Menachos - Daf 20
- Is salting a minchah מעכב?
On the previous Daf, Rav taught that anything which is repeated in the parsha of מנחות is מעכב. This is challenged from מלח – salting, which is not repeated, yet a Baraisa teaches that it is מעכב!? In a Baraisa, Rebbe Yehudah says that "ברית מלח עולם הוא" – it is an eternal covenant of salt teaches שתהא ברית אמורה במלח – that there will be a covenant said regarding salt, requiring it for korbanos. Rebbe Shimon derives this from a gezeirah shavah from Kehunah, that just as korbanos cannot be offered without Kohanim, so too korbanos cannot be offered without salt. Rav Yosef answers that Rav holds like our Mishnah, which states: לא מלח כשר – if he did not salt [the minchah], it is valid, and disagrees with this Baraisa. Abaye objects that just as the case of "לא יצק" – he did not pour the oil actually means it was poured by a זר (but pouring itself is מעכב), the case of "לא מלח" may mean the same, but salting is מעכב!? Rav Yosef replied that the Mishnah cannot be discussing a זר salting: וכי תעלה על דעתך שזר קרב לגבי מזבח – does it enter your mind that a non-Kohen may approach the מזבח to salt the minchah?! Alternatively, since "ברית" is written regarding salting, it is as if it was repeated, and is מעכב.
- Which sacrificial items require מלח (anything burned with wood on the מזבח)
A Baraisa teaches that if the Torah would have only commanded to bring a korban with salt, we would include blood and wood in the salt requirement, since they are also called “korban.” Therefore, the passuk writes "מנחה", teaching: מה מנחה מיוחדת שאחרים באין חובה לה – just as a minchah is unique in that other [items] come as an obligation for it (i.e., the kometz requires wood to burn it on the מזבח), so too all sacrificial items which require other items (wood for their burning) must be salted, to the exclusion of blood and wood (on the next Daf, this is emended to be blood and נסכים – libations brought with a korban, which are poured onto the מזבח). The word "קרבן" teaches that only the kometz of the minchah (which is offered on the מזבח) requires מלח, and not the entire minchah. The Baraisa proceeds to teach that salt is also required for the לבונה of a minchah, or any לבונה, קטורת, or minchah which is completely burned, as well as any parts of korbanos which are burned on the מזבח.
- Rebbe holds עצים themselves can be a minchah, and require מלח, הגשה, kemitzah and עצים
In a Baraisa, the Tanna Kamma darshens שמתנדבין עצים – that we may donate wood as an offering, which requires שני גזרין – two blocks of wood (another passuk also mentions "קרבן עצים" – an offering of wood). Rebbe says that a wood offering is a minchah, וטעונין מלח וטעונין הגשה – and they require salting and require bringing close to the מזבח, like every minchah. Rava adds that according to Rebbe, the wood of such an offering require kemitzah. Rav Pappa adds that according to Rebbe, עצים צריכין עצים – the wood of this offering requires other wood to burn them, like every minchah.
