Menachos Daf 68 מנחוס דַף 68

The next Mishnah states: משקרב העומר הותר חדש מיד – Once the omer was offered, the new crop became permitted immediately. Those who live far from Yerushalayim may eat the new crop from midday, because they can assume the עומר was offered. After the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted שיהא יום הנף כולו אסור – that the entire “day of waving” be prohibited (i.e., the sixteenth on Nissan, when the עומר was waved). Rebbe Yehudah argues that the entire sixteenth of Nissan is prohibited מדאורייתא, because the passuk says עד עצם היום הזה – until this very day.

Rav and Shmuel say that when the Beis Hamikdash was standing, the עומר permits the new crop, and after its destruction, האיר מזרח מתיר – the illumination of the eastern sky on the sixteenth of Nissan permits it. They explain that "עד הביאכם" – until you bring (the עומר) refers to the Beis Hamikdash period, and "עד עצם היום הזה", which they interpret as until the appearance of the day, i.e., the sixteenth, permits it after the חורבן. Rebbe Yochanan and Reish Lakish say that the morning of the sixteenth permitted חדש even during the Beis Hamikdash period, and waiting until the עומר is brought is only למצוה – for fulfilling a mitzvah.

Rav Pappa and Rav Huna brei d’Rav Yehoshua would eat from the new crop on the evening after the sixteenth, and did not wait an extra day (to account for the possibility that the next day was actually the sixteenth, a constant doubt in חוץ לארץ). The Gemara explains that they held: חדש בחוצה לארץ דרבנן – the new crop is only Rabbinically prohibited outside Eretz Yisroel, ולספיקא לא חיישינן – and we are not concerned about doubt regarding Rabbinical laws. The Rabbi of Rav Ashi’s yeshiva waited until the morning of the seventeenth, because they held that חדש in חוץ לארץ is forbidden מדאורייתא. Still, they did not wait the entire seventeenth, because they held that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai’s enactment prohibiting the entire sixteenth was not instituted in cases of ספק. Therefore, the day of the seventeenth in חוץ לארץ is permitted. Ravina was told that his father waited until the end of the seventeenth, because he held like Rebbe Yehudah that חדש is prohibited מדאורייתא on the entire sixteenth, and also held that חדש is prohibited מדאורייתא in חוץ לארץ. Therefore, he was stringent out of doubt on the seventeenth.

The next Mishnah states: העומר היה מתיר במדינה – the omer permitted the new crop in the provinces (i.e., for common consumption), ושתי הלחם במקדש – and the שתי הלחם permitted it for the Mikdash, i.e., for offerings. One may not bring menachos, ביכורים, or menachos brought with a korban from חדש before the עומר is brought, and if he did, the minchah is invalid. These also may not be brought before the שתי הלחם are brought on Shavuos, but if he did, the minchah is valid. Rebbe Tarfon was once wondering about the difference between menachos brought before the עומר and those brought before the שתי הלחם, and Yehudah bar Nechemiah replied that before the עומר was brought, לא הותר מכללו אצל הדיוט – [the new crop] did not become permitted from its general [prohibition] regarding a commoner, whereas before the שתי הלחם, the new crop has already been permitted to a הדיוט. Rebbe Tarfon was silent, and Yehudah’s face lit up. Rebbe Akiva said, “Yehudah ben Nechemiah, צהבו פניך שהשבת את זקן – your face lit up because you rebutted an old sage? תמהני אם תאריך ימים – I will be astonished if you live long.” Indeed, he died within months, before Shavuos.