Daf 20 — Menachos 20 Summary

Menachos 20 – Good Morning Raboisai Is Salt ( מֶלַח ) Mandatory in a Minchah? We continue the discussion of which components of a Minchah are מעכב (mandatory). Question raised: • Is salt essential? • The Torah does not repeat the requirement twice — normally a sign it’s not ma’akev Yet the pasuk says: בְּרִית מֶלַח עֹולָם The word בְּרִית (covenant) signals something absolute and binding. Key yesod: “Bris” can create obligation even without repetition. Reconciling the Mishnah — “Lo Malach” The Mishnah says: • If he did not do: o Yitzikah o Belilah o Petitah o Melichah → the Minchah is still valid Question: • How can this fit if salt is mandatory? Answer: • “Lo malach” does not mean salt was skipped • It means: o A non - Kohen did it Since: • A Yisrael cannot access the Mizbeach to salt, • Salt must still have been applied — just not by a Kohen Thus: Salt itself is required, but who applies it may vary. What Requires Salt? — The Scope of “Korban” The Torah states: עַל כָל קָרְּבָנ ְָּך תַקְּרִיב מֶלַח At first glance: • “Korban” is a general term • Could include: o Meat o Flour o Wood o Blood o Frankincense But the Torah immediately specifies: וְּעַל מִנְּחָת ְָּך תִתֵּן מֶלַח This creates a Klal – Prat – Klal structure: • General → Specific → General Rule: We include only items similar to the prat (Minchah) The Defining Feature — Requires Firewood What is unique about a Minchah? It: • Requires firewood • Is burned on the Mizbeach • Functions as a matir (permits something else) Therefore: Anything that: • Is burned with wood • Functions like a Minchah → requires salt Applications of the Rule Require salt: • Kemitzah • Levonah (even when brought alone) • Bezichin of Lechem HaPanim • Ketores • Eimurim of: o Chatas o Asham o Olah o Shelamim • Minchas Kohen • Minchas Chavitin (Kohen Gadol) • Minchas Nesachim Do NOT require salt: • Blood • Wine (Nesachim) Reason: • Blood is sprinkled , not burned with wood • Wine represents simchah , not burning • They do not share the Minchah’s defining trait Why Blood Is Excluded (Despite Being a Matir) Challenge: • Blood is also a matir • Why doesn’t it need salt? Answer: • Blood is not burned on wood • It is applied to the Mizbeach directly Thus: Being a matir is not enough — it must also involve firewood What About Wood Itself? Machlokes: • One view: o Wood should not need salt o It is only fuel • Rebbi : o Wood is itself a korban o Therefore: ▪ Requires salt ▪ Requires hagashah ▪ Even requires kemitzah (by grinding into sawdust) Conclusion: • According to Rebbi: Wood offerings require salt Final List — Items That Do Not Require Salt The Gemara attempts to list four exclusions: • Blood • Wine • Wood • Ketores But this clashes with Rebbi, who requires salt for wood (and ketores). Resolution: • Depends on which Tanna you follow • The exclusions are not unanimous Takeaway – Menachos 20 • Salt is mandatory in a Minchah • “Bris” can create obligation without repetition • The Torah uses Klal – Prat – Klal to define scope • Items burned with firewood require salt • Blood and wine are excluded • Levonah and ketores require salt • According to Rebbi, even wood is a korban requiring salt • Definitions in Kodshim depend on function , not labels לעילוי נשמת אמי מורתי רות בת הרב מנחם מנדל