Mishnah 38 · Menachos 3:6 · From the Omer to Shavuos

Series · From the Omer to ShavuosKodashim › Menachos › Perek 3 › Mishnah 6קָדָשִׁים ‹ מנחות ‹ פרק ג׳ ‹ משנה ו׳

Movement IV · The Kisvei Atzeres and Technical Laws

Mutual Prevention

38 · מְנָחוֹת ג:ו · Menachos 3:6

שְׁנֵי שְׂעִירֵי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים — מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. שְׁנֵי כִבְשֵׂי עֲצֶרֶת — מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. שְׁתֵּי חַלּוֹת — מְעַכְּבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ. שְׁנֵי סְדָרִים — מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. שְׁנֵי בְזִיכִין — מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. הַסְּדָרִים וְהַבְּזִיכִין — מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. שְׁנֵי מִינִים שֶׁבַּנָּזִיר, שְׁלשָׁה שֶׁבַּפָּרָה, אַרְבָּעָה שֶׁבַּתּוֹדָה, אַרְבָּעָה שֶׁבַּלּוּלָב, אַרְבָּעָה שֶׁבַּמְּצֹרָע — מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. שֶׁבַע הַזָּיוֹת שֶׁבַּפָּרָה, שֶׁבַע הַזָּיוֹת שֶׁל בֵּין הַבַּדִּים, שֶׁעַל הַפָּרֹכֶת, שֶׁעַל מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב — מְעַכְּבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ.

The two goats of Yom Kippur prevent each other. The two lambs of Shavuos prevent each other. The two loaves prevent each other. The two arrangements [of Lechem HaPanim] prevent each other. The two frankincense bowls prevent each other. The arrangements and bowls prevent each other. Two kinds of the nazirite, three of the red heifer, four of the Todah, four of the lulav, four of the leper — prevent each other. The seven sprinklings of the red heifer, of the blood between the staves, on the Curtain, on the golden altar — prevent each other.

Fuchsia — Rule (mutual prevention)

Gold tint — Shavuos cluster (highlighted)

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The mutual prevention list — each pair prevents the other

Meakvin — components of these offerings prevent each other (meakvin zeh et zeh)

שְׁנֵי שְׂעִירֵי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים

Two Yom Kippur goats — Azazel and the one for Hashem: each prevents the other; one alone does not fulfill the mitzva

שְׁנֵי כִבְשֵׂי עֲצֶרֶת

Two Shavuos lambs — each prevents the other. If only one lamb is available, neither the mitzva of the lambs nor the mitzva of the bread is fulfilled (the direction of this prevention is the subject of mishnah 39)

שְׁתֵּי חַלּוֹת

Two loaves — each prevents the other. One loaf alone cannot fulfill the mitzva of the Shtei HaLechem

שְׁנֵי סְדָרִים

Two arrangements of Lechem HaPanim — each prevents the other

שְׁנֵי בְזִיכִין

Two frankincense bowls — each prevents the other; the bowls and the bread arrangements also prevent each other

שְׁנֵי מִינִים שֶׁבַּנָּזִיר

Two of the nazirite's three species (bread, wafers) — lacking one invalidates the offering

אַרְבָּעָה שֶׁבַּלּוּלָב

Four lulav species — all four are required; one missing prevents the mitzva

What this mishnah does NOT tell us — and what mishnah 39 will

This mishnah establishes that the Shavuos lambs and loaves each prevent their own twin. But it says nothing about whether the lambs prevent the loaves or the loaves prevent the lambs. This cross-category prevention is the subject of mishnah 39 — one of the most important lomdishe disputes in the series. The structure here is symmetric: two prevents two. The question is whether bread prevents lambs or lambs prevent bread.

Position in the Omer to Shavuos arc — 43 mishnayos

Preceding · Mishnah 37

Zevachim 5:5

Kisvei Atzeres basic law — slaughter, blood, eating

Current · Mishnah 38

Menachos 3:6 — Mutual Prevention

Movement IV

A catalog of mutual prevention with the Shavuos cluster at its center. Each of the five Shavuos pairs (lambs, loaves, Lechem HaPanim rows, frankincense bowls) prevents the other internally. The cross-category question — whether bread prevents lambs, or lambs prevent bread — is precisely what mishnah 39 addresses with three competing positions.

Following · Mishnah 39

Menachos 4:3

The key lomdishe mishnah — bread and lambs, which prevails?