Search

Menachot 93

Want to dedicate learning? Get started here:

English
עברית
podcast placeholder
0:00
0:00



podcast placeholder
0:00
0:00



Summary

Which sacrifices need the owner to perform smicha? Who is obligated in smicha? What are the laws regarding an heir whose father was obligated to bring a sacrifice? How and where is smicha performed?

Menachot 93

קראי למה לי קרבנו ולא קרבן חבירו קרבנו ולא קרבן עובד כוכבים קרבנו לרבות כל בעלי קרבן לסמיכה:

if the repeated term “his offering” is not needed to counter the a fortiori inferences, why do I need these three verses? The Gemara explains: One instance of “his offering” teaches that one places hands only on one’s own offering, but not on an offering of another person. Another instance of “his offering” teaches that one places hands only on one’s own offering, but not on an offering of a gentile. The third instance of “his offering” serves to include all the owners of a jointly owned offering in the requirement of placing hands, i.e., they are all required to place their hands on the offering.

היורש סומך:

§ The mishna states: If the owner of an offering died, then the heir is regarded as the offering’s owner. Therefore, he places his hands on the offering and brings the accompanying libations, and he can substitute a non-sacred animal for it. Although it is prohibited to perform an act of substitution, if the owner of an offering does this, his attempt is successful to the extent that the non-sacred animal is thereby consecrated, even though the original offering also remains sacred.

תני רב חנניה קמיה דרבא יורש אינו סומך יורש אינו מימר והא אנן תנן היורש סומך ומביא את נסכיו ומימר

Rav Ḥananya taught a baraita in the presence of Rava: An heir does not place hands on an offering he inherited, and an heir cannot substitute a non-sacred animal for an offering he inherited. Rava asked: But didn’t we learn in the mishna: The heir places his hands on the offering, and brings the accompanying libations, and he can substitute a non-sacred animal for it and thereby consecrate the non-sacred animal?

אמר ליה איפכאי אמר ליה לא מתניתין מני רבי יהודה היא דתניא יורש סומך יורש מימר רבי יהודה אומר יורש אינו סומך יורש אינו מימר

Rav Ḥananya said to Rava: Should I reverse the current version of the baraita to have it be in accordance with the mishna? Rava said to him: No, as whose opinion is expressed in the mishna? It is the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, as it is taught in a baraita: An heir places hands, and an heir can effect substitution. Rabbi Yehuda says: An heir does not place hands, and an heir cannot effect substitution.

מאי טעמא דר’ יהודה קרבנו ולא קרבן אביו ויליף תחלת הקדש מסוף הקדש מה סוף הקדש יורש אינו סומך אף תחילת הקדש יורש אינו מימר

The Gemara clarifies: What is the reasoning of Rabbi Yehuda? He expounds the term “his offering” as teaching that one places hands only on one’s own offering, but not on one’s father’s offering that one inherited. And furthermore, Rabbi Yehuda derives the halakha concerning who can substitute a non-sacred animal for an offering, which is the initial stage of consecration, from the halakha concerning who performs the rite of placing hands on the offering, which is the final stage of consecration: Just as with regard to the final stage of consecration, an heir does not place his hands, so too, with regard to the initial stage of consecration, an heir cannot effect substitution.

ורבנן (ויקרא כז, י) המר ימיר לרבות את היורש ויליף סוף הקדש מתחילת הקדש מה תחלת הקדש יורש מימר אף סוף הקדש יורש סומך

And as for the Rabbis, from where do they derive their opinion? The verse states: “If he shall substitute [hamer yamir] animal for animal” (Leviticus 27:10), with the doubled form of hamer yamir serving to include the heir as one capable of effecting substitution. And furthermore, they derive the halakha concerning who performs the rite of placing hands, which is the final stage of consecration, from the halakha concerning who can effect substitution, which is an initial stage of consecration: Just as with regard to the initial stage of consecration, an heir can effect substitution, so too, with regard to the final stage of consecration, an heir places his hands.

ורבנן האי קרבנו מאי עבדי ליה קרבנו ולא קרבן עובד כוכבים קרבנו ולא קרבן חבירו קרבנו לרבות כל בעלי קרבן לסמיכה

The Gemara asks: And as for the Rabbis, what do they do with this term: “His offering”? The Gemara explains how the Rabbis expound each mention of the term. One instance of “his offering” teaches that one places hands only on one’s own offering, but not on an offering of a gentile. Another instance of “his offering” teaches that one places hands only on one’s own offering, but not on an offering of another person. The third instance of “his offering” serves to include all the owners of a jointly owned offering in the requirement of placing hands, i.e., they are all required to place their hands on the offering.

ורבי יהודה לרבות כל בעלי קרבן לסמיכה לית ליה ואי נמי אית ליה עובד כוכבים וחבירו מחד קרא נפקא אייתרו ליה תרי קראי חד קרבנו ולא קרבן אביו ואידך לרבות כל בעלי קרבן לסמיכה

The Gemara clarifies: And Rabbi Yehuda does not hold that one of the mentions serves to include all the owners of a jointly owned offering in the requirement of placing hands, so he is able to expound it to exclude an heir from the requirement. Alternatively, if he holds that one of the mentions serves to include owners of a jointly owned offering, then he must derive that one does not place hands on the offering of a gentile or of another person from the same one mention in the verse, which leaves him two more mentions in the verses. One he expounds to teach that on “his offering” he places hands, but not on his father’s offering that he inherited, and the other mention remains to include all the owners of a jointly owned offering in the requirement of placing hands.

ורבי יהודה האי המר ימיר מאי עביד ליה מיבעי ליה לרבות את האשה דתניא לפי שכל הענין כולו אינו מדבר אלא בלשון זכר מה סופינו לרבות את האשה תלמוד לומר המר ימיר

The Gemara asks: And as for Rabbi Yehuda, what does he do with the use of the doubled form in this verse: “If he shall substitute [hamer yamir]”? The Gemara answers: He requires it to include a woman among those who can effect substitution. As it is taught in a baraita: Since the entire matter of substitution is stated in the Torah only in the masculine form, what is the reason that we ultimately come to include a woman? The verse states: “If he shall substitute [hamer yamir],” using a doubled form.

ורבנן דרשי מואם ור’ יהודה ואם לא דריש:

And as for the Rabbis, they derive that a woman can effect substitution from the term: “And if” (Leviticus 27:10), in the phrase “and if he shall substitute.” And Rabbi Yehuda does not expound the term “and if” at all.

מתני׳ הכל סומכין חוץ מחרש שוטה וקטן וסומא ועובד כוכבים והעבד והשליח והאשה

MISHNA: Everyone who brings an animal offering places hands upon its head, except for a deaf-mute, an imbecile, a minor, a blind person, a gentile, a Canaanite slave, the agent of the owner of the offering who brings the offering on the owner’s behalf, and a woman.

וסמיכה שירי מצוה

And the requirement of placing hands is a non-essential mitzva; therefore, failure to place hands does not prevent the owner from achieving atonement.

על הראש בב’ ידים ובמקום שסומכין שוחטין ותכף לסמיכה שחיטה:

The rite of placing hands is performed by leaning on the head of the offering with two hands. And in the same location in the Temple that one places hands, one slaughters the animal. And immediately following the rite of placing hands, the slaughter is performed.

גמ׳ בשלמא חרש שוטה וקטן דלאו בני דעה נינהו עובד כוכבים נמי (ויקרא א, ב) בני ישראל סומכין ואין עובדי כוכבים סומכין אלא סומא מאי טעמא לא

GEMARA: The Gemara explains why certain types of people do not place hands on an offering: Granted, a deaf-mute, an imbecile, and a minor do not place their hands on the offering, as they are not mentally competent. The exclusion of a gentile is also understandable, as the verses concerning placing hands are introduced with: “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them” (Leviticus 1:2), which indicates that the children of Israel place hands upon their offerings, but gentiles do not place their hands upon their offerings. But with regard to a blind person, what is the reason that he does not place his hands on his offering?

רב חסדא ורב יצחק בר אבדימי חד אמר אתיא סמיכה סמיכה מזקני עדה

Rav Ḥisda and Rav Yitzḥak bar Avdimi disagree as to the source of the exclusion of a blind person. One said that it is derived from a verbal analogy between the mention of placing hands in the passage detailing the general requirement to do so, and the mention of placing hands stated with regard to the bull offering brought for a community-wide violation perpetrated due to an erroneous ruling of the Sanhedrin, which is performed by the Elders of the congregation, i.e., the judges of the Sanhedrin: Just as the judges may not be blind (see Sanhedrin 34b), so too the rite of placing hands is not performed by a blind person.

וחד אמר אתיא סמיכה סמיכה מעולת ראייה

And the other one said that it is derived from a verbal analogy between the mention of placing hands in the passage detailing the general requirement to do so, and the mention of placing hands stated with regard to the burnt offering of appearance brought by an individual on the pilgrimage Festivals: Just as a blind person is exempt from making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and bringing the offering (see Ḥagiga 2a), so too he is excluding from the requirement of placing hands.

ולמאן דאמר מעולת ראייה מאי טעמא לא יליף מן זקני עדה

The Gemara asks: And according to the one who said that the exclusion of a blind person is derived from the burnt offering of appearance, what is the reason that he does not derive this from the placing of hands performed by the Elders of the congregation?

דנין יחיד מיחיד ואין דנין יחיד מציבור

The Gemara answers: He holds that one derives the halakhot of the offering of an individual from the halakhot of another offering of an individual, such as the burnt offering of appearance, and one does not derive the halakhot of the offering of an individual from the halakhot of a communal offering, e.g., the bull brought for a community-wide violation.

ולמאן דיליף מזקני עדה מאי טעמא לא יליף מעולת ראייה דנין מידי דכתיב ביה סמיכה בגופיה ממידי דכתיב ביה סמיכה בגופיה לאפוקי עולת ראייה דהיא גופה מעולת נדבה גמרה

The Gemara asks: And according to the one who said that the exclusion of a blind person is derived from the placing of hands performed by the Elders of the congregation, what is the reason that he does not derive this from the burnt offering of appearance? The Gemara answers: He holds that one derives the halakhot of a matter concerning which the requirement of placing hands is explicitly written with regard to that case itself, as is the case in the passage detailing the general requirement of placing hands, from another matter concerning which placing hands is also explicitly written with regard to that case itself, as is the case in the passage describing the bull brought for a community-wide violation of a sin. This serves to exclude the possibility of deriving the halakhot from those of the burnt offering of appearance, as the requirement to place hands upon it is not explicitly written in the Torah with regard to it, but rather it itself is derived from the requirement stated with regard to a voluntary burnt offering.

דתני תנא קמיה דרב יצחק בר אבא (ויקרא ט, טז) ויקרב את העולה ויעשה כמשפט כמשפט עולת נדבה לימד על עולת חובה שטעונה סמיכה:

This is as a tanna taught in a baraita in the presence of Rav Yitzḥak bar Abba: With regard to the obligatory offering brought by Aaron the High Priest on the eighth day of the inauguration of the Tabernacle, it is written: “And the burnt offering was presented, and he sacrificed in accordance with the ordinance” (Leviticus 9:16). This last phrase means: In accordance with the ordinance of a voluntary burnt offering. Accordingly, this verse teaches about every obligatory burnt offering, including the burnt offering of appearance, that it requires placing hands, just as a voluntary burnt offering does.

והעבד והשליח והאשה: תנו רבנן (ויקרא א, ד) ידו ולא יד עבדו ידו ולא יד שלוחו ידו ולא יד אשתו

§ The mishna states: A Canaanite slave, the agent of the owner of the offering who brings the offering on his behalf, and a woman do not place hands on their offerings. Concerning these halakhot, the Sages taught in a baraita: The term “his hand” is mentioned three times in Leviticus, chapter 3, which details the requirement of placing hands. Each mention is expounded to exclude a different case. “His hand” (Leviticus 3:2), but not the hand of his Canaanite slave; “his hand” (Leviticus 3:8), but not the hand of his agent; “his hand” (Leviticus 3:13), but not the hand of his wife.

כל הני למה לי צריכא אי כתב רחמנא חד הוה אמינא למעוטי עבד דלאו בר מצות אבל שליח דבר מצוה הוא ושלוחו של אדם כמותו אימא לסמוך

The Gemara asks: Why do I need all these three exclusions? The Gemara explains that all three mentions are necessary, as had the Merciful One written only one exclusion, I would say that it serves to exclude only a Canaanite slave, as since he is not commanded in mitzvot it is reasonable that he cannot perform the rite of placing hands. But with regard to an agent, since he is commanded in mitzvot, and there is a principle that the halakhic status of a person’s agent is like that of himself, one might say that he could place his hands on the offering of the owner on the owner’s behalf, and thereby fulfill the requirement. Therefore, it is necessary to have an independent source to exclude an agent.

ואי אשמעינן הני תרתי דלאו כגופיה דמיא אבל אשתו דכגופיה דמיא אימא תיסמך צריכא:

And had the Merciful One taught us only these two halakhot, one would have excluded only a Canaanite slave and an agent, as they are not considered like his own flesh. But with regard to his wife, who is considered like his own flesh, one might say that she places her hands on her husband’s offering. Therefore, the third mention is necessary to teach that even a wife cannot fulfill the requirement on behalf of her husband.

סמיכה שירי מצוה: ת”ר (ויקרא א, ד) וסמך (ויקרא א, ד) ונרצה וכי סמיכה מכפרת והלא אין כפרה אלא בדם שנאמר (ויקרא יז, יא) כי הדם הוא בנפש יכפר אלא לומר לך שאם עשאה לסמיכה שירי מצוה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו לא כיפר וכיפר

§ The mishna states: The requirement of placing hands is a non-essential mitzva. The Sages taught in a baraita: “And he shall place his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to effect atonement for him” (Leviticus 1:4). The baraita asks: But does the rite of placing hands effect atonement? Isn’t atonement effected only through the presentation of the blood? As it is stated with regard to blood: “For the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to effect atonement for your souls, for it is the blood of the soul that effects atonement” (Leviticus 17:11). Rather, the verse serves to say to you that if one treated placing hands as though it were a non-essential mitzva and therefore neglected to perform it, then the verse ascribes him blame as though he did not effect atonement; but nevertheless, in actuality, the offering atones for his sin and he does not need to bring another offering.

ותניא גבי תנופה כי האי גוונא (ויקרא יד, כא) לתנופה לכפר וכי תנופה מכפרת והלא אין כפרה אלא בדם שנאמר כי הדם הוא בנפש יכפר אלא לומר לך שאם עשאה לתנופה שירי מצוה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו לא כיפר וכיפר:

And it is taught in a baraita with regard to waving in this way: “He shall take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to effect atonement for him” (Leviticus 14:21). The baraita asks: Does waving the offering effect atonement? Isn’t atonement effected only through the presentation of the blood? As it is stated: “For it is the blood of the soul that effects atonement” (Leviticus 17:11). Rather, the verse serves to say to you that if one treated waving as though it were a non-essential mitzva and therefore neglected to perform it, then the verse ascribes him blame as though he did not effect atonement; but nevertheless, in actuality, the offering effects atonement for his sin and he does not need to bring another offering.

על הראש: תנו רבנן ידו על הראש ולא ידו על הצואר ידו על הראש ולא ידו על הגביים ידו על הראש ולא ידו על החזה

§ The mishna further states that that placing hands is performed by leaning on the head of the offering. The Sages taught in a baraita: The phrase “his hand upon the head” is mentioned three times in Leviticus, chapter 3. Each mention is expounded to exclude the possibility of performing the rite on a different part of the animal’s body. Placing hands is performed with “his hand upon the head” (Leviticus 3:2), but not with his hand on the neck of the animal; with “his hand upon the head” (Leviticus 3:8), but not with his hand on the back of the animal; with “his hand upon the head” (Leviticus 3:13), but not with his hand on the breast of the animal.

כל הני למה לי צריכי דאי כתב רחמנא חד למעוטי צואר דלא קאי בהדי ראשו אבל גבו דקאי להדי ראשו אימא לא צריכא

The Gemara asks: Why do I need all these three exclusions? The Gemara explains that all three mentions are necessary, as had the Merciful One written only one exclusion, I would say that it serves to exclude only the animal’s neck, as it is not level with the head of the animal. But with regard to its back, which is level with its head, one might say that it is not precluded and that one can fulfill the requirement by placing one’s hands there. Therefore, it is necessary to have an independent source to exclude the animal’s back.

ואי אשמעינן הני תרי משום דלא איתרבי לתנופה אבל חזה דאיתרבי לתנופה אימא לא צריכא

And had the Torah taught us only these two halakhot, one would have excluded only the neck and the back, as those parts are not included in the waving of the offering, i.e., they are not waved. But with regard to the animal’s breast, which is included in the waving of the offering, one might say that it is not precluded and that one can fulfill the requirement by placing one’s hands there. Therefore, the third mention is necessary to teach that placing hands cannot be performed even on the animal’s breast.

איבעיא להו ידו על הצדדין מהו תא שמע דתניא אבא ביראה ברבי אליעזר בן יעקב אומר ידו על ראשו ולא ידו על הצדדין

A dilemma was raised before the Sages: If one placed his hand on the sides of the animal’s head, what is the halakha; does one fulfill the requirement of placing hands by doing so? The Gemara answers: Come and hear, as it is taught in a baraita: Abba Bira’a, son of Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov, says that the verse: “And he shall place his hand upon the head of the burnt offering” (Leviticus 1:4), indicates that it must be done with his hand on the top of its head and not with his hand on the sides of its head.

בעי רבי ירמיה מטלית מהו שתחוץ תא שמע ובלבד שלא תהא דבר חוצץ בינו לבין הזבח:

Rabbi Yirmeya raises a dilemma: If one’s hands were wrapped in a cloth, what is the halakha as to whether the cloth is regarded as an interposition between his hands and the animal such that it invalidates the rite? The Gemara answers: Come and hear a resolution from a baraita, which states: The rite is valid provided that there is no item that interposes between him and the offering.

ובשתי ידים: מנא הני מילי אמר ריש לקיש דאמר קרא (ויקרא טז, כא) וסמך אהרן את שתי ידו כתיב ידו וכתיב שתי זה בנה אב כל מקום שנאמר ידו הרי כאן שתים עד שיפרט לך הכתוב אחת

§ The mishna adds that the placing of hands is performed with two hands. The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? Reish Lakish said: As the verse states with regard to the Yom Kippur service: “And Aaron shall place both his hands [yadav] upon the head of the live goat” (Leviticus 16:21). The word yadav, meaning: His hands, is written without a second yod, and so if read without vowels it reads as: His hand. But it is also written “both,” which makes clear that the intention is that he must use both of his hands. This established a paradigm that in any place where it is stated in the Torah: His hand, there are here two hands, unless the verse explicitly specifies that there is only one.

אזל רבי אלעזר אמרה להא שמעתא בבי מדרשא ולא אמרה משמיה דריש לקיש שמע ריש לקיש ואיקפד אמר ליה אי סלקא דעתך כל היכא דכתיב ידו תרתי נינהו למה לי למכתב ידיו ידיו

The Gemara relates: Rabbi Elazar went and stated this halakha in the study hall, but he did not say it in the name of Reish Lakish. Reish Lakish heard about this and became angry. He said to Rabbi Elazar: If it enters your mind that wherever it is written: His hand, the meaning is that there are actually two hands, then why do I ever need the Torah to write: His hands, his hands, i.e., yadav in the plural, which it does on numerous occasions?

אקשי ליה עשרים וארבע ידיו (ויקרא ז, ל) ידיו תביאנה (דברים לג, ז) ידיו רב לו (בראשית מח, יד) שכל את ידיו אישתיק

Reish Lakish raised objections against him from twenty-four occasions where the Torah writes: His hands, for example: “His own hands [yadav] shall bring the offerings of the Lord” (Leviticus 7:30); “his hands [yadav] shall contend for him, and You shall be a help against his adversaries” (Deuteronomy 33:7); “Guiding his hands [yadav] wittingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn” (Genesis 48:14). Rabbi Elazar was silent, as he had no response.

לבתר דנח דעתיה אמר ליה מאי טעמא לא תימא לי ידיו דסמיכה קאמרי

After Reish Lakish had calmed down, he said to Rabbi Elazar: What is the reason that you did not say to me the following: When I established that paradigm, I was speaking only about the term: His hands [yadav], with regard to placing hands. But with regard to other halakhot, when the Torah says “his hand” the reference is to just one hand, and so when referring to two hands it must say “his hands.”

בסמיכה נמי כתיב (במדבר כז, כג) ויסמוך את ידיו עליו ויצוהו סמיכה דבהמה קאמרי:

The Gemara asks: But also with regard to placing hands it is written, concerning Moses’ ordination of Joshua: “And he placed his hands [yadav] upon him and gave him a charge” (Numbers 27:23), using the plural “his hands” [yadav] instead of: His hand [yado]. The Gemara clarifies that Reish Lakish meant that one could say: When I established that paradigm, I was speaking only about the term: His hands [yadav], with regard to placing hands on an animal offering. But in all other cases, if the intention is that there were two hands, the plural must be used.

ובמקום שסומכין שוחטין תכף לסמיכה שחיטה: מאי קאמר הכי קאמר במקום שסומכין שוחטין שתכף לסמיכה שחיטה:

§ The mishna teaches: And in the same location in the Temple that one places hands, one slaughters the animal. And immediately following the rite of placing hands, the slaughter is performed. The Gemara asks: What is the mishna saying? The mishna appears to state two distinct rulings. But if so, the first statement is superfluous, because if the slaughter immediately follows the placing of hands, then it is obvious that the animal is slaughtered without changing its location. The Gemara explains that this is what the mishna is saying: In the same location in the Temple that one places hands one slaughters the animal, because immediately following the rite of placing hands, the slaughter is performed. There are not two distinct rulings; rather, the second statement is the explanation of the first.

מתני׳ חומר בסמיכה מבתנופה ובתנופה מבסמיכה שאחד מניף לכל החברים ואין אחד סומך לכל החברים חומר בתנופה שהתנופה נוהגת בקרבנות היחיד ובקרבנות הצבור

MISHNA: There is an aspect of greater stringency with regard to placing hands than there is with regard to waving, and there is an aspect of greater stringency with regard to waving than there is with regard to placing hands. The stringency with regard to placing hands is that if several people are partners in bringing an offering, one of them waves the offering on behalf of all the other partners, but one cannot fulfill the requirement of placing hands if he alone places hands on behalf of all the other partners; rather, each member must place hands himself. The stringency with regard to waving is that waving is practiced in the cases of both offerings of an individual, e.g., peace offerings, where the breast and thigh and sacrificial portions are waved, and in the cases of communal offerings, e.g., the two lambs sacrificed on Shavuot, which are waved together with the two loaves;

Delve Deeper

Broaden your understanding of the topics on this daf with classes and podcasts from top women Talmud scholars.

For the Beyond the Daf shiurim offered in Hebrew, see here.

New to Talmud?

Check out our resources designed to help you navigate a page of Talmud – and study at the pace, level and style that fits you. 

The Hadran Women’s Tapestry

Meet the diverse women learning Gemara at Hadran and hear their stories. 

When the new cycle began, I thought, If not now, when? I’d just turned 72. I feel like a tourist on a tour bus passing astonishing scenery each day. Rabbanit Michelle is my beloved tour guide. When the cycle ends, I’ll be 80. I pray that I’ll have strength and mind to continue the journey to glimpse a little more. My grandchildren think having a daf-learning savta is cool!

Wendy Dickstein
Wendy Dickstein

Jerusalem, Israel

I was exposed to Talmud in high school, but I was truly inspired after my daughter and I decided to attend the Women’s Siyum Shas in 2020. We knew that this was a historic moment. We were blown away, overcome with emotion at the euphoria of the revolution. Right then, I knew I would continue. My commitment deepened with the every-morning Virtual Beit Midrash on Zoom with R. Michelle.

Adina Hagege
Adina Hagege

Zichron Yaakov, Israel

I learned daf more off than on 40 years ago. At the beginning of the current cycle, I decided to commit to learning daf regularly. Having Rabanit Michelle available as a learning partner has been amazing. Sometimes I learn with Hadran, sometimes with my husband, and sometimes on my own. It’s been fun to be part of an extended learning community.

Miriam Pollack
Miriam Pollack

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

I tried Daf Yomi in the middle of the last cycle after realizing I could listen to Michelle’s shiurim online. It lasted all of 2 days! Then the new cycle started just days before my father’s first yahrzeit and my youngest daughter’s bat mitzvah. It seemed the right time for a new beginning. My family, friends, colleagues are immensely supportive!

Catriella-Freedman-jpeg
Catriella Freedman

Zichron Yaakov, Israel

I began my Daf Yomi journey on January 5, 2020. I had never learned Talmud before. Initially it struck me as a bunch of inane and arcane details with mind bending logic. I am now smitten. Rabbanit Farber brings the page to life and I am eager to learn with her every day!

Lori Stark
Lori Stark

Highland Park, United States

I started learning at the start of this cycle, and quickly fell in love. It has become such an important part of my day, enriching every part of my life.

Naomi Niederhoffer
Naomi Niederhoffer

Toronto, Canada

At almost 70 I am just beginning my journey with Talmud and Hadran. I began not late, but right when I was called to learn. It is never too late to begin! The understanding patience of staff and participants with more experience and knowledge has been fabulous. The joy of learning never stops and for me. It is a new life, a new light, a new depth of love of The Holy One, Blessed be He.
Deborah Hoffman-Wade
Deborah Hoffman-Wade

Richmond, CA, United States

I started learning Daf in Jan 2020 with Brachot b/c I had never seen the Jewish people united around something so positive, and I wanted to be a part of it. Also, I wanted to broaden my background in Torah Shebal Peh- Maayanot gave me a great gemara education, but I knew that I could hold a conversation in most parts of tanach but almost no TSB. I’m so thankful for Daf and have gained immensely.

Meira Shapiro
Meira Shapiro

NJ, United States

I had no formal learning in Talmud until I began my studies in the Joint Program where in 1976 I was one of the few, if not the only, woman talmud major. It was superior training for law school and enabled me to approach my legal studies with a foundation . In 2018, I began daf yomi listening to Rabbanit MIchelle’s pod cast and my daily talmud studies are one of the highlights of my life.

Krivosha_Terri_Bio
Terri Krivosha

Minneapolis, United States

I began daf yomi in January 2020 with Brachot. I had made aliya 6 months before, and one of my post-aliya goals was to complete a full cycle. As a life-long Tanach teacher, I wanted to swim from one side of the Yam shel Torah to the other. Daf yomi was also my sanity through COVID. It was the way to marking the progression of time, and feel that I could grow and accomplish while time stopped.

Leah Herzog
Leah Herzog

Givat Zev, Israel

When we heard that R. Michelle was starting daf yomi, my 11-year-old suggested that I go. Little did she know that she would lose me every morning from then on. I remember standing at the Farbers’ door, almost too shy to enter. After that first class, I said that I would come the next day but couldn’t commit to more. A decade later, I still look forward to learning from R. Michelle every morning.

Ruth Leah Kahan
Ruth Leah Kahan

Ra’anana, Israel

I started learning with rabbis. I needed to know more than the stories. My first teacher to show me “the way of the Talmud” as well as the stories was Samara Schwartz.
Michelle Farber started the new cycle 2 yrs ago and I jumped on for the ride.
I do not look back.

Jenifer Nech
Jenifer Nech

Houston, United States

I started my Daf Yomi journey at the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic.

Karena Perry
Karena Perry

Los Angeles, United States

Hadran entered my life after the last Siyum Hashaas, January 2020. I was inspired and challenged simultaneously, having never thought of learning Gemara. With my family’s encouragement, I googled “daf yomi for women”. A perfecr fit!
I especially enjoy when Rabbanit Michelle connects the daf to contemporary issues to share at the shabbat table e.g: looking at the Kohen during duchaning. Toda rabba

Marsha Wasserman
Marsha Wasserman

Jerusalem, Israel

I heard about the syium in January 2020 & I was excited to start learning then the pandemic started. Learning Daf became something to focus on but also something stressful. As the world changed around me & my family I had to adjust my expectations for myself & the world. Daf Yomi & the Hadran podcast has been something I look forward to every day. It gives me a moment of centering & Judaism daily.

Talia Haykin
Talia Haykin

Denver, United States

After enthusing to my friend Ruth Kahan about how much I had enjoyed remote Jewish learning during the earlier part of the pandemic, she challenged me to join her in learning the daf yomi cycle. I had always wanted to do daf yomi but now had no excuse. The beginning was particularly hard as I had never studied Talmud but has become easier, as I have gained some familiarity with it.

Susan-Vishner-Hadran-photo-scaled
Susan Vishner

Brookline, United States

I graduated college in December 2019 and received a set of shas as a present from my husband. With my long time dream of learning daf yomi, I had no idea that a new cycle was beginning just one month later, in January 2020. I have been learning the daf ever since with Michelle Farber… Through grad school, my first job, my first baby, and all the other incredible journeys over the past few years!
Sigal Spitzer Flamholz
Sigal Spitzer Flamholz

Bronx, United States

The start of my journey is not so exceptional. I was between jobs and wanted to be sure to get out every day (this was before corona). Well, I was hooked after about a month and from then on only looked for work-from-home jobs so I could continue learning the Daf. Daf has been a constant in my life, though hurricanes, death, illness/injury, weddings. My new friends are Rav, Shmuel, Ruth, Joanna.
Judi Felber
Judi Felber

Raanana, Israel

I started learning Daf Yomi to fill what I saw as a large gap in my Jewish education. I also hope to inspire my three daughters to ensure that they do not allow the same Talmud-sized gap to form in their own educations. I am so proud to be a part of the Hadran community, and I have loved learning so many of the stories and halachot that we have seen so far. I look forward to continuing!
Dora Chana Haar
Dora Chana Haar

Oceanside NY, United States

I’ve been studying Talmud since the ’90s, and decided to take on Daf Yomi two years ago. I wanted to attempt the challenge of a day-to-day, very Jewish activity. Some days are so interesting and some days are so boring. But I’m still here.
Wendy Rozov
Wendy Rozov

Phoenix, AZ, United States

Menachot 93

ืงืจืื™ ืœืžื” ืœื™ ืงืจื‘ื ื• ื•ืœื ืงืจื‘ืŸ ื—ื‘ื™ืจื• ืงืจื‘ื ื• ื•ืœื ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืขื•ื‘ื“ ื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ื ืงืจื‘ื ื• ืœืจื‘ื•ืช ื›ืœ ื‘ืขืœื™ ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืœืกืžื™ื›ื”:

if the repeated term โ€œhis offeringโ€ is not needed to counter the a fortiori inferences, why do I need these three verses? The Gemara explains: One instance of โ€œhis offeringโ€ teaches that one places hands only on oneโ€™s own offering, but not on an offering of another person. Another instance of โ€œhis offeringโ€ teaches that one places hands only on oneโ€™s own offering, but not on an offering of a gentile. The third instance of โ€œhis offeringโ€ serves to include all the owners of a jointly owned offering in the requirement of placing hands, i.e., they are all required to place their hands on the offering.

ื”ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืกื•ืžืš:

ยง The mishna states: If the owner of an offering died, then the heir is regarded as the offeringโ€™s owner. Therefore, he places his hands on the offering and brings the accompanying libations, and he can substitute a non-sacred animal for it. Although it is prohibited to perform an act of substitution, if the owner of an offering does this, his attempt is successful to the extent that the non-sacred animal is thereby consecrated, even though the original offering also remains sacred.

ืชื ื™ ืจื‘ ื—ื ื ื™ื” ืงืžื™ื” ื“ืจื‘ื ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืื™ื ื• ืกื•ืžืš ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืื™ื ื• ืžื™ืžืจ ื•ื”ื ืื ืŸ ืชื ืŸ ื”ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืกื•ืžืš ื•ืžื‘ื™ื ืืช ื ืกื›ื™ื• ื•ืžื™ืžืจ

Rav แธคananya taught a baraita in the presence of Rava: An heir does not place hands on an offering he inherited, and an heir cannot substitute a non-sacred animal for an offering he inherited. Rava asked: But didnโ€™t we learn in the mishna: The heir places his hands on the offering, and brings the accompanying libations, and he can substitute a non-sacred animal for it and thereby consecrate the non-sacred animal?

ืืžืจ ืœื™ื” ืื™ืคื›ืื™ ืืžืจ ืœื™ื” ืœื ืžืชื ื™ืชื™ืŸ ืžื ื™ ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื”ื™ื ื“ืชื ื™ื ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืกื•ืžืš ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืžื™ืžืจ ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ืื•ืžืจ ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืื™ื ื• ืกื•ืžืš ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืื™ื ื• ืžื™ืžืจ

Rav แธคananya said to Rava: Should I reverse the current version of the baraita to have it be in accordance with the mishna? Rava said to him: No, as whose opinion is expressed in the mishna? It is the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, as it is taught in a baraita: An heir places hands, and an heir can effect substitution. Rabbi Yehuda says: An heir does not place hands, and an heir cannot effect substitution.

ืžืื™ ื˜ืขืžื ื“ืจ’ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ืงืจื‘ื ื• ื•ืœื ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืื‘ื™ื• ื•ื™ืœื™ืฃ ืชื—ืœืช ื”ืงื“ืฉ ืžืกื•ืฃ ื”ืงื“ืฉ ืžื” ืกื•ืฃ ื”ืงื“ืฉ ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืื™ื ื• ืกื•ืžืš ืืฃ ืชื—ื™ืœืช ื”ืงื“ืฉ ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืื™ื ื• ืžื™ืžืจ

The Gemara clarifies: What is the reasoning of Rabbi Yehuda? He expounds the term โ€œhis offeringโ€ as teaching that one places hands only on oneโ€™s own offering, but not on oneโ€™s fatherโ€™s offering that one inherited. And furthermore, Rabbi Yehuda derives the halakha concerning who can substitute a non-sacred animal for an offering, which is the initial stage of consecration, from the halakha concerning who performs the rite of placing hands on the offering, which is the final stage of consecration: Just as with regard to the final stage of consecration, an heir does not place his hands, so too, with regard to the initial stage of consecration, an heir cannot effect substitution.

ื•ืจื‘ื ืŸ (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื›ื–, ื™) ื”ืžืจ ื™ืžื™ืจ ืœืจื‘ื•ืช ืืช ื”ื™ื•ืจืฉ ื•ื™ืœื™ืฃ ืกื•ืฃ ื”ืงื“ืฉ ืžืชื—ื™ืœืช ื”ืงื“ืฉ ืžื” ืชื—ืœืช ื”ืงื“ืฉ ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืžื™ืžืจ ืืฃ ืกื•ืฃ ื”ืงื“ืฉ ื™ื•ืจืฉ ืกื•ืžืš

And as for the Rabbis, from where do they derive their opinion? The verse states: โ€œIf he shall substitute [hamer yamir] animal for animalโ€ (Leviticus 27:10), with the doubled form of hamer yamir serving to include the heir as one capable of effecting substitution. And furthermore, they derive the halakha concerning who performs the rite of placing hands, which is the final stage of consecration, from the halakha concerning who can effect substitution, which is an initial stage of consecration: Just as with regard to the initial stage of consecration, an heir can effect substitution, so too, with regard to the final stage of consecration, an heir places his hands.

ื•ืจื‘ื ืŸ ื”ืื™ ืงืจื‘ื ื• ืžืื™ ืขื‘ื“ื™ ืœื™ื” ืงืจื‘ื ื• ื•ืœื ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืขื•ื‘ื“ ื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ื ืงืจื‘ื ื• ื•ืœื ืงืจื‘ืŸ ื—ื‘ื™ืจื• ืงืจื‘ื ื• ืœืจื‘ื•ืช ื›ืœ ื‘ืขืœื™ ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืœืกืžื™ื›ื”

The Gemara asks: And as for the Rabbis, what do they do with this term: โ€œHis offeringโ€? The Gemara explains how the Rabbis expound each mention of the term. One instance of โ€œhis offeringโ€ teaches that one places hands only on oneโ€™s own offering, but not on an offering of a gentile. Another instance of โ€œhis offeringโ€ teaches that one places hands only on oneโ€™s own offering, but not on an offering of another person. The third instance of โ€œhis offeringโ€ serves to include all the owners of a jointly owned offering in the requirement of placing hands, i.e., they are all required to place their hands on the offering.

ื•ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ืœืจื‘ื•ืช ื›ืœ ื‘ืขืœื™ ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืœืกืžื™ื›ื” ืœื™ืช ืœื™ื” ื•ืื™ ื ืžื™ ืื™ืช ืœื™ื” ืขื•ื‘ื“ ื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ื ื•ื—ื‘ื™ืจื• ืžื—ื“ ืงืจื ื ืคืงื ืื™ื™ืชืจื• ืœื™ื” ืชืจื™ ืงืจืื™ ื—ื“ ืงืจื‘ื ื• ื•ืœื ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืื‘ื™ื• ื•ืื™ื“ืš ืœืจื‘ื•ืช ื›ืœ ื‘ืขืœื™ ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืœืกืžื™ื›ื”

The Gemara clarifies: And Rabbi Yehuda does not hold that one of the mentions serves to include all the owners of a jointly owned offering in the requirement of placing hands, so he is able to expound it to exclude an heir from the requirement. Alternatively, if he holds that one of the mentions serves to include owners of a jointly owned offering, then he must derive that one does not place hands on the offering of a gentile or of another person from the same one mention in the verse, which leaves him two more mentions in the verses. One he expounds to teach that on โ€œhis offeringโ€ he places hands, but not on his fatherโ€™s offering that he inherited, and the other mention remains to include all the owners of a jointly owned offering in the requirement of placing hands.

ื•ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื”ืื™ ื”ืžืจ ื™ืžื™ืจ ืžืื™ ืขื‘ื™ื“ ืœื™ื” ืžื™ื‘ืขื™ ืœื™ื” ืœืจื‘ื•ืช ืืช ื”ืืฉื” ื“ืชื ื™ื ืœืคื™ ืฉื›ืœ ื”ืขื ื™ืŸ ื›ื•ืœื• ืื™ื ื• ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืืœื ื‘ืœืฉื•ืŸ ื–ื›ืจ ืžื” ืกื•ืคื™ื ื• ืœืจื‘ื•ืช ืืช ื”ืืฉื” ืชืœืžื•ื“ ืœื•ืžืจ ื”ืžืจ ื™ืžื™ืจ

The Gemara asks: And as for Rabbi Yehuda, what does he do with the use of the doubled form in this verse: โ€œIf he shall substitute [hamer yamir]โ€? The Gemara answers: He requires it to include a woman among those who can effect substitution. As it is taught in a baraita: Since the entire matter of substitution is stated in the Torah only in the masculine form, what is the reason that we ultimately come to include a woman? The verse states: โ€œIf he shall substitute [hamer yamir],โ€ using a doubled form.

ื•ืจื‘ื ืŸ ื“ืจืฉื™ ืžื•ืื ื•ืจ’ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ื•ืื ืœื ื“ืจื™ืฉ:

And as for the Rabbis, they derive that a woman can effect substitution from the term: โ€œAnd ifโ€ (Leviticus 27:10), in the phrase โ€œand if he shall substitute.โ€ And Rabbi Yehuda does not expound the term โ€œand ifโ€ at all.

ืžืชื ื™ืณ ื”ื›ืœ ืกื•ืžื›ื™ืŸ ื—ื•ืฅ ืžื—ืจืฉ ืฉื•ื˜ื” ื•ืงื˜ืŸ ื•ืกื•ืžื ื•ืขื•ื‘ื“ ื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ื ื•ื”ืขื‘ื“ ื•ื”ืฉืœื™ื— ื•ื”ืืฉื”

MISHNA: Everyone who brings an animal offering places hands upon its head, except for a deaf-mute, an imbecile, a minor, a blind person, a gentile, a Canaanite slave, the agent of the owner of the offering who brings the offering on the ownerโ€™s behalf, and a woman.

ื•ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืฉื™ืจื™ ืžืฆื•ื”

And the requirement of placing hands is a non-essential mitzva; therefore, failure to place hands does not prevent the owner from achieving atonement.

ืขืœ ื”ืจืืฉ ื‘ื‘’ ื™ื“ื™ื ื•ื‘ืžืงื•ื ืฉืกื•ืžื›ื™ืŸ ืฉื•ื—ื˜ื™ืŸ ื•ืชื›ืฃ ืœืกืžื™ื›ื” ืฉื—ื™ื˜ื”:

The rite of placing hands is performed by leaning on the head of the offering with two hands. And in the same location in the Temple that one places hands, one slaughters the animal. And immediately following the rite of placing hands, the slaughter is performed.

ื’ืžืณ ื‘ืฉืœืžื ื—ืจืฉ ืฉื•ื˜ื” ื•ืงื˜ืŸ ื“ืœืื• ื‘ื ื™ ื“ืขื” ื ื™ื ื”ื• ืขื•ื‘ื“ ื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ื ื ืžื™ (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื, ื‘) ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืกื•ืžื›ื™ืŸ ื•ืื™ืŸ ืขื•ื‘ื“ื™ ื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ื ืกื•ืžื›ื™ืŸ ืืœื ืกื•ืžื ืžืื™ ื˜ืขืžื ืœื

GEMARA: The Gemara explains why certain types of people do not place hands on an offering: Granted, a deaf-mute, an imbecile, and a minor do not place their hands on the offering, as they are not mentally competent. The exclusion of a gentile is also understandable, as the verses concerning placing hands are introduced with: โ€œSpeak to the children of Israel and say to themโ€ (Leviticus 1:2), which indicates that the children of Israel place hands upon their offerings, but gentiles do not place their hands upon their offerings. But with regard to a blind person, what is the reason that he does not place his hands on his offering?

ืจื‘ ื—ืกื“ื ื•ืจื‘ ื™ืฆื—ืง ื‘ืจ ืื‘ื“ื™ืžื™ ื—ื“ ืืžืจ ืืชื™ื ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืžื–ืงื ื™ ืขื“ื”

Rav แธคisda and Rav Yitzแธฅak bar Avdimi disagree as to the source of the exclusion of a blind person. One said that it is derived from a verbal analogy between the mention of placing hands in the passage detailing the general requirement to do so, and the mention of placing hands stated with regard to the bull offering brought for a community-wide violation perpetrated due to an erroneous ruling of the Sanhedrin, which is performed by the Elders of the congregation, i.e., the judges of the Sanhedrin: Just as the judges may not be blind (see Sanhedrin 34b), so too the rite of placing hands is not performed by a blind person.

ื•ื—ื“ ืืžืจ ืืชื™ื ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืžืขื•ืœืช ืจืื™ื™ื”

And the other one said that it is derived from a verbal analogy between the mention of placing hands in the passage detailing the general requirement to do so, and the mention of placing hands stated with regard to the burnt offering of appearance brought by an individual on the pilgrimage Festivals: Just as a blind person is exempt from making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and bringing the offering (see แธคagiga 2a), so too he is excluding from the requirement of placing hands.

ื•ืœืžืืŸ ื“ืืžืจ ืžืขื•ืœืช ืจืื™ื™ื” ืžืื™ ื˜ืขืžื ืœื ื™ืœื™ืฃ ืžืŸ ื–ืงื ื™ ืขื“ื”

The Gemara asks: And according to the one who said that the exclusion of a blind person is derived from the burnt offering of appearance, what is the reason that he does not derive this from the placing of hands performed by the Elders of the congregation?

ื“ื ื™ืŸ ื™ื—ื™ื“ ืžื™ื—ื™ื“ ื•ืื™ืŸ ื“ื ื™ืŸ ื™ื—ื™ื“ ืžืฆื™ื‘ื•ืจ

The Gemara answers: He holds that one derives the halakhot of the offering of an individual from the halakhot of another offering of an individual, such as the burnt offering of appearance, and one does not derive the halakhot of the offering of an individual from the halakhot of a communal offering, e.g., the bull brought for a community-wide violation.

ื•ืœืžืืŸ ื“ื™ืœื™ืฃ ืžื–ืงื ื™ ืขื“ื” ืžืื™ ื˜ืขืžื ืœื ื™ืœื™ืฃ ืžืขื•ืœืช ืจืื™ื™ื” ื“ื ื™ืŸ ืžื™ื“ื™ ื“ื›ืชื™ื‘ ื‘ื™ื” ืกืžื™ื›ื” ื‘ื’ื•ืคื™ื” ืžืžื™ื“ื™ ื“ื›ืชื™ื‘ ื‘ื™ื” ืกืžื™ื›ื” ื‘ื’ื•ืคื™ื” ืœืืคื•ืงื™ ืขื•ืœืช ืจืื™ื™ื” ื“ื”ื™ื ื’ื•ืคื” ืžืขื•ืœืช ื ื“ื‘ื” ื’ืžืจื”

The Gemara asks: And according to the one who said that the exclusion of a blind person is derived from the placing of hands performed by the Elders of the congregation, what is the reason that he does not derive this from the burnt offering of appearance? The Gemara answers: He holds that one derives the halakhot of a matter concerning which the requirement of placing hands is explicitly written with regard to that case itself, as is the case in the passage detailing the general requirement of placing hands, from another matter concerning which placing hands is also explicitly written with regard to that case itself, as is the case in the passage describing the bull brought for a community-wide violation of a sin. This serves to exclude the possibility of deriving the halakhot from those of the burnt offering of appearance, as the requirement to place hands upon it is not explicitly written in the Torah with regard to it, but rather it itself is derived from the requirement stated with regard to a voluntary burnt offering.

ื“ืชื ื™ ืชื ื ืงืžื™ื” ื“ืจื‘ ื™ืฆื—ืง ื‘ืจ ืื‘ื (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื˜, ื˜ื–) ื•ื™ืงืจื‘ ืืช ื”ืขื•ืœื” ื•ื™ืขืฉื” ื›ืžืฉืคื˜ ื›ืžืฉืคื˜ ืขื•ืœืช ื ื“ื‘ื” ืœื™ืžื“ ืขืœ ืขื•ืœืช ื—ื•ื‘ื” ืฉื˜ืขื•ื ื” ืกืžื™ื›ื”:

This is as a tanna taught in a baraita in the presence of Rav Yitzแธฅak bar Abba: With regard to the obligatory offering brought by Aaron the High Priest on the eighth day of the inauguration of the Tabernacle, it is written: โ€œAnd the burnt offering was presented, and he sacrificed in accordance with the ordinanceโ€ (Leviticus 9:16). This last phrase means: In accordance with the ordinance of a voluntary burnt offering. Accordingly, this verse teaches about every obligatory burnt offering, including the burnt offering of appearance, that it requires placing hands, just as a voluntary burnt offering does.

ื•ื”ืขื‘ื“ ื•ื”ืฉืœื™ื— ื•ื”ืืฉื”: ืชื ื• ืจื‘ื ืŸ (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื, ื“) ื™ื“ื• ื•ืœื ื™ื“ ืขื‘ื“ื• ื™ื“ื• ื•ืœื ื™ื“ ืฉืœื•ื—ื• ื™ื“ื• ื•ืœื ื™ื“ ืืฉืชื•

ยง The mishna states: A Canaanite slave, the agent of the owner of the offering who brings the offering on his behalf, and a woman do not place hands on their offerings. Concerning these halakhot, the Sages taught in a baraita: The term โ€œhis handโ€ is mentioned three times in Leviticus, chapter 3, which details the requirement of placing hands. Each mention is expounded to exclude a different case. โ€œHis handโ€ (Leviticus 3:2), but not the hand of his Canaanite slave; โ€œhis handโ€ (Leviticus 3:8), but not the hand of his agent; โ€œhis handโ€ (Leviticus 3:13), but not the hand of his wife.

ื›ืœ ื”ื ื™ ืœืžื” ืœื™ ืฆืจื™ื›ื ืื™ ื›ืชื‘ ืจื—ืžื ื ื—ื“ ื”ื•ื” ืืžื™ื ื ืœืžืขื•ื˜ื™ ืขื‘ื“ ื“ืœืื• ื‘ืจ ืžืฆื•ืช ืื‘ืœ ืฉืœื™ื— ื“ื‘ืจ ืžืฆื•ื” ื”ื•ื ื•ืฉืœื•ื—ื• ืฉืœ ืื“ื ื›ืžื•ืชื• ืื™ืžื ืœืกืžื•ืš

The Gemara asks: Why do I need all these three exclusions? The Gemara explains that all three mentions are necessary, as had the Merciful One written only one exclusion, I would say that it serves to exclude only a Canaanite slave, as since he is not commanded in mitzvot it is reasonable that he cannot perform the rite of placing hands. But with regard to an agent, since he is commanded in mitzvot, and there is a principle that the halakhic status of a personโ€™s agent is like that of himself, one might say that he could place his hands on the offering of the owner on the ownerโ€™s behalf, and thereby fulfill the requirement. Therefore, it is necessary to have an independent source to exclude an agent.

ื•ืื™ ืืฉืžืขื™ื ืŸ ื”ื ื™ ืชืจืชื™ ื“ืœืื• ื›ื’ื•ืคื™ื” ื“ืžื™ื ืื‘ืœ ืืฉืชื• ื“ื›ื’ื•ืคื™ื” ื“ืžื™ื ืื™ืžื ืชื™ืกืžืš ืฆืจื™ื›ื:

And had the Merciful One taught us only these two halakhot, one would have excluded only a Canaanite slave and an agent, as they are not considered like his own flesh. But with regard to his wife, who is considered like his own flesh, one might say that she places her hands on her husbandโ€™s offering. Therefore, the third mention is necessary to teach that even a wife cannot fulfill the requirement on behalf of her husband.

ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืฉื™ืจื™ ืžืฆื•ื”: ืช”ืจ (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื, ื“) ื•ืกืžืš (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื, ื“) ื•ื ืจืฆื” ื•ื›ื™ ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืžื›ืคืจืช ื•ื”ืœื ืื™ืŸ ื›ืคืจื” ืืœื ื‘ื“ื ืฉื ืืžืจ (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื™ื–, ื™ื) ื›ื™ ื”ื“ื ื”ื•ื ื‘ื ืคืฉ ื™ื›ืคืจ ืืœื ืœื•ืžืจ ืœืš ืฉืื ืขืฉืื” ืœืกืžื™ื›ื” ืฉื™ืจื™ ืžืฆื•ื” ืžืขืœื” ืขืœื™ื• ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ ื›ืื™ืœื• ืœื ื›ื™ืคืจ ื•ื›ื™ืคืจ

ยง The mishna states: The requirement of placing hands is a non-essential mitzva. The Sages taught in a baraita: โ€œAnd he shall place his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to effect atonement for himโ€ (Leviticus 1:4). The baraita asks: But does the rite of placing hands effect atonement? Isnโ€™t atonement effected only through the presentation of the blood? As it is stated with regard to blood: โ€œFor the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to effect atonement for your souls, for it is the blood of the soul that effects atonementโ€ (Leviticus 17:11). Rather, the verse serves to say to you that if one treated placing hands as though it were a non-essential mitzva and therefore neglected to perform it, then the verse ascribes him blame as though he did not effect atonement; but nevertheless, in actuality, the offering atones for his sin and he does not need to bring another offering.

ื•ืชื ื™ื ื’ื‘ื™ ืชื ื•ืคื” ื›ื™ ื”ืื™ ื’ื•ื•ื ื (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื™ื“, ื›ื) ืœืชื ื•ืคื” ืœื›ืคืจ ื•ื›ื™ ืชื ื•ืคื” ืžื›ืคืจืช ื•ื”ืœื ืื™ืŸ ื›ืคืจื” ืืœื ื‘ื“ื ืฉื ืืžืจ ื›ื™ ื”ื“ื ื”ื•ื ื‘ื ืคืฉ ื™ื›ืคืจ ืืœื ืœื•ืžืจ ืœืš ืฉืื ืขืฉืื” ืœืชื ื•ืคื” ืฉื™ืจื™ ืžืฆื•ื” ืžืขืœื” ืขืœื™ื• ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ ื›ืื™ืœื• ืœื ื›ื™ืคืจ ื•ื›ื™ืคืจ:

And it is taught in a baraita with regard to waving in this way: โ€œHe shall take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to effect atonement for himโ€ (Leviticus 14:21). The baraita asks: Does waving the offering effect atonement? Isnโ€™t atonement effected only through the presentation of the blood? As it is stated: โ€œFor it is the blood of the soul that effects atonementโ€ (Leviticus 17:11). Rather, the verse serves to say to you that if one treated waving as though it were a non-essential mitzva and therefore neglected to perform it, then the verse ascribes him blame as though he did not effect atonement; but nevertheless, in actuality, the offering effects atonement for his sin and he does not need to bring another offering.

ืขืœ ื”ืจืืฉ: ืชื ื• ืจื‘ื ืŸ ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ื”ืจืืฉ ื•ืœื ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ื”ืฆื•ืืจ ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ื”ืจืืฉ ื•ืœื ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ื”ื’ื‘ื™ื™ื ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ื”ืจืืฉ ื•ืœื ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ื”ื—ื–ื”

ยง The mishna further states that that placing hands is performed by leaning on the head of the offering. The Sages taught in a baraita: The phrase โ€œhis hand upon the headโ€ is mentioned three times in Leviticus, chapter 3. Each mention is expounded to exclude the possibility of performing the rite on a different part of the animalโ€™s body. Placing hands is performed with โ€œhis hand upon the headโ€ (Leviticus 3:2), but not with his hand on the neck of the animal; with โ€œhis hand upon the headโ€ (Leviticus 3:8), but not with his hand on the back of the animal; with โ€œhis hand upon the headโ€ (Leviticus 3:13), but not with his hand on the breast of the animal.

ื›ืœ ื”ื ื™ ืœืžื” ืœื™ ืฆืจื™ื›ื™ ื“ืื™ ื›ืชื‘ ืจื—ืžื ื ื—ื“ ืœืžืขื•ื˜ื™ ืฆื•ืืจ ื“ืœื ืงืื™ ื‘ื”ื“ื™ ืจืืฉื• ืื‘ืœ ื’ื‘ื• ื“ืงืื™ ืœื”ื“ื™ ืจืืฉื• ืื™ืžื ืœื ืฆืจื™ื›ื

The Gemara asks: Why do I need all these three exclusions? The Gemara explains that all three mentions are necessary, as had the Merciful One written only one exclusion, I would say that it serves to exclude only the animalโ€™s neck, as it is not level with the head of the animal. But with regard to its back, which is level with its head, one might say that it is not precluded and that one can fulfill the requirement by placing oneโ€™s hands there. Therefore, it is necessary to have an independent source to exclude the animalโ€™s back.

ื•ืื™ ืืฉืžืขื™ื ืŸ ื”ื ื™ ืชืจื™ ืžืฉื•ื ื“ืœื ืื™ืชืจื‘ื™ ืœืชื ื•ืคื” ืื‘ืœ ื—ื–ื” ื“ืื™ืชืจื‘ื™ ืœืชื ื•ืคื” ืื™ืžื ืœื ืฆืจื™ื›ื

And had the Torah taught us only these two halakhot, one would have excluded only the neck and the back, as those parts are not included in the waving of the offering, i.e., they are not waved. But with regard to the animalโ€™s breast, which is included in the waving of the offering, one might say that it is not precluded and that one can fulfill the requirement by placing oneโ€™s hands there. Therefore, the third mention is necessary to teach that placing hands cannot be performed even on the animalโ€™s breast.

ืื™ื‘ืขื™ื ืœื”ื• ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ื”ืฆื“ื“ื™ืŸ ืžื”ื• ืชื ืฉืžืข ื“ืชื ื™ื ืื‘ื ื‘ื™ืจืื” ื‘ืจื‘ื™ ืืœื™ืขื–ืจ ื‘ืŸ ื™ืขืงื‘ ืื•ืžืจ ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ืจืืฉื• ื•ืœื ื™ื“ื• ืขืœ ื”ืฆื“ื“ื™ืŸ

A dilemma was raised before the Sages: If one placed his hand on the sides of the animalโ€™s head, what is the halakha; does one fulfill the requirement of placing hands by doing so? The Gemara answers: Come and hear, as it is taught in a baraita: Abba Biraโ€™a, son of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaโ€™akov, says that the verse: โ€œAnd he shall place his hand upon the head of the burnt offeringโ€ (Leviticus 1:4), indicates that it must be done with his hand on the top of its head and not with his hand on the sides of its head.

ื‘ืขื™ ืจื‘ื™ ื™ืจืžื™ื” ืžื˜ืœื™ืช ืžื”ื• ืฉืชื—ื•ืฅ ืชื ืฉืžืข ื•ื‘ืœื‘ื“ ืฉืœื ืชื”ื ื“ื‘ืจ ื—ื•ืฆืฅ ื‘ื™ื ื• ืœื‘ื™ืŸ ื”ื–ื‘ื—:

Rabbi Yirmeya raises a dilemma: If oneโ€™s hands were wrapped in a cloth, what is the halakha as to whether the cloth is regarded as an interposition between his hands and the animal such that it invalidates the rite? The Gemara answers: Come and hear a resolution from a baraita, which states: The rite is valid provided that there is no item that interposes between him and the offering.

ื•ื‘ืฉืชื™ ื™ื“ื™ื: ืžื ื ื”ื ื™ ืžื™ืœื™ ืืžืจ ืจื™ืฉ ืœืงื™ืฉ ื“ืืžืจ ืงืจื (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื˜ื–, ื›ื) ื•ืกืžืš ืื”ืจืŸ ืืช ืฉืชื™ ื™ื“ื• ื›ืชื™ื‘ ื™ื“ื• ื•ื›ืชื™ื‘ ืฉืชื™ ื–ื” ื‘ื ื” ืื‘ ื›ืœ ืžืงื•ื ืฉื ืืžืจ ื™ื“ื• ื”ืจื™ ื›ืืŸ ืฉืชื™ื ืขื“ ืฉื™ืคืจื˜ ืœืš ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ ืื—ืช

ยง The mishna adds that the placing of hands is performed with two hands. The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? Reish Lakish said: As the verse states with regard to the Yom Kippur service: โ€œAnd Aaron shall place both his hands [yadav] upon the head of the live goatโ€ (Leviticus 16:21). The word yadav, meaning: His hands, is written without a second yod, and so if read without vowels it reads as: His hand. But it is also written โ€œboth,โ€ which makes clear that the intention is that he must use both of his hands. This established a paradigm that in any place where it is stated in the Torah: His hand, there are here two hands, unless the verse explicitly specifies that there is only one.

ืื–ืœ ืจื‘ื™ ืืœืขื–ืจ ืืžืจื” ืœื”ื ืฉืžืขืชื ื‘ื‘ื™ ืžื“ืจืฉื ื•ืœื ืืžืจื” ืžืฉืžื™ื” ื“ืจื™ืฉ ืœืงื™ืฉ ืฉืžืข ืจื™ืฉ ืœืงื™ืฉ ื•ืื™ืงืคื“ ืืžืจ ืœื™ื” ืื™ ืกืœืงื ื“ืขืชืš ื›ืœ ื”ื™ื›ื ื“ื›ืชื™ื‘ ื™ื“ื• ืชืจืชื™ ื ื™ื ื”ื• ืœืžื” ืœื™ ืœืžื›ืชื‘ ื™ื“ื™ื• ื™ื“ื™ื•

The Gemara relates: Rabbi Elazar went and stated this halakha in the study hall, but he did not say it in the name of Reish Lakish. Reish Lakish heard about this and became angry. He said to Rabbi Elazar: If it enters your mind that wherever it is written: His hand, the meaning is that there are actually two hands, then why do I ever need the Torah to write: His hands, his hands, i.e., yadav in the plural, which it does on numerous occasions?

ืืงืฉื™ ืœื™ื” ืขืฉืจื™ื ื•ืืจื‘ืข ื™ื“ื™ื• (ื•ื™ืงืจื ื–, ืœ) ื™ื“ื™ื• ืชื‘ื™ืื ื” (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ืœื’, ื–) ื™ื“ื™ื• ืจื‘ ืœื• (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืžื—, ื™ื“) ืฉื›ืœ ืืช ื™ื“ื™ื• ืื™ืฉืชื™ืง

Reish Lakish raised objections against him from twenty-four occasions where the Torah writes: His hands, for example: โ€œHis own hands [yadav] shall bring the offerings of the Lordโ€ (Leviticus 7:30); โ€œhis hands [yadav] shall contend for him, and You shall be a help against his adversariesโ€ (Deuteronomy 33:7); โ€œGuiding his hands [yadav] wittingly, for Manasseh was the firstbornโ€ (Genesis 48:14). Rabbi Elazar was silent, as he had no response.

ืœื‘ืชืจ ื“ื ื— ื“ืขืชื™ื” ืืžืจ ืœื™ื” ืžืื™ ื˜ืขืžื ืœื ืชื™ืžื ืœื™ ื™ื“ื™ื• ื“ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืงืืžืจื™

After Reish Lakish had calmed down, he said to Rabbi Elazar: What is the reason that you did not say to me the following: When I established that paradigm, I was speaking only about the term: His hands [yadav], with regard to placing hands. But with regard to other halakhot, when the Torah says โ€œhis handโ€ the reference is to just one hand, and so when referring to two hands it must say โ€œhis hands.โ€

ื‘ืกืžื™ื›ื” ื ืžื™ ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื›ื–, ื›ื’) ื•ื™ืกืžื•ืš ืืช ื™ื“ื™ื• ืขืœื™ื• ื•ื™ืฆื•ื”ื• ืกืžื™ื›ื” ื“ื‘ื”ืžื” ืงืืžืจื™:

The Gemara asks: But also with regard to placing hands it is written, concerning Mosesโ€™ ordination of Joshua: โ€œAnd he placed his hands [yadav] upon him and gave him a chargeโ€ (Numbers 27:23), using the plural โ€œhis handsโ€ [yadav] instead of: His hand [yado]. The Gemara clarifies that Reish Lakish meant that one could say: When I established that paradigm, I was speaking only about the term: His hands [yadav], with regard to placing hands on an animal offering. But in all other cases, if the intention is that there were two hands, the plural must be used.

ื•ื‘ืžืงื•ื ืฉืกื•ืžื›ื™ืŸ ืฉื•ื—ื˜ื™ืŸ ืชื›ืฃ ืœืกืžื™ื›ื” ืฉื—ื™ื˜ื”: ืžืื™ ืงืืžืจ ื”ื›ื™ ืงืืžืจ ื‘ืžืงื•ื ืฉืกื•ืžื›ื™ืŸ ืฉื•ื—ื˜ื™ืŸ ืฉืชื›ืฃ ืœืกืžื™ื›ื” ืฉื—ื™ื˜ื”:

ยง The mishna teaches: And in the same location in the Temple that one places hands, one slaughters the animal. And immediately following the rite of placing hands, the slaughter is performed. The Gemara asks: What is the mishna saying? The mishna appears to state two distinct rulings. But if so, the first statement is superfluous, because if the slaughter immediately follows the placing of hands, then it is obvious that the animal is slaughtered without changing its location. The Gemara explains that this is what the mishna is saying: In the same location in the Temple that one places hands one slaughters the animal, because immediately following the rite of placing hands, the slaughter is performed. There are not two distinct rulings; rather, the second statement is the explanation of the first.

ืžืชื ื™ืณ ื—ื•ืžืจ ื‘ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืžื‘ืชื ื•ืคื” ื•ื‘ืชื ื•ืคื” ืžื‘ืกืžื™ื›ื” ืฉืื—ื“ ืžื ื™ืฃ ืœื›ืœ ื”ื—ื‘ืจื™ื ื•ืื™ืŸ ืื—ื“ ืกื•ืžืš ืœื›ืœ ื”ื—ื‘ืจื™ื ื—ื•ืžืจ ื‘ืชื ื•ืคื” ืฉื”ืชื ื•ืคื” ื ื•ื”ื’ืช ื‘ืงืจื‘ื ื•ืช ื”ื™ื—ื™ื“ ื•ื‘ืงืจื‘ื ื•ืช ื”ืฆื‘ื•ืจ

MISHNA: There is an aspect of greater stringency with regard to placing hands than there is with regard to waving, and there is an aspect of greater stringency with regard to waving than there is with regard to placing hands. The stringency with regard to placing hands is that if several people are partners in bringing an offering, one of them waves the offering on behalf of all the other partners, but one cannot fulfill the requirement of placing hands if he alone places hands on behalf of all the other partners; rather, each member must place hands himself. The stringency with regard to waving is that waving is practiced in the cases of both offerings of an individual, e.g., peace offerings, where the breast and thigh and sacrificial portions are waved, and in the cases of communal offerings, e.g., the two lambs sacrificed on Shavuot, which are waved together with the two loaves;

Want to follow content and continue where you left off?

Create an account today to track your progress, mark what youโ€™ve learned, and follow the shiurim that speak to you.

Clear all items from this list?

This will remove ALL the items in this section. You will lose any progress or history connected to them. This is irreversible.

Cancel
Yes, clear all

Are you sure you want to delete this item?

You will lose any progress or history connected to this item.

Cancel
Yes, delete