“It is said of the olah sacrifice of cattle, ‘rei’ach nichoach, an offering made by fire of pleasing odor’ (Vayikra 1:9); and…
Menachot 99: Loving Mitzvoth
The Sochochover Rebbe, in the introduction to his classic work on the laws of Shabbat, Eglei Tal, explains that Torah study is meant to be…
Menachot 99: Let's Break Some Bread
“And you shall place on the table showbread before Me tamid, at all times” (Shemot 25:30). The lechem hapanim …
Menachot 99: The Broken Tablets
“At that time, the Lord said to me, ‘Hew for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to Me onto the mountain, and make…
Menachot 65: An 11 Day Journey
The opening Mishna of masechet Megillah teaches that those living in small rural communities could fulfill the obligation to hear the Megillah…
Menachot 65: Saturday Night Harvesting
The Jewish people are a most contentious one. We argue about (almost?) everything and then some. Debate is most healthy and part and parcel of…
Menachot 53: Chametz and Matza
"All korbanot mincha, flour offerings, are to be made of matza with the exception of the chametz of the korban todah,…
Menachot 43: Women and Tzitzit
It is well known that the mitzvah of tzitzit is a classic case of a mitzvah aseh shehazman grama, a time-bound positive mitzvah…
Menachot 44: A Slap in the Face
There is little that turns one off from religion more than corruption in the religious sphere. When one sees someone cheating who outwardly…
Menachot 43: Missing No Longer!
Our generation has been blessed with the renewal of two mitzvot that had, for all intents and purposes, lay dormant for centuries.…
Menachot 28: The Temple Lulav
The opening Mishna of masechet menachot teaches that just because one lacks proper intent when slaughtering an animal, the korban remains…
Menachot 29: Moshe Meets Akiva
“Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: When Moses ascended on high, he found the Holy One, Blessed be He, sitting and tying ketarim, crowns…
Menachot 29: The Death of Rabbi Akiva
One of the most moving parts of the Yom Kippur davening is the recital of the asara harugei malchut, the ten rabbinic leaders martyred…
Menachot 18: Loving Torah
“Blessed are Torah scholars for whom the words of Torah are very dear to them” (Menachot 18a). One can tell much about a person by seeing…
Menachot 12: Time over Space
There is no area of Jewish law as regimented as that of sacrifices. There are strict rules as to the type of animal that may be brought, when and…
Menachot 6: Benefitting Sinners
In 1977, the New York State Legislature passed the “Son of Sam law”. Named for serial killer David Berkowitz’s adopted name, the…
Menachot 2: The Power of Logic
There is seemingly no better proof for a Talmudic viewpoint than support from a biblical verse. Expressions such as dik’teev, “…
An Introduction to Masechet Menachot
“Now it came to pass after many days, that Cain brought of the fruit of the soil an offering, a mincha, to the Lord” (Breisheet 4:3…