Daf 85 — Menachos 85 Summary

Menachos 85 – Good Morning Raboisai Best Quality for Mincha – “Soless” A Mincha must be brought from the finest flour (soless) – the best of the best. Not from: • Fertilised fields • Irrigated fields • Fields with trees mixed in If brought from these → Kosher b’dieved How to Produce Top - Quality Wheat Process: 1. First year → plough only (no planting) 2. Second year → plough again + plant Result: superior quality wheat How Many Ploughings? Two approaches: • 3 ploughings (1st year + 2nd year + before planting) • 2 ploughings (practical conclusion) Final approach: Alternate planting halves of the field each year → Each section gets 2 ploughings before planting Ideal Field for Omer Best field: • South of Yerushalayim • Gets sun all day (sunrise to sunset) • Specially prepared for Omer Processing the Grain Steps: • Harvest • Bundle • Thresh • Winnow • Select best grains • Grind • Sift Quality check: Gizbar inserts hand: • If fine dust (regular flour) → reject • Must be coarse soless Extra check: • Some put oil on hand → traps bad flour Wormy Grain If wheat contains worms: • If majority infested → Pasul Uncertainty: • Do we judge per grain or whole batch? → Teiku Hekdesh on Pasul Items If someone is makdish: • Wormy wheat • Wormy wood Question: • Is it like a baal mum (gets malkus)? Unresolved → Teiku Olive Oil – Best Sources Top locations: 1. Tekoa – best quality oil 2. Regev (Ever HaYarden) – second All other areas: • Kosher • But not ideal Invalid Olive Oil Not allowed: • From fertilised orchards • From irrigated orchards • From mixed planting Also Pasul: • Pickled olives • Boiled olives • Soaked olives Aggadah – Wisdom of Tekoa Why was the wise woman taken from Tekoa? Because: • They had abundant olive oil • Oil brings wisdom Story – The Oil Merchant A buyer needed massive quantities of oil: • Sent across Eretz Yisrael • Found a simple - looking farmer The farmer: • Acted like a regular worker • Didn’t rush for business But later: • Revealed massive wealth • Supplied huge amounts of oil • Even extended credit Lesson • True wealth is often hidden • External appearance ≠ reality • “ יש מתעשר ואין כל, מתרושש והון רב ” Key Takeaways • Mincha requires highest quality (soless) • Proper field prep is essential (ploughing system) • Omer comes from ideal sun - exposed fields • Strict quality control (no dust, no worms) • Some halachos remain unresolved (Teiku) • Tekoa = centre of high - quality oil and wisdom • Hidden wealth vs external appearance