Julian Ungar-Sargon

  • Home
  • Theological Essays
  • Healing Essays
  • Podcast
  • Poetry
  • Daf Ditty
  • Deep Dive Ditty
  • Videos
  • Publications
  • Military Service
  • Dominican University
  • Home
  • Theological Essays
  • Healing Essays
  • Podcast
  • Poetry
  • Daf Ditty
  • Deep Dive Ditty
  • Videos
  • Publications
  • Military Service
  • Dominican University
Julian Ungar-Sargon copy 3.jpg

Daf Ditty

A wide-ranging commentary on the daily page of Talmud.

Menachot 60: יָכוֹל יָנִיף וְיַחְזִיר וְיָנִיף

jyungar March 13, 2026

For the source text click/tap here: Menachot 60

To download, click/tap here: PDF

The Mishna on our daf teaches that the tenufa was performed in the east, while the hagasha was performed in the west; the tenufa was performed before the hagasha.

The “east” and “west” mentioned refer to the eastern side of the altar – where the entrance from the ezrat yisrael to the ezrat kohanim was located – and the western side of the altar which was referred to as bein ha-ulam la-mizbe’aḥ, between the sanctuary and the altar, which had a higher level of holiness.

Rashi explains that there is no obligation to perform tenufa on the eastern side of the altar, the Mishna is teaching that even the eastern side is considered lifnei HaShem – before God – as required by the Torah (see Vayikra 6:7), and tenufa on that side would be sufficient. The western side of the altar would certainly be appropriate for tenufa, as well.

The sugya addresses a complex typology of sacrificial rites, delineating which offerings require waving alone, which require both waving and bringing near, and which require neither. Drawing on the Mishna, the baraita tradition, Amoraic debate, and gezerah shavah (analogical biblical interpretation), the text constructs a nuanced theology of ritual gesture whose import extends far beyond technical halakhic prescription.

Tags72nd
  • Daf Ditty
  • Older
  • Newer

Julian Ungar-Sargon

This is Julian Ungar-Sargon's personal website. It contains poems, essays, and podcasts for the spiritual seeker and interdisciplinary aficionado.​