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Menachos, 8

1) SANCTIFYING HALF OF THE AMOUNT OF A MINCHAH

QUESTIONS: Rebbi Yochanan maintains that sanctifying half of the flour of the Kohen Gadol's daily Minchas Chavitin in one vessel, and half in another vessel, is ineffective. The entire amount must be sanctified in one vessel, even though it will later be divided, half being offered in the morning and half towards evening. The Gemara asks that Rebbi Yochanan seems to contradict himself, because he rules elsewhere that if a person separates half of the minimum amount of a Minchah with intention to add to it later, that half is sanctified.

The Gemara answers that when the person's intention is to add more flour later ("Da'ato l'Hosif"), that is different, and half of the flour can be sanctified by itself. The Gemara proves this from the ruling of Rebbi Yosi who says that although a Kli Shares needs to be full in order to be Mekadesh its contents, when the person has intention to add to it later, it is Mekadesh its contents even when it is not yet full.

What was the Gemara's question on Rebbi Yochanan in the first place? Rebbi Yochanan clearly states in his second ruling that if a person separates half of the minimum amount of a Minchah "with intention to add to it" later, that half is sanctified. That case is clearly different than the case of the Minchas Chavitin, where the Kohen has no intention to add to the flour in each vessel later. What does the Gemara add when it answers that "Da'ato l'Hosif" is different?

Second, what is the Gemara's proof from Rebbi Yosi's ruling? Rebbi Yosi merely reiterates the ruling of Rebbi Yochanan, but he does not explain what the difference is between a Minchas Chavitin that was sanctified in halves and a case of "Da'ato l'Hosif," where sanctifying half of the Minchah is effective.

ANSWERS: To answer these questions, we must understand how "Da'ato l'Hosif" helps to allow a partial amount of a Minchah offering to become Kadosh. There are two ways in which it may work. One way is that it gives half of a Minchah a degree of being fit for being offered. Since there will be more flour added later, the half that is there now is not viewed as an independent amount, but rather it is viewed as a half of a whole Minchah, and thus it has a certain degree of validity for being offered (even though it cannot actually be offered until it contains the entire amount).

A second way that "Da'ato l'Hosif" works is that even though it is *not* considered to be fit to be offered, nevertheless, since the person is in the middle of the process of being Mekadesh a whole Minchah, the Kidush takes effect even when only half of the flour is present. We view it as one long process of Kidush, and every part of the Minchah that enters the vessel becomes Kadosh.

When the Gemara asked that Rebbi Yochanan seems to contradict himself, the Gemara understood that "Da'ato l'Hosif" works to be Mekadesh half of a Minchah in the first way described above. The Gemara reasons as follows. We see that if a partial amount of flour can become Kadosh because it is fit for being offered as part of more flour that will be added later, then it must not be necessary to fulfill all of the conditions of the Korban for the Kidush process. As long as "Da'ato l'Hosif" gives it a status of being fit, to some degree, to be offered (by making it be viewed not merely as a small amount of flour, but rather as half of a larger amount), that is enough to make it Kadosh. Consequently, a Minchas Chavitin should also be able to become Kadosh in halves, since each half is fit to be offered even without "Da'ato l'Hosif." (The Chavitin does not need to be "half of a whole amount" in order to be considered fit to be offered, since this amount is always the amount that is offered on the Mizbe'ach.) Even though it is missing the conditions for being offered (i.e. being Mekadesh the entire Minchah before beginning the Hakravah), the Kidush nevertheless should be effective, since Kidush takes effect as long as the flour is fit, to some degree, to be offered.

Accordingly, the Gemara was asking that if Rebbi Yochanan says that "Da'ato l'Hosif" is enough to be Mekadesh half of the flour by giving it the status of being fit to be offered, then the Chavitin should also be able to be sanctified in halves (even without "Da'ato l'Hosif"), since each half has the status of being fit to be offered.

The Gemara answers that the way that "Da'ato l'Hosif" works to be Mekadesh half of a Minchah is different than the way that the Gemara assumed in its question. The logic is not that the partial amount is considered to be fit for being offered. Rather, the logic is that since the Kidush process is going to be completed (by adding more flour later), the Kidush itself takes effect immediately, even on a partial amount of flour. However, this logic applies only when there is actual intent to add more flour later to the partial amount. When one sanctifies the Chavitin in halves, even though each half is fit to be offered, the Kidush process is not going to be concluded. The Kohen has no intention to add more flour to the vessel; this is the end of the Kidush process. This is what the Gemara means when it answers "Da'ato l'Hosif" is different. The Gemara is saying that "Da'ato l'Hosif" works by making the Kidush take effect now due to the eventual completion of the Kidush process. That is the difference between the two rulings of Rebbi Yochanan; in the case of the Chavitin, the Kidush process will not be completed later, while in the case of sanctifying half of a Minchah, the Kidush process will be completed later.

The MINCHAS AVRAHAM quotes the BRISKER RAV who explains the proof from the ruling of Rebbi Yosi as follows. Rebbi Yosi is discussing a Kli Shares that is used for measuring. Therefore, when it is not full, it does not measure, and it cannot be Mekadesh its contents. Giving its contents a status of being fit to be offered does not help, because the problem is not with the Minchah inside of the Kli, but with the Kli itself. Rebbi Yosi says that, nevertheless, when the person offering the Minchah has intention to add more flour later, the Kli *is* Mekadesh its contents. The reason for this must be that since, when the Kli becomes full, it will be effectively measuring its contents and the Kidush will be able to take effect, the Kidush begins as soon as the flour begins to enter the Kli. Placing the flour into the Kli is considered to be one long act of measuring.

Accordingly, Rebbi Yosi's ruling serves as a basis for the logic for how "Da'ato l'Hosif" is effective. It works to be Mekadesh the partial amount of a Minchah because the rest of the flour will eventually be added, and thus the Kidush process begins now. In contrast, there will be no more flour added to the Chavitin, and thus the Kidush does not take effect in halves. (Mordechai Zvi Dicker)

8b

OPINIONS: Rebbi Yehudah ben Beseira teaches that if Nochrim besiege the Azarah, shooting arrows and other artillery there, making it impossible for the Kohanim to enter the Azarah in order to eat Kodshim, the Kohanim may enter the Heichal and eat Kodshei Kodashim there. He derives this from the verse, "ba'Kodesh ha'Kodashim Tochlenu" -- "in the Kodesh ha'Kodashim you shall eat it" (Bamidbar 18:10). (See Insights to Zevachim 63:1 regarding whether this verse permits the Kohanim to eat Kodshim only in the Heichal, or even in the Kodesh ha'Kodashim.)

We know that no one is permitted to enter the Heichal for no valid reason (Vayikra 16:2). However, to enter the Heichal in order to eat Kodshim seems to be a valid reason and would not be included in the prohibition of entering the Heichal for no reason. What, then, prevents the Kohanim from eating Kodshim in the Heichal in the first place, such that a special allowance is needed, and how does the danger posed by Nochrim permit it?

(a) The MINCHAS CHINUCH (Mitzvah 184:6) understands that, indeed, once we find that the Torah permits entering the Heichal during a siege in order to eat Kodshim, it must be that it is not prohibited to enter the Heichal in order to eat Kodshim, even when there is no siege. However, one may not eat there unless there are extenuating circumstances ("b'She'as ha'Dechak"), such as a siege, due to another factor -- as the Gemara (9a) says, it is improper for a person to eat in the presence of his master.

The Minchas Chinuch writes that, according to this, if a Kohen enters the Heichal in order to eat Kodshim at a time when Nochrim are *not* besieging the Azarah, he would not be punished with Malkus, and the Mitzvah of eating Kodshim is fulfilled, since, "b'She'as ha'Dechak," it is permitted and the Mitzvah of eating Kodshim is fulfilled.

(b) The BRISKER RAV explains the allowance to eat in the Heichal in a different manner. RASHI (DH Hekifu) writes that the siege of the Nochrim creates an actual threat to life, a situation of Piku'ach Nefesh, to anyone standing in the Azarah. Rashi implies that it is only because of the threat to life that one is permitted to enter the Heichal. Without a threat to life, entering the Heichal, even to eat Kodshim, is included in the prohibition of entering the Heichal for no reason (Vayikra 16:2).

However, if entering the Heichal to eat Kodshim is included in the prohibition, then why should it be permitted to eat there in a case of Piku'ach Nefesh? It is certainly permitted for the Kohanim to enter the Heichal to protect their lives, but why should it be permitted to *eat* there? Once they have entered the Heichal, their lives are no longer in danger, and eating Kodshim there has nothing to do with saving their lives!

The answer is that when there is nowhere else to eat the Kodshim (due to the danger of the artillery falling in the Azarah), entering the Heichal to eat the Kodshim is permitted as part of the *Avodah*. The Avodah requires that the Kohanim enter the Heichal in order to eat the Kodshim.

Therefore, according to the Brisker Rav, when there is no threat to life, it is prohibited to enter the Heichal and eat Kodshim there because doing so constitutes entering the Heichal for no reason. When there is a danger to life, entering the Heichal is no longer considered unnecessary for the Avodah and it is permitted. (Mordechai Zvi Dicker)