Menachot 99a (צט.) — the Talmud in English

A. It is explained in the Mishna below, on page 99b, that two priests arranged the leḥem ha-panim—one row for each priest—and two priests on the other side of the table removed the bread from the table. Their actions took place simultaneously: these pulled away the bread while those arranged it.

B. Since they arranged and removed the bread simultaneously, they necessarily had to walk side by side. It follows that the width of the path on which they walked occupied two and a half cubits, which was the space required for two people walking side by side.

Granted, according to the one who says that the tables

were placed from north to south—

it works out well:

there was room in the northern half of the Sanctuary—which was ten cubits wide from north to south—for the length of five tables from north to south, as explained.

But according to the one who says that they

were placed from east to west, the difficulty is: There was not enough room in the width of the northern section of the Sanctuary—which was where the tables stood, in fulfillment of the verse, “And you shall place the table on the northern side,” and whose entire width was only ten cubits—for the widths of all the tables and the passages between them. For

since: the tables [the five tables adjacent to the northern wall]

the five tables adjacent to the northern wall]

how far extended

did each extend

from the

northern wall?

Two and a half cubits,

the space required for two people to walk—

And

add to the width of the Sanctuary

its own cubit,

the cubit corresponding to the width of the northern tables themselves—

And

add another

two and a half cubits between them [between the northern row and Moses’ table, which stood in the middle], the space required for two people to walk—

the space between the northern row and Moses’ table, which stood in the middle], the space required for two people to walk—

And

add another

cubit of its own [the width of Moses’ table]—

the cubit representing the width of Moses’ table]—

And

add another

two and a half cubits between them [between Moses’ table and the southern row]—

between Moses’ table and the southern row]—

And

add another

cubit of its own

corresponding to the width of the southern tables— Thus, you have a width of ten and a half cubits that you are required to fit into a width of only ten cubits. And

it turns out that the table occupied [the width occupied by all the tables]

the width occupied by all the tables]

half a cubit in the south [an additional half-cubit from the southern half of the Sanctuary], whereas the Torah says: “And you shall place the table on the northern side”

!?

And we answer:

Do you think that Moses’ table stood together with them [Do you think that Moses’ table was aligned with the tables on either side of it], so that you must add space for a passage between his table and those beside it, as well as the width of his table

!?

No,

that was not the case. Rather:

They raised it and placed it

Moses’ table,

and lowered them

the additional tables

a little [Moses’ table was higher on the western side because the Temple floor was inclined,

and the others were slightly lower than it], and the additional tables, in relation to Moses’ table, were

like a student sitting

slightly lower

before his teacher

who sits higher than he—

That is to say, Moses’ entire table extended farther west than the additional tables and stood opposite the passage between the northern and southern tables. It follows that it was necessary to provide only one passage of two and a half cubits between the northern and southern tables, and altogether the width occupied by the tables and the passages was only seven cubits.

The Sages taught:

Solomon made ten tables

in addition to Moses’

and they did not arrange

the leḥem ha-panim

except on Moses’—

As it is stated [I Kings 7]: “And Solomon made all the vessels

and the table upon which was the leḥem ha-panim

of

gold,”

which indicates that the leḥem ha-panim was placed only on one specific table.

Solomon made ten menorot

in addition to Moses’

and they lit only on Moses’—

As it is stated [II Chronicles 13]: “And they burn offerings to the Lord, burnt offerings morning by morning and evening by evening, and incense of spices, and a display of bread on the pure table,

and the golden menorah and its lamps, to burn in the evening,”

in the evening

This indicates that there was one particular golden menorah on which they lit.

Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua says: They arranged the bread on all of them,

at times on this one and at times on that one,

as it is stated [II Chronicles 4]: “And Solomon made all the vessels

and the tables, and upon them was the leḥem ha-panim,”

which indicates that they arranged the bread on several tables.

And they lit the lamps on all of them, as it is stated

And they lit on all of them, as it is stated

[in the immediately following verse]: “

And the menorot and their lamps, to burn them according to the law before the Sanctuary,

of pure gold.”

Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: They arranged the bread only on Moses’ table. Rather, how do I understand

“

and the tables, and upon them was the leḥem ha-panim”?

That is, the leḥem ha-panim was arranged on three tables. How so?

Two—

other tables that were not included among the ten tables—

were in the Entrance Hall

[which was before the Sanctuary],

inside, at the entrance to the House

[near the entrance to the Sanctuary]:

One table

was

made

of silver [that is, of marble, which is white like silver],

that is, of marble, which is white like silver],

and

one table

was

made

of gold,

on which they placed the bread during its arrangement and removal. How so?

On

the

silver

table, he

placed

the

leḥem ha-panim upon its arrival,

as the priests entered the Sanctuary to arrange the bread on the table in the Sanctuary, they placed the bread there temporarily.

And on

the

gold

table he placed the bread

upon its departure,

as they left the Sanctuary after removing the bread from the table; the bread remained there until the bowls of frankincense were burned.

One elevates in matters of sanctity and does not lower,

and therefore, upon entering, they placed it on the marble table, and then elevated it in sanctity and placed it on the table in the Sanctuary, which was made of gold. Upon leaving, they placed it on a gold table, so as not to lower it from the golden table in the Sanctuary.

And in addition, there was

one of gold

that was

inside

the Sanctuary; this was Moses’ table,

upon which the leḥem ha-panim was always placed.

And it is concerning these three tables that the verse states: “And the tables, and upon them was the leḥem ha-panim.”

And from where do we know that one does not lower

in matters of sanctity?

He said

—Rabbi

explained:

Because

the verse says [Exodus 40:18]: “

And Moses erected the Tabernacle, and placed its sockets, and set up its boards, and placed its bars, and erected its pillars.”

And Moses raised up the Tabernacle, and placed its sockets, and set up its boards, and placed its bars, and raised up its pillars.”

And from where do we know that one elevates

in matters of sanctity?

He said

—Rabbi

Aḥa bar Ya’akov explained:

Because

the verse says concerning Korah’s dispute, when two hundred and fifty men offered incense in fire pans, and a fire went forth from the Lord and consumed them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses [Numbers 17:2]:

“Say to Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, that he remove the fire pans from among the burning, and scatter the fire elsewhere [remove the fire from the fire pans], for they have become sanctified [the fire pans are forbidden for benefit, since they made them vessels used in the Temple service].

The pans of these sinners against their souls, and make them hammered plates as a covering for the altar, because they brought them before the Lord

The fire pans of these sinners against their souls, and make them hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they brought them before the Lord

and they became sanctified, and they shall be a sign for the Children of Israel.”

Thus,

at first

the fire pans were

implements of the altar, but now they became the body of the altar,

in order to elevate their sanctity.

It is written [Deuteronomy 10]: “Fashion for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, and ascend to Me to the mountain, and make for yourself a wooden Ark. And I shall write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets,

which you broke, and you shall place them in the Ark,”

Rav Yosef taught:

This teaches that the tablets and

even

the fragments of the tablets were placed in the Ark,

as is implied by the wording of the verse, “which you broke, and you shall place them in the Ark.”

From here it follows that a Torah scholar who forgot his learning due to circumstances beyond his control must not be treated disrespectfully.

A mnemonic

for the following statements of Reish Lakish: A.

He ceased;

B.

He became corrupt;

C.

and he forgot.