Daf 72 — Menachos 72 Summary

Menachos 72 – Good Morning Raboisai Harvesting for a Mitzvah Is Permitted Normally: It is forbidden to harvest Chadash before the Omer However: • For a mitzvah (e.g. Beis Avel, Beis Medrash) it is permitted • The pasuk implies: harvesting for yourself is אסור , but for a mitzvah is allowed The intent changes the halachic status of the action. Minimize the Activity Even when allowed: • You may cut the grain • But you should not tie bundles ( כריכות ) Reason: Do only what is necessary, and avoid excessive involvement . How the Omer Should Be Prepared From the double language “ תקריב ” we learn: • לכתחילה – take grain attached to the ground , harvested for the mitzvah • בדיעבד – if not available, use detached grain Also: • Prefer fresh/moist grain ( כרמל – רך ומל ) • If not available → even dry grain is acceptable The Torah gives both an ideal method and a fallback. Night vs. Day Harvesting The mitzvah is: To harvest the Omer at night However: • If harvested during the day , it is still כשר This leads to a machlokes: • Rebbi: Day harvesting is valid • Rebbi Elazar b. R’ Shimon: Only night harvesting is valid Tumah and Replacement Case: • The Omer was found to be Tamei What do we do? • According to Rebbi – bring a new one (implying you can harvest during the day) • According to Rebbi Elazar b. R’ Shimon – you cannot harvest during the day, so use the existing one This machlokes depends on whether day harvesting is valid . Does Harvesting Push Off Shabbos? General rule (Rabbi Akiva): • If something can be done before Shabbos , it does NOT override Shabbos Applied here: • If harvesting could be done earlier → it should not push off Shabbos Conclusion: • According to Rebbi , harvesting does not override Shabbos • Only later stages (like bringing/processing) may override Shabbos The Value of Doing a Mitzvah at the Right Time Even when something could technically be done later: It is preferable to do the mitzvah at its proper time Example: • Burning fats ( אימורים ) could be done all night • Yet it is done on Shabbos immediately , at the right time Timing is part of the mitzvah itself. What Gives Kedushah to the Shtei HaLechem? Discussion: • Does the oven (baking) give kedushah? • Or does the shechitah and zerikah of the korban give kedushah? Conclusion: • Shechitah connects the breads to the korban • But the oven gives the actual kedushah Both stages play a role, but in different ways. Yesodos of the Daf • Harvesting is forbidden before the Omer, but allowed for a mitzvah need . • Even then, activity should be limited and controlled . • The Omer ideally comes from fresh, attached grain , but alternatives are valid. • The mitzvah is to harvest at night , though day harvesting may be valid. • There is a major machlokes whether harvesting can be done during the day . • Harvesting generally does not override Shabbos if it could be done earlier. • Mitzvos should be done at their proper time , not delayed. • Kedushah of korban breads involves both shechitah and baking . לעילוי נשמת אמי מורתי רות בת הרב מנחם מנדל