Menachos Daf 96 מנחוס דַף 96

The next Mishnah states that the שתי הלחם were seven tefachim long and four tefachim wide, with “horns” of dough four אצבעות long. The לחם הפנים were ten tefachim by five, with horns seven אצבעות long. Rebbe Yehudah provided a siman to remember these dimensions: זד"ד יה"ז. Rebbe Yehudah says the שולחן was ten tefachim long and five tefachim wide. The Kohen placed the length of the לחם הפנים across the width of the שולחן, and bent upwards two and a half tefachim of excess length from either side. נמצא ארכו ממלא רחבו של שולחן – It emerges that [the לחם’s] length fills the שולחן’s width (and the two stacks of loaves filled its length). Rebbe Meir says the שולחן was twelve tefachim long and six tefachim wide, and only two tefachim of the לחם הפנים on either end were bent upwards. After doing the same with the second stack of loaves, there remained two tefachim of the שולחן between them, כדי שתהא הרוח מנשבת בהם – so that air will flow around them, keeping them fresh. Abba Shaul says the two בזיכין of לבונה were placed in those two tefachim, but they told him the בזיכין are placed on top of the לחם הפנים.

Rebbe Yochanan calculated that according to the opinion that the לחם was folded upwards two and a half tefachim on each side, the שולחן can be mekadesh up to fifteen tefachim high (the total from the six loaves). According to the opinion that it was folded two tefachim upwards, the שולחן can be mekadesh up to twelve tefachim high. The rods did not add height, because they were sunk into the loaves. Although they were a bit raised to allow air flow, this was less than a tefach, which Rebbe Yochanan did not take into account. The בזיכין rested inside the לחם, and the “horns” of the לחם were folded into the לחם, so they did not add any height. The Gemara asks that the מסגרת – frame of the שולחן added a tefach of height, and first answers that Rebbe Yochanan’s calculation follows the opinion that מסגרתו למטה היתה – [the שולחן’s] frame was below the tabletop, and did not add height. Even if the מסגרת was למעלה, it was attached to the outside of the שולחן, not on top, and the לחם rested on the שולחן. In a Baraisa, Rebbe Yose says there the שולחן had no סניפין – support attachments, because the לחם was supported by the מסגרת above the שולחן. They replied that the מסגרת was underneath.

The Gemara asks that the שולחן should not have been susceptible to tumah, because it was כלי עץ העשוי לנחת – a wooden utensil made to remain in place, and only a wooden כלי which is מטלטל מלא וריקן – moved both full and empty is susceptible to tumah!? It answers that the שולחן was moved: Reish Lakish explained that the passuk’s expression, "השלחן הטהור", which implies it can possibly become tamei, as teaching that they would lift the שולחן before those who came to the Beis Hamikdash on the רגלים and display the לחם on it, saying: ראו חיבתכם לפני המקום – “See your belovedness before Hashem!” This follows Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi’s statement: נס גדול נעשה בלחם הפנים – a great miracle occurred with the לחם הפנים, סילוקו כסידורו – that during its removal it was as hot and fresh as during its arrangement a week earlier, as the passuk says: לשום לחם חם ביום הלקחו – to place bread which is hot on the day it is taken off. Since the שולחן was lifted to show them the לחם הפנים, it is susceptible to tumah.