Menachos Daf 55 מנחוס דַף 55

A Baraisa teaches that we separate terumas maaser from תאנים – fresh figs for גרוגרות – dried figs במקום שרגילין לעשות תאנים גרוגרות – in a place where they commonly make fresh figs into dried figs. This implies that in a place where they are not commonly dried, one may not separate תאנים for גרוגרות, since the dried ones last longer. The Gemara asks that if a Kohen is available, he should still separate תאנים for גרוגרות, because a Mishnah teaches that where a Kohen is available, תורם מן היפה – one separates terumah from the superior [produce], even if it will not last as long!? Rather, this Baraisa’s case is where there is no Kohen available, so he may only separate תאנים for גרוגרות if they can be easily made into גרוגרות. However, the סיפא of this Baraisa teaches that גרוגרות may not be separated for תאנים, even in a place where they do make תאנים into גרוגרות. This case must be where there is a Kohen available, because a Mishnah teaches that where no Kohen is available, תורם מן המתקיים – one separates terumah from the long-lasting [produce], not the superior produce!? The Gemara concedes that the רישא and סיפא of this Baraisa discuss different cases.

The next Mishnah states: כל המנחות נילושות בפושרין – all menachos are kneaded with lukewarm water, ומשמרן שלא יחמיצו – and one must guard them that they should not become leavened. ואם החמיצו שיריה – And if (even) its remnants became leavened, he transgresses a לא תעשה. The Mishnah gives the source for the first law: כל המנחה אשר תקריבו לה' לא תעשה חמץ – any minchah which you offer to Hashem shall not be prepared leavened. Reish Lakish provides the source that even שירים may not be made chametz: לא תאפה חמץ חלקם – it shall not be baked leavened; their portion (etc.). These words are darshened to be read together, teaching: אפי' חלקם לא תאפה חמץ – even their (the Kohanim’s) portion may not be baked leavened. The Gemara clarifies that it is the superfluous word "חלקם" which teaches this derashah.

The Mishnah concluded: וחייב על לישתה ועל עריכתה ועל אפייתה – one is liable for preparing a minchah as chametz, for its kneading, its shaping, or its baking. A Baraisa darshens that although the Torah already said לא תעשה חמץ – [a minchah] shall not be prepared leavened, one might have thought that if someone performed multiple steps of the baking process, he would only be liable to a single set of malkus. Therefore, another passuk says: לא תאפה – it shall not be baked (as חמץ). Baking was בכלל – included in the general category of the prohibition to prepare a minchah as חמץ, and was singled out to compare all preparatory acts to baking: מה אפייה מיוחדת שהיא מעשה יחידי - just as baking is unique in that it is a distinct act of the baking process, וחייבין עליה בפני עצמה – and one is liable for it by itself, אף אני אביא לישתה ועריכתה – so I also include its kneading, and its shaping, וכל מעשה יחידי שבה – and every other distinct act in its baking process (this last phrase means to include קיטוף – smoothing the dough’s surface with water), that one is liable separately for each act.