Talking Talmud

How much flour needs to be measured out for the grain-offering? A minimal amount, so that even the poorest sinner can manage the offering. And that flour? It's dough, not just loose, powdery flour. Also, fresh figs vs. dried figs in terms of figuring out the volume or number when it comes to giving terumah (and the question of whether that's terumah gedolah or terumat ma'aser).

Chapter 5! On preparing the dough... with a new mishnah that explains that all of the grain-offerings are matzah (unleavened), with two exceptions. Plus, a discussion on how leavening was used. Plus, an important genealogy on the descendants of Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah (who himself could trace back to Ezra). Also, a gripping aggadic story about Abraham (the patriarch), the Destruction of the Temple, and the destiny of the Jewish people, as mirroring the negotiation between God and Abraham with regard to the destruction of Sodom and Gemorrah and divine punishment.

More on the griddle-cakes... which were brought together with the daily offerings of the morning and of the afternoon. This raises the question of how much flour went into each offering - was the 10th of an efah of flour divided between the two daily offerings, or per each of them? Plus, the same question as applied to the frankincense, in terms of quantity with regard to each daily offering of the morning and of the afternoon. Where one approach relies on the verses and another on the logic (again, neither being tested in a taster kitchen). Also, when the kohen gadol died and another hasn't yet been appointed, the question of how much of the offering should be brought is asked as well - is he bringing, as it were, a double-portion for the kohen gadol, as it were, if he needed to bring for both of them.

On Rava's opinion about the kohen gadol's griddle-cake offering. The griddle-cake involves flour and oil, but the measurements of each are not clear -- and are therefore subject to interpretation and deriving the details, whether from the verses or logic. Note the recipe that doesn't address taste, but rather learned inferences. Also, a new mishnah! The commitment to the offering of the havitin, even when the kohen gadol whose job it was to bring them has died. Even though one expects the next kohen gadol to have been appointed before the previous one died, but not always... and rather than have the havitin paid for by the treasury, the kohen gadol's heirs had to cover it. Until they went back to having the treasury pay for it, because people weren't abiding by the decree for the heirs to pay.

More on the incense - including differences between communal incense vs. individual's incense. Also, the parallel is drawn between the gifts of the 12 tribes' princes, as told in the Book of Numbers (Parshat Naso) and the offering of this incense. Also, back to grain-offerings! And a specific recall of the "havitin" brought by kohanim, and the special one offered by the kohen gadol -- that were offered by Aharon and his sons in the Torah. With specifics for preparing those offerings.