Daf 71 — Menachos 71 Summary

Menachos 71 – Good Morning Raboisai All Five Grains Are Included in Chadash We learn from a Gezeirah Shavah of “ ראשית – ראשית ” (from Challah): Just like all five grains are obligated in Challah So too, all five grains are included in the איסור of Chadash Therefore: • Not only barley, but also wheat, spelt, oats, and rye are forbidden before the Omer. Two Times: Reaping vs. Eating The Mishnah mentions two separate prohibitions: • Reaping ( קצירה ) before Pesach • Eating ( אכילה ) before the Omer The Gemara clarifies: • Reaping becomes permitted earlier (around sunrise / early stage) • Eating becomes permitted only after the bringing of the Omer (later in the day) These are two distinct halachic timelines . When Must Grain Take Root? Key question: By when must grain take root to be permitted that year? Two opinions: • R e bbi: until the time of bringing the Omer (daytime) • Rabbi Yosef bar Yehudah: until cutting of the Omer (nighttime) If it takes root too late , it misses the Omer and becomes forbidden until the next year . What Stage Is Needed for the Omer to Permit? The Gemara works through stages of growth: • Fully ripe ( אביב ) • One - third grown • Standing grain • Bendable stalks • Even earlier stages Conclusion: Even grain that has just begun to take root is included and becomes permitted through the Omer. However: • Completely unrooted seeds are not yet considered grain (just animal fodder). Exception – Harvesting Before the Omer Normally: It is forbidden to harvest Chadash before the Omer Exception: • Beis HaShlachin (irrigated fields) in a valley Reasons: • The produce is lower quality • Or there is financial loss Therefore: One may harvest early in such cases Limits of the Leniency Even when harvesting is allowed: • You may cut the grain • But you may not pile it into stacks ( כריכות ) This limits the activity to what is necessary and avoids appearing like full harvest. People of Yericho The people of Yericho followed this leniency: • They harvested early – and Chazal did not protest • But they stacked the grain , and Chazal did protest Lesson: Even when something is technically allowed, going further can be inappropriate . Additional Permitted Cases Harvesting before the Omer is also allowed: • To protect young trees • To avoid Kilayim (forbidden mixtures) • For Beis Avel (mourning needs) • For Bittul Beis Midrash (to enable Torah learning) When there is a need or mitzvah , leniency applies. Yesodos of the Daf • All five grains are included in Chadash (learned from Challah). • Reaping and eating have different timelines of permission. • Grain must take root before the Omer cutoff to be permitted that year. • Even very early growth (rooting stage) is included in the heter of Omer. • Special cases allow early harvesting , especially for loss or mitzvah. • However, actions should be limited and controlled , not full harvest behavior. • The story of Yericho teaches balance between halachah and proper conduct . לעילוי נשמת אמי מורתי רות בת הרב מנחם מנדל