Daf 21 — Menachos 21 Summary

Menachos 21 – Good Morning Raboisai Do All Korbanos Require Salt? We continue the discussion of מֶלַח and which items require salting. A Baraisa lists four items that do NOT require salt : • Blood ( דָּם ) • Wine ( יַיִן ) • Wood ( עֵצִים ) • Ketores ( קְטֹרֶת ) This seems to contradict what we learned earlier: • Rebbi holds that wood is a korban and does require salt • Rabbanan hold that ketores requires salt So the Gemara asks: Who is this Baraisa going like? Resolving the Baraisa – Klal – Prat – Klal Revisited The Torah says: עַל כָּל קָּרְבָּנ ְָך תַקְרִיב מֶלַח וְעַל מִנְחָּת ְָך תִתֵן מֶלַח This creates a Klal – Prat – Klal : • Klal: all korbanos • Prat: Minchah • Klal: all korbanos again Rule: We include only items similar to Minchah What defines a Minchah? 1. מְקַבֵל טֻמְאָּה – capable of becoming tamei 2. עֹולֶה עַל הָּאֵש – burned on the outer Mizbeach Why Each Item Is Excluded Wood ( עֵצִים ) • Not mekabel tumah (unless fashioned into a kli) → Excluded according to this Baraisa Blood & Wine • Do not go on the fire • Blood is sprinkled; wine is poured into the shisin → Excluded Ketores • Is burned, but on the inner Mizbeach ( מִזְבֵח ַ הַפְנִימִי ) • Not similar to Minchah which goes on the outer Mizbeach → Excluded Thus: This Baraisa follows a view that limits salt only to items mekabel tumah + burned on the outer Mizbeach Can Blood Be Salted at All? Question: Why do we need a pasuk to say blood doesn’t get salt — salting ruins blood anyway? Answer: • One might think to add a tiny amount of salt (just enough to fulfill the mitzvah, without ruining it) Therefore: The Torah teaches — even minimal salt is forbidden for blood Reason: • Once blood is salted, it is no longer fit for כַפָּרָּה • Salt is halachically like cooking the blood Boiled or Congealed Blood – Chiyuv or Patur? Machlokes: • Blood congealed by fire → permanently ruined • Blood congealed by sun → may return to liquid form Key yesod in Kodshim: נִדְחָּה – נִדְחָּה לְעֹולָּם Once an item becomes unfit, it remains unfit forever Thus: • Even if it later liquefies, it can never be used for avodah Inner vs Outer Chatas Blood Distinction: • Outer Chatas blood : o Can be applied even when thick o Eating congealed blood → חַיָּיב • Inner Chatas blood (Yom Kippur / Par Helem Davar): o Must be sprinkled o If congealed → unusable o Eating it → פָּטּור Because: Inner blood requires hazayah , not mere placement Blood and Chatzitzah in Mikvah Rav Zeira rules: • Moist blood → not a chatzitzah • Dried or sticky blood → chatzitzah Key factor: Stickiness , not wetness If it forms strings when touched — it blocks the water. How Much Salt Is Required? The Torah repeats: תִמְלָּח / מֶלַח multiple times Meaning: • Salt must be applied properly • Both sides of the limb • Enough to be noticeable Yet: • Any valid salt works • Even imported salt • Even on Shabbos Me’ilah and the Salt of the Mikdash Three locations of salt: 1. Lishkas HaMelach – storage 2. On the ramp 3. On top of the Mizbeach Rules: • Salt on a limb → subject to me’ilah • Salt that fell off after use → no me’ilah • Kohanim may use Mikdash salt for: o Processing hides o Eating korban meat • But not for private חולין food Final Yesod Salt is not just seasoning — it is part of the avodah . Which items require it depends on: • Tumah eligibility • Placement (outer vs inner Mizbeach) • Function in the korban system Takeaway – Menachos 21 • Salt applies only to items similar to a Minchah • Blood, wine, and ketores are excluded for clear reasons • Even minimal salt invalidates blood • Once unfit in Kodshim, always unfit • Inner and outer blood follow different rules • Salt is subject to laws of me’ilah • Precision in avodah details defines validity לעילוי נשמת אמי מורתי רות בת הרב מנחם מנדל