Menachot 20

Sugya Map

• Issue: The sugya on Menachot 20a grapples with the halachic requirement of melicha (salting) for korbanot. Primarily, it explores whether melicha is an indispensable rite (me'akev) and, if so, what is the scope of this mitzva – i.e., which korbanot or parts thereof require salting.
• Nafka Mina(s):
  • The validity of a korban that was offered without salt (me'akev vs. l'chatchila).
  • The precise definition of "all your offerings" (כל קורבנך) in Vayikra 2:13, determining which elements (meal offerings, frankincense, animal parts, wood, blood, libations) are included or excluded.
  • The hermeneutical weight of the term "ברית" (covenant) as an indicator of an indispensable mitzva, akin to a repetition in the text.
• Primary Sources:
  • Vayikra 2:13: "וכל קורבן מנחתך במלח תמלח ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלהיך מעל מנחתך על כל קורבנך תקריב מלח."
  • Bamidbar 18:19: "ברית מלח עולם הוא לפני ה' לך ולזרעך אתך." (Regarding the priesthood's portion).
  • Bamidbar 25:12-13: "ברית כהונת עולם." (Regarding Pinchas's priesthood).
  • Mishna Menachot 5:6 (implied by Gemara's discussion of "תנא דידן").

Text Snapshot

The sugya opens by debating the indispensability of melicha:

ברית אמורה במלח, דברי רבי יהודה. רבי שמעון אומר: נאמר כאן: ברית מלח עולם הוא, ונאמר להלן: ברית כהונת עולם; מה כהונה אי אפשר לקרבנות בלא כהונה, אף מלח אי אפשר לקרבנות בלא מלח. הרי שמלח מעכב בקרבן, למרות שלא שנה בו הכתוב! Menachot 20a¹

R. Yehuda posits that the "covenant" mentioned regarding salt (Bamidbar 18:19) implies its perpetual requirement. R. Shimon, however, draws an explicit gezeira shava from "ברית מלח עולם" (Bamidbar 18:19) to "ברית כהונת עולם" (Bamidbar 25:13), arguing that just as kehunah is indispensable for korbanot, so too is melicha. The Gemara notes that R. Shimon's derasha implies melicha is me'akev even though the mitzva isn't explicitly "repeated" in the text, a key hermeneutical point.

The sugya then challenges Rav's position (that only mitzvot repeated in the text are me'akev) by asking if melicha is repeated (וכי לא שנה הכתוב? והכתיב: וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח?). The Gemara explains that this verse (Vayikra 2:13) is not a mere repetition but is needed for a complex baraita that expounds its scope:

אם אינו ענין לשנות, תנהו ענין ללמד על אחרים. Menachot 20a²

This baraita employs a klal u'prat u'chlala (generalization-detail-generalization) derasha from Vayikra 2:13 to establish which korbanot require salt. The verse "וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח... על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח" (Vayikra 2:13) is seen as a "כלל" (קרבן) followed by a "פרט" (מנחתך) and then another "כלל" (על כל קרבנך). This structure allows for an expansive interpretation: "only what is similar to the detail." The baraita then labors to define this similarity.

Readings

Rashi: The Indispensability of Salt and the Scope of "כל קורבנך"

Rashi, ever the parshan of the plain sense, clarifies the initial machloket regarding the me'akev nature of melicha:

ברית אמורה במלח - שלא תפסוק מקרבנות בין לרבי יהודה בין לר' שמעון ליכא מידי אלא משמעות דורשין. Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. ברית אמורה במלח³

Rashi elucidates that for both R. Yehuda and R. Shimon, the "covenant" implies an unbroken, indispensable requirement for salt in korbanot. He notes that the derivation is purely through exegetical means (mashma'ut dorshin), whether through R. Yehuda's simple understanding of "ברית" or R. Shimon's gezeira shava. This highlights the role of derasha in establishing the fundamental nature of a halacha.

Rashi is also instrumental in deciphering the baraita's intricate expansion of melicha's scope. When the baraita asks, "מנין לרבות את הלבונה הבאה בפני עצמה... ולבונה הבאה בבזיכין וקטרת?" and lists various minchot and animal offerings, Rashi provides crucial definitions:

בפני עצמה - כגון האומר הרי עלי לבונה דאמר בפ' הרי עלי עשרון (לקמן מנחות קו:) לא יפחות מן הקומץ. Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. בפני עצמה⁴

מנחת כהנים - מנחת נדבותיהם דכליל הוא. Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. מנחת כהנים⁵

כהן משיח - חביתין. Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. כהן משיח⁶

קדשי קדשים - זבחי שלמי צבור דהיינו כבשי עצרת דקדשי קדשים נינהו ואע"ג דשלמים הן דהא אין נאכלין אלא יום ולילה כדאמרינן באיזהו מקומן (זבחים דף נד:) זבחי שלמי צבור ואשמות כו'. Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. קדשי קדשים⁷

These explanations clarify that the baraita is not merely listing hypothetical cases but actual korbanot with distinct halachic characteristics. The "frankincense that comes by itself" refers to a voluntary offering of frankincense. "Meal offering of priests" refers to their personal nedavah mincha. "Meal offering of the anointed priest" is the chavitin offering of the Kohen Gadol. "Sacrificial portions of the most sacred order" (קדשי קדשים) refers specifically to communal shelamim like the kivsei Atzeret, which, despite being shelamim (typically kodashim kalim), are treated as kodshei kodashim for their consumption period. Rashi's precision here ensures we understand the full breadth of the baraita's expansive derasha.

Steinsaltz: Unpacking the Sugya's Flow and Derasha Principles

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary offers a lucid, structured approach to the sugya, making the complex derashot accessible. He reinforces the initial point about melicha's indispensability:

ברית אמורה במלח, דברי ר' יהודה, לומר שלעולם לא יפסוק המלח מן הקרבנות. ר' שמעון אומר: נאמר כאן "ברית מלח עולם הוא" (במדבר יח, יט), ונאמר להלן בפנחס: "ברית כהנת עולם" (שם כה, יב), כשם שאי אפשר לקרבנות בלא כהונה, כך אי אפשר לקרבנות בלא מלח. הרי שמלח מעכב בקרבן, למרות שלא שנה בו הכתוב! Steinsaltz, Menachot 20a⁸

Steinsaltz explicitly states that R. Shimon's gezeira shava teaches that salt is me'akev "למרות שלא שנה בו הכתוב" (even though the verse did not repeat it). This highlights the Gemara's earlier assumption that only repeated mitzvot are me'akev, and R. Shimon's derasha provides an alternative path to me'akvei.

He further clarifies the baraita's extensive list of korbanot that require salt, which Rashi also addressed:

מנין לרבות את הלבונה הבאה בפני עצמה, שאדם רשאי לנדב לבונה להקטרה על המזבח, שגם היא טעונה מלח, ו כן לבונה הבאה בבזיכין של לחם הפנים, ו כן הקטרת, וכן המנחות שאינן נקמצות: Steinsaltz, Menachot 20a⁹

מנחת כהנים, ומנחת כהן משיח שמביא הכהן הגדול בכל יום, ומנחת נסכים שמביאים עם קרבן עולה ושלמים, וכן אימורי חטאת, החלקים שמוקטרים על המזבח, ואימורי אשם, ואימורי קדשי קדשים (כבשי העצרת), ואימורי קדשים קלים, ואברי עולה, ועולת העוף, מנין שכולם צריכים מלח? Steinsaltz, Menachot 20a¹⁰

Steinsaltz neatly summarizes the exhaustive list from the baraita, including various forms of frankincense, minchot without kemitzah, and all types of eimurim (sacrificial portions) from animal korbanot. This enumeration underscores the baraita's ultimate conclusion, derived from "על כל קורבנך תקריב מלח," that everything offered on the altar requires salt. His commentary effectively maps the complex textual journey from the initial machloket to the baraita's comprehensive scope, emphasizing the rigorous midrashic methods employed.

Rambam: Codifying the Comprehensive Requirement

The sugya's detailed derivations culminate in halacha. Rambam, in Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot, codifies the requirement of melicha for nearly all korbanot brought to the altar, reflecting the expansive derasha of the baraita:

כל הקרבנות כולן טעונין מליחה שנאמר וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח... וכל הקרבנות שיש בהן אימורים או עצים או לבונה או קטורת או יין או שמן או סולת או כל דבר שקרב למזבח חוץ מן הדם והנסכים טעונין מליחה. Rambam, Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot 13:1¹¹

Rambam unequivocally states that all korbanot require salting, citing Vayikra 2:13. He then lists the various components that require salt, including eimurim, wood, frankincense, incense, wine, oil, and flour—essentially anything brought to the altar except blood and libations. This direct psak is a testament to the sugya's effectiveness in deriving precise halachot from seemingly general scriptural commands. Rambam's exclusion of blood and libations directly reflects the baraita's specific derasha "ממנחתך ולא מדמך" (from your meal offering, but not from your blood) and the Gemara's clarification that libations accompany eimurim rather than blood.

Friction

A significant point of friction arises from the baraita's intricate derasha of Vayikra 2:13 ("וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח...על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח") using the principle of klal u'prat u'chlala. The baraita initially explains "וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח" is necessary to exclude wood and blood, arguing that "just as a mincha is unique in that others come as a requirement for it, so too anything that has others come as a requirement for it" requires salt, and wood/blood do not. However, the Gemara challenges this foundational premise:

מאן שמעת ליה דאמר עץ קרוי קרבן? רבי! ולרבי מי לא בעי מלח? Menachot 20a¹²

The Kushya: The Gemara points out a glaring contradiction. The baraita (attributed to the Tanna of our Mishna, or a separate baraita quoted later) excludes wood from melicha based on its lack of "others coming as a requirement for it." Yet, a distinct baraita states that "Rabbi" (R. Yehuda HaNasi) considers voluntarily donated wood (korban etzim) to be a korban like a mincha, and therefore it does require salt and other mincha rites.

רבי אומר: עץ הרי הוא כמנחה וטעון מלח וטעון הגשה. Menachot 20a¹³

If R. Yehuda HaNasi holds that wood is a korban and requires salt, how can the earlier baraita (whose author might be R. Yehuda HaNasi, or at least one who holds "עץ קרוי קרבן") use the exclusion of wood from melicha as a premise for its derasha? This creates a seemingly irreconcilable conflict: either the baraita's premise about wood is wrong, or its author contradicts himself, or R. Yehuda's opinion is not universally accepted for the baraita's premise. This kushya strikes at the heart of the baraita's logical flow and the attribution of its statements.

The Terutz: The Gemara offers a concise and decisive resolution:

שא עץ מכאן. Menachot 20a¹⁴

"Remove wood from here." This terutz implies that the statement in the baraita which claims "wood... is also termed an offering" but doesn't require salt (and is therefore excluded by "וכל קרבן מנחתך") is not referring to the specific case of korban etzim as understood by R. Yehuda HaNasi. Rather, it refers to wood in a general sense, as merely fuel for the altar, which is indeed not a korban in the full sense and thus does not require melicha. The baraita's statement "I would derive that this applies to even the wood and the blood, which are also termed: An offering" refers to a hypothetical interpretation of "כל קורבן" that would sweep in even non-sacrificial elements like fuel wood, and the "מנחתך" detail comes to limit this. This resolves the contradiction by distinguishing between mere "wood" as fuel and "wood" as a korban in R. Yehuda's specific, expansive view. The baraita is not denying R. Yehuda's korban etzim, but rather clarifying the derasha of the general term "קרבן" in Vayikra 2:13.

Intertext

"ברית מלח" – A Covenant of Permanence and Indispensability

The term "ברית מלח" (covenant of salt) is central to our sugya, appearing in Bamidbar 18:19 and being expounded by R. Shimon via gezeira shava to "ברית כהונת עולם" (Bamidbar 25:13). This concept of a "covenant of salt" appears elsewhere in Tanakh, notably in Divrei Hayamim II 13:5:

הֲלֹא לָכֶם לָדַעַת כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נָתַן מַמְלָכָה לְדָוִיד עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם לוֹ וּלְבָנָיו בְּרִית מֶלַח׃ Divrei Hayamim II 13:5¹⁵

Here, Abijah, king of Judah, reminds Jeroboam and the northern tribes that G-d gave the kingship to David and his descendants "by a covenant of salt." This usage reinforces the idea that a "covenant of salt" signifies an eternal, unbreakable, and indispensable commitment. Just as the Davidic dynasty's claim to kingship is perpetual and inviolable by virtue of this "covenant of salt," so too, the melicha of korbanot is not a mere embellishment but an essential, immutable requirement for their validity. This intertextual parallel elevates the halachic discussion of salt from a simple ritual ingredient to a profound theological concept representing permanence and loyalty.

Melicha of Meat: A Functional Parallel, Distinct Basis

While the melicha of korbanot is rooted in scriptural command for the altar, the melicha of meat for kashering is a distinct, yet functionally related, halacha. The mitzva of kashering meat by salting stems from the prohibition of consuming blood: "כִּי דַם הִוא בְּנֶפֶשׁ יְכַפֵּר" (Vayikra 17:11) and "כָּל דָּם לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ" (Vayikra 7:26). The Sages instituted melicha as the primary method to extract blood from meat before consumption (Chullin 113a, Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah 69:1).

The similarity lies in salt's ability to draw out moisture (and thus blood). However, the halachic basis and purpose differ significantly. For korbanot, salt is a chovat ha'mizbeach, an offering to G-d, symbolizing an eternal covenant and perfection (salt preserves and prevents decay). For kashering, salt is a preparatory step to enable human consumption by removing a prohibited element. While both involve salt and concern korach (sacred elements or food), the sugya on Menachot 20a focuses on the korban as an offering, where salt's role is not primarily for blood extraction but for its covenantal and preservative properties, enhancing the offering's acceptance before G-d.

Psak/Practice

The sugya's rigorous analysis lands squarely in codified halacha, particularly concerning the proper performance of korbanot. The Gemara's conclusion, that melicha is indispensable for virtually all elements offered on the altar, is universally accepted.

Halachic Codification

As noted in the Readings section, Rambam states:

כל הקרבנות כולן טעונין מליחה שנאמר וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח... וכל הקרבנות שיש בהן אימורים או עצים או לבונה או קטורת או יין או שמן או סולת או כל דבר שקרב למזבח חוץ מן הדם והנסכים טעונין מליחה. ואם הקריב אחד מהן בלא מלח - פסול. Rambam, Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot 13:1-2¹⁶

The final clause, "ואם הקריב אחד מהן בלא מלח - פסול" (and if one offered any of them without salt - it is invalid), unequivocally confirms the me'akev nature of melicha. This means that if any of the specified korbanot or their parts (meal offerings, frankincense, animal fats, limbs, etc.) are brought to the altar without salt, the entire korban is invalid, and kaparah (atonement) is not achieved. This psak directly aligns with R. Shimon's gezeira shava and the baraita's expansive derasha of Vayikra 2:13, which concludes that "על כל קורבנך תקריב מלח" (upon all your offerings you shall offer salt) is a comprehensive command.

Meta-Psak Heuristics

Beyond the specific halacha, this sugya exemplifies critical meta-psak heuristics:

1. The Force of "ברית": The machloket between R. Yehuda and R. Shimon, and Rav's interaction with Abaye, highlights the interpretive power of the term "ברית" as an indicator of an eternal, indispensable mitzva. This serves as a hermeneutical tool in other contexts where "covenant" is mentioned.
2. Rigor of Klal u'Prat u'Chlala: The baraita's use of the "generalization, detail, generalization" rule demonstrates the meticulous textual analysis required to derive the precise scope of a mitzva from Torah Shebichtav. The Gemara's subsequent challenges and refinements to this derasha (e.g., defining "what comes as a requirement for it") illustrate the depth of intellectual engagement needed to ensure halachic accuracy.
3. Distinguishing Intent from Application: The sugya differentiates between the halachic status of "wood" as mere fuel versus "wood" as a korban etzim (R. Yehuda). This heuristic emphasizes that the same physical object can have different halachic requirements based on its designation and intent.

Takeaway

The sugya on Menachot 20a meticulously establishes melicha as an indispensable, comprehensive requirement for nearly all korbanot, showcasing the intricate midrashic methods used to derive precise halacha from Torah Shebichtav and underscoring salt's profound symbolism as an eternal covenant.

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¹ Menachot 20a ² Menachot 20a ³ Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. ברית אמורה במלח ⁴ Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. בפני עצמה ⁵ Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. מנחת כהנים ⁶ Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. כהן משיח ⁷ Rashi, Menachot 20a s.v. קדשי קדשים ⁸ Steinsaltz, Menachot 20a ⁹ Steinsaltz, Menachot 20a ¹⁰ Steinsaltz, Menachot 20a ¹¹ Rambam, Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot 13:1 ¹² Menachot 20a ¹³ Menachot 20a ¹⁴ Menachot 20a ¹⁵ Divrei Hayamim II 13:5 ¹⁶ Rambam, Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot 13:1-2