Mishnah 26 · Zevachim 9:5 · Interactive · From the Omer to Shavuos

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Movement III·A · The Shtei HaLechem's Unique Nature

Must Come Down

26 · זְבָחִים ט:ה · Zevachim 9:5

וְאֵלּוּ אִם עָלוּ יֵרְדוּ:
בְּשַׂר קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים, וּבְשַׂר קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים,
        וּמוֹתַר הָעֹמֶר, וּשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם,
        וְלֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, וּשְׁיָרֵי מְנָחוֹת, וְהַקְּטֹרֶת.
הַצֶּמֶר שֶׁבְּרָאשֵׁי כְבָשִׂים, וְהַשֵּׂעָר שֶׁבִּזְקַן תְּיָשִׁים,
        וְהָעֲצָמוֹת, וְהַגִּידִים, וְהַקַּרְנַיִם, וְהַטְּלָפַיִם,
        בִּזְמַן שֶׁהֵן מְחֻבָּרִין, יַעֲלוּ,
        שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (וַיִּקְרָא א): וְהִקְטִיר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַכֹּל הַמִּזְבֵּחָה.
פָּרְשׁוּ, לֹא יַעֲלוּ,
        שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דְּבָרִים יב): וְעָשִׂיתָ עֹלֹתֶיךָ הַבָּשָׂר וְהַדָּם.

These, if they ascended [the altar], must descend: meat of most-holy offerings, meat of lesser-holy offerings, surplus of the Omer, the two loaves, shewbread, minhah remnants, and the incense. Wool on sheep's heads, hair in goats' beards, the bones, the tendons, the horns, and the hooves — when attached: they shall ascend, as it is stated: "And the priest shall make the whole smoke on the altar" (Vayikra 1:9). When separated: they shall not ascend, as it is stated: "And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood" (Devarim 12:27).

Fuchsia — Must come down

Green — May stay (attached)

Red — Must not go up (separated)

Blue — Condition (wool/hair)

Brown — Pasuk / proof text

Amber — Currently being read

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Two categories — what may stay on the Mizbeach vs. what must come down

If ascended — must come down (יֵרְדוּ)

עָלוּ — יֵרְדוּ

These items have no business being on the Mizbeach. If placed there — even in error — they are removed. The Mizbeach's rule "anything that ascended shall not come down" does NOT apply to them. They lack the legal basis to be there in the first place.

When attached — shall ascend and stay (יַעֲלוּ)

מְחֻבָּרִין — יַעֲלוּ

Wool, hair, bones, tendons, horns, hooves — when still attached to the animal's flesh, they are considered part of the offering. "And the priest shall make the whole smoke on the altar" (Vayikra 1:9) — everything attached rises with the olah. Once severed: they are separate objects, not part of the offering — "And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood" (Devarim 12:27).

The full list — items that must come down if placed on the Mizbeach

All of these lack Mizbeach legitimacy — if placed there, removed

בְּשַׂר קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים

Meat of most-holy offerings — eaten by Kohanim, not burned

בְּשַׂר קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים

Meat of lesser-holy offerings — eaten by owners, not burned

מוֹתַר הָעֹמֶר

Surplus of the Omer — redeemed, public market, no Mizbeach claim

שְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם

The two loaves — chametz cannot go on the Mizbeach; if placed there, they are removed

לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים

Shewbread — eaten by Kohanim; only the frankincense bowls go on the Mizbeach, not the bread itself

שְׁיָרֵי מְנָחוֹת

Minhah remnants after the kometz — eaten by Kohanim, no Mizbeach portion

הַקְּטֹרֶת

Incense — belongs on the golden altar (inner), not the outer Mizbeach

The logical chain — third consequence of chametz

M24: the Shtei HaLechem is chametz → M25: therefore no Mizbeach share (power of Kohanim) → M26: therefore if placed on the Mizbeach, must come down. The Mizbeach's general rule is "whatever ascended, shall not descend" — but that rule only protects valid Mizbeach-bound items. The Shtei HaLechem has no valid claim to be there, so the protection does not apply.

Position in the Omer to Shavuos arc — 43 mishnayos

Preceding · Mishnah 25

Menachos 6:2

No Mizbeach share — power of Kohanim exceeds power of altar

Current · Mishnah 26

Zevachim 9:5 — Must Come Down

Movement III·A

Second consequence of the chametz ruling: if the Shtei HaLechem is placed on the Mizbeach — even accidentally — it must be removed. The Mizbeach's protective rule does not apply. This mishnah spans multiple masechtos (Zevachim, far from Menachos) because the principle about what must come down is a general Zevachim principle — and the Shtei HaLechem happens to be in the list.

Following · Mishnah 27

Zevachim 14:3

Third consequence: no liability for offering the Shtei HaLechem outside the Temple