves and specifically anointing with regard to wafers. Therefore, infer from here that it is specifically so.

but everywhere it specifically says mixing with loaves and specifically anointing with wafers; therefore, learn from this that it is specifically so.

We learned in the Mishna:

How does one anoint them?

In the form of a chi.

And the remainder is eaten

by the priests:

What is meant by “in the form of

a chi”?

He said,

explained

Rav Kahana: In the form of a Greek chi,

like the Greek letter chi.

It was already mentioned above, on 72b, that according to Rabbi Shimon, the meal-offering baked in an oven may be brought in three ways: entirely as loaves, entirely as wafers, or half loaves and half wafers. The beraita stated below is in accordance with Rabbi Shimon.

The Sages taught:

This is the law of a

meal-offering

[a meal-offering baked in an oven]

brought as half loaves and half wafers:

He brings a log of oil

[this is the measure of oil for one issaron, which is the smallest measure of a meal-offering],

and divides it, half for the loaves and half for the wafers.

And he mixes the loaves

after anointing the wafers.

And he anoints the wafers

first,

and anoints the wafer over its entire surface

rather than in the form of a chi.

And he returns the remaining oil to the loaves

for the mixing performed after anointing the wafers.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda says in the name of Rabbi Shimon: He anoints them

the wafers

in the form of a chi, and the remaining oil is eaten by the priests.

Another beraita was taught: Wafers

of a meal-offering baked in an oven

that are brought separately:

He brings a log of oil,

and anoints them, and again anoints them

until the oil in the log is exhausted.

This is unlike what is explained in our Mishna.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda says in the name of Rabbi

Shimon: He anoints them in the form of a chi,

and the remaining oil is eaten by the priests,

as explained in our Mishna.

Mishna:

All meal-offerings prepared in a vessel,

including the meal-offering baked in an oven,

require breaking into pieces

[breaking into fragments] after their baking.

Gemara:

The Gemara explains: Regarding the Mishna’s statement, “prepared in a vessel,”

to exclude what

which meal-offerings does the Mishna intend to exclude as not requiring breaking into pieces?

the

which means “it,” and not another offering. The verse came to exclude only these, whereas the other offerings are included by the words “it is an offering.”

the

an offering