For the source text click/tap here: Menachot 104
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In general, when a person makes a statement that indicates that he accepts upon himself the obligation to bring a sacrifice, through the power of his stated intention the object referred to becomes sanctified. Nevertheless, since it is his statement that sanctification takes effect, we must clarify what must be said and how to deal with situations where someone’s intentions are not clearly expressed.
We explore halakhic architecture of designation: the categories, the mechanics of peh (utterance), yad(incomplete utterance requiring inference), and maḥshavah (silent intention); the problem of under-specification represented by the Menaḥot Mishnah; and the special case of hafrashah in agricultural gifts.
