Talmud - Menachot 50b מנחות נ׳ ב׳

but a community may bring incense as a gift offering, as the community does bring its obligatory offering similar to this, i.e., since the community is obligated to sacrifice incense it can also voluntarily sacrifice incense. Therefore, the verse states: You shall not bring [lo ta’alu] strange incense thereon” (Exodus 30:9). The fact that the verse formulates the prohibition with the plural word ta’alu indicates that even the community may not sacrifice incense as a voluntary gift offering.

The baraita continues: One might have thought that the community may not bring a gift offering of incense on the inner altar, but it may bring incense on the external altar. Therefore, the verse states: “And the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the sacred place; according to all that I have commanded you shall they do” (Exodus 31:11). This teaches that one has the right to do only that which is stated with regard to the matter, without deviation. Consequently, incense may be sacrificed only by the community, only when there is an obligation to sacrifice it, and it must be burned only on the inner altar. This contradicts the implication of the previously cited baraita that it is permitted to burn the incense of an individual on the golden altar or the incense of a community on the outer altar.

Rav Pappa said: This is not problematic. The baraita is speaking utilizing the style of: It is not necessary, as follows. It is not necessary to state that the community may not sacrifice incense on the external altar, as we have not found a precedent for it. And similarly, it is not necessary to state that an individual may not sacrifice incense on the inner altar, as we have not found a precedent for it. But it is necessary to state that it is even prohibited for an individual to sacrifice incense on the external altar, despite the fact that we have ostensibly found a precedent for it in the case of the tribal princes; as that was a provisional edict and therefore cannot serve as a precedent.

MISHNA: The twelve loaves of matza prepared from a tenth of an ephah of flour of the griddle-cake offering of the High Priest did not come from the house of the High Priest in halves. Rather, the High Priest brings from his house a complete tenth of an ephah of flour (see Leviticus 6:13) and divides it in half, and he sacrifices half in the morning and half in the afternoon.

In the case of a High Priest who brings and sacrifices half in the morning and dies, and they appointed another High Priest in his stead, the replacement High Priest should neither bring half of a tenth of an ephah of flour from his house nor sacrifice the remaining half of the tenth of an ephah of his predecessor. Rather, he brings from his house an entire tenth of an ephah and divides it in half, sacrifices half, and the other half is not sacrificed and is lost. Consequently, two halves of a tenth of an ephah are sacrificed, one-half of what was brought by each priest, and the other two halves are lost.

GEMARA: The Gemara cites that which the Sages taught in a baraita, commenting on the verse: “This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to the Lord on the day when he is anointed: The tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening” (Leviticus 6:13). If the verse had stated: A meal offering perpetually, half in the morning and half in the evening; I would have said that the High Priest brings half of a tenth of an ephah in the morning and sacrifices it, and then he brings half of a tenth of an ephah in the afternoon and sacrifices it.

Since the verse states: “Half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening” (Leviticus 6:13), it teaches that he sacrifices half of a complete tenth of an ephah. How so? The High Priest brings from his house a complete tenth of an ephah of fine flour, and divides it in half, and sacrifices half in the morning and half in the afternoon.

In a case where the half of a tenth of an ephah that was supposed to be offered in the afternoon became impure or was lost after the High Priest sacrificed the first half in the morning, one might have thought that he should bring half of a tenth of an ephah from his house and sacrifice it. Therefore, the verse states: “Half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening,” which teaches that he brings half of a complete tenth of an ephah.

How so? The High Priest brings a complete tenth of an ephah of fine flour from his house and divides it in half, and he sacrifices half, and the other half is not sacrificed and is lost. Consequently, two halves of a tenth of an ephah are sacrificed, the half that was sacrificed in the morning from the original tenth of an ephah, and half of the replacement tenth of an ephah, and the other two halves are lost.

In the case of a High Priest who sacrificed half in the morning and died, and they appointed another High Priest in his stead, one might have thought that the second High Priest should bring half of a tenth of an ephah from his house and sacrifice it, or that he should sacrifice the remaining half of a tenth of an ephah of the first High Priest. Therefore, the verse states: “And half of it in the evening,” which teaches that he brings and sacrifices half of a complete tenth of an ephah.

How so? The replacement High Priest brings a complete tenth of an ephah of fine flour from his house and divides it in half, and he sacrifices half, and half is not sacrificed and is lost. Consequently, two halves of a tenth of an ephah are lost, half of the tenth of an ephah brought by each priest, and the other two halves are sacrificed.

§ With regard to the two halves of a tenth of an ephah that are lost, a tanna, i.e., a Sage who recited baraitot, taught a baraita before Rav Naḥman: With regard to the half that was not sacrificed by the first High Priest, who died, and the half brought but not sacrificed by the second High Priest who replaced him, their form should decay, i.e., they should be left overnight so they become disqualified, and then they should be brought out to the place designated for burning.

Rav Naḥman said to the tanna: Granted, the half that was not sacrificed by the first High Priest should be left overnight before it is burned, because it was initially fit for sacrifice before the first High Priest died. But with regard to the half that was not sacrificed by the second High Priest, why must it be left overnight so that its form decays? It was brought to be lost from the outset, i.e., when the full tenth of an ephah was brought it was known that only half would be sacrificed and half would be lost. Consequently, it is unnecessary to leave it overnight before burning it.

Rav Naḥman continued: Who is the one who said this baraita to you? It was the tanna of the school of Rabba bar Avuh, who says: All disqualified offerings, even piggul, which is disqualified by Torah law, require decay of form before they are burned.

Rav Ashi said: The baraita can be understood even if you say it is in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis who disagree with Rabba bar Avuh and hold that piggul does not require decay of form. Nevertheless, since at the time when the second High Priest divides the two halves, if he wants he can sacrifice this half, and if he wants he can sacrifice that other half, both halves are considered fit to be sacrificed and may not be burned until they are left overnight.

§ The Gemara cites that which was stated further about the griddle-cake offering: How are the griddle-cake offerings of the High Priest prepared? The verse seems to prescribe a variety of methods of preparation: “On a griddle it shall be made with oil; when it is soaked, you shall bring it in; and baked pieces [tufinei] of the meal offering shall you sacrifice for a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 6:14). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says that it is prepared in the following manner: The individual preparing it bakes it in an oven and afterward he fries it in a pan. Rabbi Asi says that Rabbi Ḥanina says that it is prepared in the following manner: The individual preparing it fries it in a pan and afterward he bakes it in an oven.

Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: It stands to reason in accordance with my opinion because the verse states: “And baked pieces [tufinei] of the meal offering.” The word for baked pieces [tufinei] should be understood as meaning that they shall be baked when they are still beautiful [te’afena na’a], i.e., before being fried. Rabbi Asi said: It stands to reason in accordance with my opinion because the word tufinei should be understood as meaning that they shall be baked when they are already partially cooked [te’afena na], i.e., after being fried.

This dispute between the amora’im is parallel to a dispute between tanna’im in a baraita: The word for baked pieces [tufinei] should be understood as meaning that they shall be baked when they are already partially cooked [te’afena na]. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: It should be understood as meaning that they shall be baked when they are still beautiful [te’afena na’a]. Rabbi Yosei says: The word tufinei is plural, indicating that the pieces should be baked extensively, i.e., more than once. Consequently, Rabbi Yosei accepts the opinion that the pieces should be baked when they are already partially cooked, and he also accepts the opinion that they should be baked when they are beautiful. Therefore the offering should first be baked, then fried, then baked again.

§ We learned in a mishna elsewhere (96a): Concerning the twelve loaves of the High Priest’s griddle-cake offering, of which six are sacrificed in the morning and six in the evening, their kneading, and forming of their loaves, and their baking are performed inside the Temple courtyard, and all labors involved in those actions override Shabbat.

The Gemara asks: From where is this matter, i.e., that these actions override Shabbat, derived? Rav Huna said: The verse says tufinei, meaning that when it is already baked it must still be beautiful [te’afena na’a]. And if one would bake it yesterday, on the eve of Shabbat, it would become swollen [inshefa] and no longer beautiful. Rav Yosef objects to this: If the purpose of baking them on Shabbat is to ensure they remain fresh, say that the loaves should be baked before Shabbat and covered with greens to preserve them.

The Gemara cites another explanation of why the preparation of these loaves overrides Shabbat. A Sage from the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: The verse states: “On a griddle it shall be made with oil” (Leviticus 6:14), which teaches that it shall be made under all circumstances, even on Shabbat. Similarly, this phrase “shall be made” teaches that it should be made even in a state of ritual impurity.

Abaye said that there is a different explanation: The verse states: “Fine flour for a meal offering perpetually” (Leviticus 6:13);

Traduction : The William Davidson digital edition of the Koren Noé Talmud, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz.

Menachot 50b examines whether communities or individuals may voluntarily offer incense, distinguishing rules for the inner versus outer altar.