Menachot מנחות

Tractate Menahot discusses the halakhot of various offerings, specifically those that are brought from grain, i.e., wheat or barley, as well as the libations of oil and wine sacrificed in the Temple. Menahot therefore complements tractate Zevahim, which examines the halakhot of offerings brought from livestock or birds, and there are many parallels between the two tractates.

Just as there are various types of animal and bird offerings, so too, there are several types of meal offerings: Voluntary meal offerings, obligatory meal offerings, meal offerings brought as atonement for a transgression, individual meal offerings, and communal meal offerings. Similarly, just like animal offerings, there are portions of the meal offerings that are burned on the altar and other portions consumed by the priests. But whereas animal offerings are divided into two categories: Offerings of lesser sanctity and offerings of the most sacred order, all meal offerings are classified as offerings of the most sacred order. Accordingly, their consumption is permitted only to male members of the priesthood, and they may be eaten only inside the Temple courtyard.

Perhaps most importantly, the four sacrificial rites performed during the service of a meal offering parallel the four rites performed with an animal offering. In other words, the removal of a handful from the meal offering, the sanctification of that handful in a service vessel, its conveyance to the altar, and the burning of the handful on the altar parallel, respectively, the slaughter of an animal offering, the collection of its blood, the conveyance of that blood to the altar, and the presentation of the blood on the altar. Additionally, just as the presentation of the blood of an offering renders the remainder of that offering permitted for consumption by the priests or for sacrifice on the altar, so too, the burning of the handful on the altar renders the remainder of the meal offering permitted to the priests for consumption. Furthermore, just as the improper performance of one of the rites of an animal offering, or improper intent during one of these rites, disqualifies the offering, so too, meal offerings are disqualified through improper performance of one of their rites or improper intent during one of them.

There are also certain differences between meal offerings and animal offerings. Whereas an animal offering is fit for slaughter in its natural state, a meal offering must be prepared before it can be brought as an offering. Additionally, an animal offering is a single body, i.e., the animal itself, whereas a meal offering comprises several elements, namely, the flour, oil, and frankincense.

Together, tractates Zevahim and Menahot provide an extensive analysis of the sacrificial rites of all offerings sacrificed in the Temple. It is worth noting that the latter part of Menahot deals with halakhot applying to all sacrificial offerings. The tractate also concludes with a celebrated general statement: It is written with regard to an animal burnt offering: “An offering made by fire, of a pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 1:9), and with regard to a bird burnt offering: “An offering made by fire, of a pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 1:17), and also with regard to a meal offering: “An offering made by fire, of a pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 2:2). This teaches that one who brings an expensive offering and one who brings a less expensive offering are equal before God, provided that they direct their hearts toward Heaven.

There are many ways to categorize the various types of meal offerings. One can distinguish between meal offerings that are voluntary, those that are obligatory, and those that are brought as atonement for a transgression. One can also differentiate between individual meal offerings and communal ones, or between meal offerings that are brought as independent offerings and those that are brought in conjunction with slaughtered offerings. Furthermore, one can distinguish between meal offerings based on their contents, as some are brought from wheat while others are brought from barley, and some contain oil and frankincense, whereas others contain only one of these ingredients or even neither. Meal offerings can also be classified by the manner of their preparation: Some are sacrificed as a raw mixture of flour and oil, while others are baked or fried before they are sacrificed. Of these, most meal offerings are baked or fried to form unleavened bread, while a minority of them are prepared as leavened bread. Additionally, most meal offerings undergo the sacrificial rite of the removal of a handful, which is the only part of the offering that is sacrificed upon the altar. Some meal offerings are burned in their entirety upon the altar without the removal of a handful.

In total, there are fifteen different types of meal offerings: Eleven are meal offerings brought by an individual, three are communal offerings, and the last includes all meal offerings that accompany the libations brought with slaughtered offerings. With regard to this last type, there is no distinction between the individual and the community.

Of the eleven types of individual meal offerings, five are voluntary offerings, described in the Torah according to their manner of preparation (see Leviticus 2:1-10): A meal offering of flour, a meal offering of loaves, a meal offering of wafers, a meal offering prepared in a pan, and a meal offering prepared in a deep pan. The remaining six are the meal offering of a sinner, brought by one who is obligated to bring a sliding-scale offering and cannot afford to bring an animal or bird (see Leviticus 5:11-13); the meal offering of jealousy, brought by a sota (see Numbers 5:25); the inaugural meal offering, brought by all priests when they begin their service in the Temple (see Leviticus 6:13); the griddle-cake offering of the High Priest, brought daily by the High Priest, half of which is sacrificed in the morning and the other half of which is sacrificed in the afternoon (see Leviticus 6:15); the loaves brought with a thanks offering (see Leviticus 7:12-14); and the loaves of a nazirite, sacrificed by a nazirite together with the offerings he must bring at the completion of his naziriteship (see Numbers 6:14).

There are three types of communal meal offerings: The omer meal offering (see Leviticus 23:10-11), the two loaves of bread brought on Shavuot (see Leviticus 23:17), and the shewbread, placed every Shabbat on the Table inside the Sanctuary (see Leviticus 24:5-8). The halakhot of the bread sacrificed with the inaugural ram offerings brought by Aaron and his sons when they were anointed as priests (see Leviticus, chapter 8) are also discussed in this tractate.

Tractate Menahot also contains halakhic deliberations concerning topics not directly related to meal offerings, which are nevertheless examined at length due to their mention in the mishnayot. In fact, the overwhelming majority of halakhot and aggadic literature pertaining to the mitzvot of ritual fringes, phylacteries, and mezuza are found in Menahot. There are additional discussions relating to these topics dispersed throughout the rest of the Talmud, but the main analyses of the commentaries and rabbinic authorities on these topics are based on the passages in this tractate.

In all, tractate Menahot has thirteen chapters. Some chapters focus on a single topic, while others deal with multiple issues.

Chapter One discusses the halakhot of meal offerings that are disqualified through improper intent, e.g., an offering that was sacrificed not for its own sake, or that was sacrificed with the intent to partake of it outside its proper place or beyond its proper time. It also addresses the sacrificial rites during which improper intent disqualifies the offering, as well as which individuals disqualify it when they perform its rites.

Chapter Two focuses on those instances where improper intent with regard to one part of a meal offering disqualifies the entire offering.

Chapter Three deals with multiple topics. The beginning of the chapter mentions those instances where improper intent with regard to a meal offering does not disqualify it. The chapter also discusses the parts of meal offerings that are indispensable to the whole, i.e., their absence or invalidation disqualifies the entire offering. In line with this last topic, the mishnayot cite various instances where the individual parts of an item are indispensable. It is in this context that the Gemara expands upon the halakhot of mezuza and phylacteries.

Chapter Four lists various items whose individual parts are not indispensable to the whole despite the fact that it would have been logical to suggest otherwise. An extensive analysis of the halakhot of ritual fringes is found in this chapter.

Chapter Five describes the methods of preparation of the various types of meal offerings.

Chapter Six extensively analyzes the halakhot pertaining to the omer meal offering. The chapter discusses the proper manner of harvesting and preparing the grain used for the omer as well as the permissibility of consuming the new crop after the sacrifice of the omer meal offering. The Gemara also cites many of the Sages' proofs that the omer must be sacrificed on the sixteenth of Nisan. Some halakhot relating to the two loaves of bread sacrificed from the new crop on Shavuot are examined as well.

Chapter Seven continues the discussion with regard to the preparation and sacrifice of the various meal offerings.

Chapter Eight addresses the various halakhot of the thanks offering. The topics discussed include the different types of bread, i.e., meal offerings, brought with the thanks offerings, as well as the relationship between the thanks offering, which is a slaughtered animal, and the loaves sacrificed with it, e.g., if and when a disqualification occurring with regard to one of them disqualifies the other. The halakhot of the offspring of a thanks offering and the substitute of a thanks offering are dealt with here as well.

Chapter Nine describes the optimal locations from which grain should be harvested for use in communal meal offerings, as well as the locations producing the best oil and wine. The methods for producing the best crop are also listed here, as well as those instances in which only the very finest produce would be used for an offering.

Chapter Ten addresses many topics, including which vessels were used for measuring and the manner of taking proper measurements, the responsibility of those providing the materials for offerings, and some of the halakhot of the requirement to place one's hands upon an offering before its slaughter.

Chapter Eleven discusses in part the two loaves of bread that were prepared from the new crop and sacrificed on Shavuot. The majority of the chapter concerns the shewbread, from the manner of its preparation to its consumption by the priests.

Chapter Twelve presents as its central topic the halakhot pertaining to the redemption of all items of sanctity, and the details of the consecration of meal offerings.

Finally, Chapter Thirteen discusses those terminologies that can be used to effect a vow, and sets guidelines for their interpretation and the obligations they incur.