Study Menachot folio 86B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Talmud: The Talmud asks: How can the Mishnah state that the second grade of the first harvest and the first grade of the second harvest are of equal quality? But didn’t you say that the first grade of each harvest is fit for kindling the Candelabrum and the rest are fit only for use in meal offerin
§ The Mishnah teaches: Also with regard to all the meal offerings, it was logical that they should require refined olive oil. To dispel this notion, the verse states: “Refined pounded olive oil for illumination” (Leviticus 24:2). A baraita states with regard to the verse cited in the Mishnah: The wo
One might have thought that refined, pounded oil is unfit for meal offerings, since the verse specifies that this oil is to be used for illumination. To dispel this notion, the verse states with regard to the meal offering brought with the daily offering: “And a tenth of fine flour, thoroughly mixe
The Talmud asks: What is the reason for being sparing? R' Elazar says: The intention is that the Torah spared the money of the Jewish people and did not require that the highest-quality oil be used for the meal offerings.
§ The Talmud discusses the Candelabrum and other aspects of the Temple. The verse states: “Command the children of Israel, and they shall take for yourself refined pounded olive oil for illumination, to kindle the lamps continually” (Leviticus 24:2). R' Shmuel bar Naḥmani says: God tells the Jewish