REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI
prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem
Previous daf Menachos 66
MENACHOS 66 - dedicated by Moishe Schwerd of Kew Gardens Hills, NY. May he
and his family be blessed with good health and continued growth b'Ruchniyus
(a) The Pasuk in Emor "mi'Yom Havi'achem ... Tisperu" implies that one may
count any time after bringing the Omer, says the Beraisa currently under
What does the Tana then learn from the Pasuk in Re'ei
"me'Hacheil Chermesh ba'Kamah Tacheil Lispor"?
(b) And from where does he then learn that the Kohanim cannot ...
(c) What does the Tana therefore conclude?
- ... subsequently bring the Omer whenever they please?
- ... cut the barley, count the Omer and bring the Omer, all in the daytime?
- ... cut the barley, count the Omer and bring the Omer, all by night?
(a) Rava concludes that eight of the twelve opinions quoted above in the two
Beraisos are refutable. He refutes the opinion of Rebbi Yochanan ben Zakai
by citing Abaye.
How does Abaye reconcile the two Pesukim "Tisperu
Chamishim Yom" and "Shiv'ah Shavu'os Tispor Lach" Halachically?
(b) What problem does Rava have with ...
(c) On what grounds does Rava refute Rebbi Yossi's first proof (because we
would not know which Shabbos)?
- ... Rebbi Eliezer (and Rebbi Yehudah ben Beseira in the second Beraisa ['Sefirah ha'Teluyah be'Beis-Din']) and Rebbi Yehoshua ('Samuch le'Bi'ah Nikeres'), who prove that the counting must begin after Yom-Tov and not after Shabbos?
- ... Rebbi Yossi b'Rebbi Yehudah, who proves that one must always count fifty days until Shavuos (and not more)?
(d) Which four opinions does he leave intact?
(a) The Rabbanan of Bei Rav Ashi used to count the days and the weeks, like
the ruling of Abaye.
What did Ameimar used to do?
(b) Why was that?
(a) After cutting the barley and placing it in boxes, they carried it to the
Beis-Hamikdash. According to Rebbi Meir, they then scorched the kernels in
Why did they do that?
(b) The Chachamim disagree on two scores.
What did they first do to the
kernels before scorching them?
(c) What did they use instead of the flails that they used to beat dry
kernels? Why is that?
(d) The Chachamim also require the kernels to be scorched on an 'Ibuv' of
Why is that?
(e) What special characteristic did the Ibuv possess?
(a) What did they do with the scorched barley kernels before grinding them?
(b) They then ground them in a bean grinder (Rechayim shel G'rusos).
is the significance of that?
(c) How much So'les did they finally end up with, after sifting the flour?
(d) How many times did they sift it? How was this performed?
(a) What happened to the remainder of the flour?
Answers to questions
(b) The Tana Kama obligates the person who redeems it to take Chalah from
Why is that?
(c) Then why does he exempt him from Ma'asros?
(d) What does Rebbi Akiva say?
(a) Based on the Pasuk "Aviv Kaluy ba'Eish Geres Carmel", from where does
the Beraisa learn that the barley is roasted before it is ground, and not
(b) The Tana Darshens the word "Carmel" as 'Rach u'Mal'. What does this
(c) What is the connection between ...
- ... the words 'Ba Ve'yatzak Lanu Ve'achalnu ve'Naveh Lanu', and the Pasuk in Melachim "ve'Ish Ba mi'Ba'al Shalishah Va'yavei ... Lechem Bikurim ... ve'Karmel be'Tziklono"?
- ... that D'rashah and our Sugya?
(a) Who is the speaker in the Pasuk in Mishlei "Nis'alsah ba'Ahavim"
(b) If the 'Nun', the 'Saf', the 'Ayin' and the 'Lamed' in "Nis'alsah"
represent 'Nasa Ve'nasan Ve'na'aleh', what do the 'Samech' ('Sien') and the
'Hey' (which is sometimes interchangeable with a 'Ches') stand for?
(c) The Tana also cites the Pasuk "K'naf Ra'ananim Ne'elsah" (which is the
acronym of 'Nosei Oleh ve'Nischatei').
What does this mean? To what does
(d) And what is the Pasuk in Bil'am "Ki Yarat ha'Derech Lenegdi" the acronym
(e) The final acronym cited by the Beraisa quoting Tana de'Bei Rebbi
Yishmael is "Carmel".
How does *he* present it?
(a) What reason does Rav Kahana ascribe to Rebbi Akiva in our Mishnah, who
obligates the purchaser to Ma'aser the remainder of the Omer flour that he
(b) Rav Sheishes queried this with a Beraisa.
What were the Rabbanan
referring to, when (following Rebbi Akiva's ruling in our Mishnah) they
retorted 'Podeh mi'Yad Gizbar Yochi'ach, she'Chayav be'Chalah u'Patur min
(c) What were they trying to prove with this?
(a) What is now Rav Sheishes' Kashya?
(b) What do we answer?
(a) Rav Kahana bar Tachlifa queries Rav Kahana from another Beraisa.
reason does Rebbi Akiva himself give for his ruling, obligating the
purchaser to Ma'aser the leftover barley from the Omer?
(b) What does Rebbi Yochanan therefore conclude regarding Rebbi Akiva's
reasoning? What does Rebbi Akiva really hold with regard to Miru'ach
(c) Based on that ruling, what does Rava say about Miru'ach Oved-Kochavim?
(a) In a Mishnah in D'mai, Rebbi Meir and Rebbi Yehudah permit a Yisrael, a
Nochri and a Kuti to Ma'aser from the crops belonging to any one of them on
those belonging to any one of the others.
Answers to questions
On which principle is the fact
that the produce belonging to a Nochri is Chayav Ma'asros based?
(b) What is the significance of Kutim in this Mishnah?
(c) In which of the above cases do Rebbi Yossi and Rebbi Shimon disagree
with the ruling of Rebbi Meir and Rebbi Yehudah?
(d) What is the basis of their Machlokes?