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 Shabbat: 3 days.] The Lechem HaPanim: eaten no less than 9 and no more than 11 days. [Normal = 9; if Yom Tov falls on Shabbat eve = 10; two-day Rosh Hashana = 11.] They do not override Shabbat 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
Listen with Ephraim Diamond · 5:370:00 / 5:37
0:00
5:37
Speed
Click any Hebrew phrase above to jump to where Ephraim reads it · Highlight holds while he discusses each phrase
Transcript · click any word to jump▾
A picture is worth a thousand words▾
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 Shabbat)
Fri Baked
Shabbat Day 2
Shavuos Day 3
= 3 days baked → eaten
The Lechem HaPanim eating window — 9, 10, or 11 days
Standard: 9 days
Fri Baked
Shabbat through Fri (7 days)
Shabbat Day 9
With Yom Tov on Friday: 10 days
Thu Baked
YT Fri + Shabbat + days (8 days)
Shabbat Day 10
With 2-day Rosh Hashana on Thu-Fri: 11 days
Wed Baked
2-day RH + Shabbat + days (9 days)
Shabbat Day 11
RSbG's dissent — in the name of R' Shimon ben the Deputy High Priest
Tanna Kama — does not override Shabbat or Yom Tov · Halacha
אֵינוֹ דוֹחֶה שַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב
Baking the Shtei HaLechem and Lechem HaPanim does not override Shabbat 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 Shabbat 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