Menachot 86b

גְּמָ׳ שָׁוִין? וְהָא אָמְרַתְּ רִאשׁוֹן לַמְּנוֹרָה וְהַשְּׁאָר לִמְנָחוֹת! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: מַאי שָׁוִין – שָׁוִין לִמְנָחוֹת.

GEMARA: The Gemara asks: How can the mishna state that the second grade of the first harvest and the first grade of the second harvest are of equal quality? But didn’t you say that the first grade of each harvest is fit for kindling the Candelabrum and the rest are fit only for use in meal offerings? It would appear then that the first grade in any harvest is actually superior to the second grade of other harvests. To resolve this, Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: What does the mishna mean when it states that they are of equal quality? It means that they are equal with regard to meal offerings, and there is no reason to choose one over the other.

אַף [כׇּל] הַמְּנָחוֹת הָיוּ בַּדִּין [וְכוּ׳]. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״זָךְ״ – אֵין ״זָךְ״ אֶלָּא נָקִי, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: ״כָּתִית״ – אֵין ״כָּתִית״ אֶלָּא כָּתוּשׁ.

§ The mishna teaches: Also with regard to all the meal offerings, it was logical that they should require refined olive oil. To dispel this notion, the verse states: “Refined pounded olive oil for illumination” (Leviticus 24:2). The Sages taught in a baraita with regard to the verse cited in the mishna: The word “refined” means nothing other than clean oil, which flows by itself from the olives without applying any pressure. Rabbi Yehuda says that the word “pounded” means nothing other than olives crushed with a mortar, but not with a millstone.

יָכוֹל יְהֵא זָךְ כָּתִית פָּסוּל לִמְנָחוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״וְעִשָּׂרוֹן סֹלֶת בָּלוּל בְּשֶׁמֶן כָּתִית״, אִם כֵּן מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״לַמָּאוֹר״? אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַחִיסָּכוֹן.

One might have thought that refined, pounded oil is unfit for meal offerings, since the verse specifies that this oil is to be used for illumination. To dispel this notion, the verse states with regard to the meal offering brought with the daily offering: “And a tenth of fine flour, thoroughly mixed with a quarter of a hin of pounded oil” (Exodus 29:40). This indicates that pounded oil is fit to be used in meal offerings. If so, what is the meaning when the verse states that the refined pounded oil is “for illumination”? Rather, the Torah requires the use of refined pounded oil only for the Candelabrum, due to the sparing [ haḥisakhon ] of money, as the highest-quality oil is very expensive.

מַאי ״חִיסָּכוֹן״? אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: הַתּוֹרָה חָסָה עַל מָמוֹנָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל.

The Gemara asks: What is the reason for being sparing? Rabbi Elazar says: The intention is that the Torah spared the money of the Jewish people and did not require that the highest-quality oil be used for the meal offerings.

״צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ״, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי: ״אֵלֶיךָ״ – וְלֹא לִי, לֹא לְאוֹרָה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ.

§ The Gemara discusses the Candelabrum and other aspects of the Temple. The verse states: “Command the children of Israel, and they shall take for yourself refined pounded olive oil for illumination, to kindle the lamps continually” (Leviticus 24:2). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: God tells the Jewish people that the oil should be taken “for yourself,” to indicate that it is for their benefit and not for My benefit, as I do not need its light.

שֻׁלְחָן בַּצָּפוֹן, וּמְנוֹרָה בַּדָּרוֹם – אָמַר רַבִּי זְרִיקָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לֹא לַאֲכִילָה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ, וְלֹא לְאוֹרָה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ.

Similarly, with regard to the Table of the shewbread, located in the north of the Sanctuary, and the Candelabrum, located in the south of the Sanctuary, Rabbi Zerika says that Rabbi Elazar says: God said to the Jewish people: I do not require the Table for eating, nor do I require the Candelabrum for its illumination. In evidence of this, the Candelabrum was not positioned close to the Table, as is done by one who sets a table with food in order to eat there.

וַיַּעַשׂ לַבָּיִת חַלּוֹנֵי שְׁקֻפִים אֲטֻמִים״ – תָּנָא: שְׁקוּפִין מִבִּפְנִים, וַאֲטוּמִים מִבַּחוּץ, לֹא לְאוֹרָה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ.

With regard to the Temple built by King Solomon, the verse states: “And he made for the House, windows narrow and broad” (I Kings 6:4). The Sages taught in a baraita : Typically, windows are constructed to widen toward the inside in order that the light from the outside would be dispersed throughout the room. For the Temple, God said: Make the windows narrow within and broad without, as I do not require its illumination. On the contrary, the light of the Temple is to be radiated outward.

״מִחוּץ לְפָרֹכֶת הָעֵדוּת בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד״ – עֵדוּת הוּא לְכׇל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.

God instructed Aaron to kindle the Candelabrum: “Outside the Curtain of the testimony in the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 24:3). The dividing curtain is referred to here as: The Curtain of the testimony, to indicate that the illumination of the Candelabrum is testimony to all of humanity that the Divine Presence rests among the Jewish people.

וְאִם תֹּאמַר: לְאוֹרָה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ? וַהֲלֹא כׇּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָלְכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִדְבָּר לֹא הָלְכוּ אֶלָּא לְאוֹרוֹ! אֶלָּא עֵדוּת הוּא לְכׇל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.

And if you question this and say: How is this testimony; perhaps the Candelabrum is lit for illumination? To this God would respond: Do I need its light? But isn’t it so that for all forty years that the Jewish people walked in the wilderness of Sinai until they entered Eretz Yisrael, they walked exclusively by His light, i.e., from the pillar of fire that guided them at night. If God provides light for others, he certainly does not need it Himself. Rather, evidently, the illumination of the Candelabrum is testimony to all of humanity that the Divine Presence rests among the Jewish people.

מַאי עֵדוּתָהּ? אָמַר רָבָא: זֶה נֵר מַעֲרָבִי, שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין בָּהּ שֶׁמֶן כְּנֶגֶד חַבְרוֹתֶיהָ, וּמִמֶּנָּה הָיָה מַדְלִיק, וּבָהּ הָיָה מְסַיֵּים.

What provides its testimony? Rava says: The testimony is provided by the westernmost lamp of the Candelabrum, in which they place a quantity of oil equivalent to that placed in the other lamps, and nevertheless it continues to burn longer than any of the other lamps. It burns so long that every evening, from it the priest would kindle the Candelabrum, i.e., he lit that westernmost lamp first, and the following morning, with it he would conclude the preparation of the lamps for the following evening’s lighting, because it remained alight longer than any of the other lamps. This perpetual miracle was testimony to God’s continuous presence among His people.

מַתְנִי׳ מֵאַיִן הָיוּ מְבִיאִין אֶת הַיַּיִן? קְדוֹחַיִם וַעֲטוּלַיִן – אַלְפָּא לַיַּיִן, שְׁנִיָּה לָהֶן – בֵּית רִימָּה וּבֵית לָבָן בָּהָר, וּכְפַר סִיגְנָא בַּבִּקְעָה. כׇּל אֲרָצוֹת הָיוּ כְּשֵׁרוֹת, אֶלָּא מִיכָּן הָיוּ מְבִיאִין.

MISHNA: From where would they bring the wine for libations? Keduḥim and Attulin are the primary sources for wine. Secondary to them is Beit Rima and Beit Lavan, located in the mountain, and the village of Signa, located in the valley. All the regions were valid sources for wine; but it was from here, i.e., the aforementioned locations, that they would bring the wine.

אֵין מְבִיאִין לֹא מִבֵּית הַזְּבָלִים, וְלֹא מִבֵּית הַשְּׁלָחִים, וְלֹא מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּזְרַע בֵּינֵיהֶן, וְאִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר. אֵין מְבִיאִין הַלִּיסְטְיוֹן, וְאִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר. אֵין מְבִיאִין יָשָׁן – דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי, וַחֲכָמִים מַכְשִׁירִין. אֵין מְבִיאִין לֹא מָתוֹק, וְלֹא מְעוּשָּׁן, וְלֹא מְבוּשָּׁל, וְאִם הֵבִיא – פָּסוּל. וְאֵין מְבִיאִין מִן הַדָּלִיּוֹת, אֶלָּא מִן הָרַגְלִיּוֹת, וּמִן הַכְּרָמִים הָעֲבוּדִין.

One may not bring libations of wine that come from a fertilized vineyard, or from an irrigated vineyard, or from a vineyard in which grain was sown between the vines. But if one did bring a libation from such wine, it is valid. One may not bring libations from sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes [ hilyasteyon ], but if one did bring a libation from such wine, it is valid. One may not bring wine aged for one year; this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, but the Rabbis deem it valid. One may not bring libations from sweet wine, nor from wine produced from smoked grapes, nor libations from boiled wine, and if one did bring a libation from such wine, it is not valid. And one may not bring wine produced from grapes suspended on stakes or trees; rather, one brings it from grapes at foot height, i.e., that rest on the ground, which are superior-quality grapes, and from vineyards that are cultivated, i.e., where one hoes beneath the vines twice a year.

וְלֹא כּוֹנְסִין אוֹתוֹ בַּחֲצָבִין גְּדוֹלִים, אֶלָּא בְּחָבִיּוֹת קְטַנּוֹת, וְאֵינוֹ מְמַלֵּא אֶת הֶחָבִית עַד פִּיהָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף.

And when producing wine for libations, one should not collect the wine into large barrels, as it causes the wine to spoil; rather, it should be placed in small casks. And one does not fill up the cask until its mouth; rather, one leaves some empty space so that its fragrance will collect there and diffuse when the lid is opened.

אֵינוֹ מֵבִיא מִפִּיהָ – מִפְּנֵי

One should not bring libations from wine that rests at the mouth of the cask due to