Series · From the Omer to ShavuosKodashim › Menachos › Perek 11 › Mishnah 9קָדָשִׁים ‹ מנחות ‹ פרק י״א ‹ משנה ט׳
Movement III·C · Political Battle, Distribution, and Divine Protection

The Eating Windows

35 · מְנָחוֹת י״א:ט · Menachos 11:9
שְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם נֶאֱכָלוֹת אֵין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁנַיִם, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל שְׁלשָׁה. כֵּיצַד? נֶאֱפוֹת מֵעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב וְנֶאֱכָלוֹת בְּיוֹם טוֹב, לִשְׁנָיִם. חָל יוֹם טוֹב לִהְיוֹת אַחַר הַשַּׁבָּת, נֶאֱכָלוֹת לִשְׁלשָׁה. לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים נֶאֱכָל אֵין פָּחוֹת מִתִּשְׁעָה, וְלֹא יָתֵר עַל אַחַד עָשָׂר. כֵּיצַד? נֶאֱפֶה בְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְנֶאֱכָל בְּשַׁבָּת, לְתִשְׁעָה. חָל יוֹם טוֹב לִהְיוֹת עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, נֶאֱכָל לַעֲשָׂרָה. שְׁנֵי יָמִים טוֹבִים שֶׁל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, נֶאֱכָל לְאַחַד עָשָׂר. וְאֵינוֹ דוֹחֶה לֹא אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְלֹא אֶת יוֹם טוֹב. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן הַסְּגָן, דּוֹחֶה אֶת יוֹם טוֹב וְאֵינוֹ דוֹחֶה אֶת יוֹם צוֹם.
The two loaves: eaten no less than 2 and no more than 3 days. [Baked erev Yom Tov, eaten on Yom Tov = 2 days. If Shavuos falls after Shabbos: 3 days.] The Lechem HaPanim: eaten no less than 9 and no more than 11 days. [Normal = 9; if Yom Tov falls on Shabbos eve = 10; two-day Rosh Hashana = 11.] They do not override Shabbos or Yom Tov. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says in the name of R' Shimon, son of the deputy High Priest: it overrides Yom Tov but not Yom Kippur.
Red — Negative ruling (RSbG)
Gold — Tana
Go deeperOpen what helps. Nothing here is needed to learn the Mishnah.
The Shtei HaLechem eating window — 2 or 3 days
Standard: Shavuos falls on a weekday
Erev
YT
Shavuos
Day 1
= 2 days baked → eaten
When Shavuos falls on Sunday (after Shabbos)
Fri
Baked
Shabbos
Day 2
Shavuos
Day 3
= 3 days baked → eaten
The Lechem HaPanim eating window — 9, 10, or 11 days
Standard: 9 days
Fri
Baked
Shabbos through Fri
(7 days)
Shabbos
Day 9
With Yom Tov on Friday: 10 days
Thu
Baked
YT Fri + Shabbos + days
(8 days)
Shabbos
Day 10
With 2-day Rosh Hashana on Thu-Fri: 11 days
Wed
Baked
2-day RH + Shabbos + days
(9 days)
Shabbos
Day 11
RSbG's dissent — in the name of R' Shimon ben the Deputy High Priest
Tanna Kama — does not override Shabbos or Yom Tov · Halacha
אֵינוֹ דוֹחֶה שַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב
Baking the Shtei HaLechem and Lechem HaPanim does not override Shabbos or Yom Tov — hence the variable eating window (2–3 or 9–11 days). The mitzva is not urgent enough to displace the day's rest.
RSbG — overrides Yom Tov, not Yom Kippur
דּוֹחֶה יוֹם טוֹב, אֵינוֹ דוֹחֶה יוֹם צוֹם
RSbG, citing R' Shimon ben the Deputy High Priest (an eyewitness tradition), holds baking overrides Yom Tov — but not Yom Kippur. Halacha follows the Tanna Kama; RSbG is the minority view.
Position in the Omer to Shavuos arc — 43 mishnayos
Preceding · Mishnah 34
Sukkah 5:7
All 24 Mishmaros share equally — matzah and chametz together
Current · Mishnah 35
Menachos 11:9 — The Eating Windows
Movement III·C
The practical consequence of the "no Shabbos override" ruling: the Shtei HaLechem's eating window is variable (2–3 days depending on the calendar). The Lechem HaPanim's window extends to 11 days in extreme cases. These are tight windows with no fallback — which sets up the final mishnah of this movement perfectly.
Following · Mishnah 36
Avot 5:5
Ten miracles — no disqualification was ever found in the Omer, Shtei HaLechem, or Lechem HaPanim
The Lived MishnahHome
‹PreviousSukkah 5:7›NextAvot 5:5
וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם
A siyum · From the Omer to Shavuos

You have learned every Mishnah of From the Omer to Shavuos — all 53 steps.

Back to the series