פירוש על מנחות 8:1

כל קרבנות. מן החדש ומן הישן – it is speaking of meal-offerings.

Introduction Our mishnah deals with where they would bring flour from for the minhah offerings.

שאינן באים אלא מן החדש – regarding the Omer, it is written (Leviticus 23:16): “an offering of new grain,” and in regard to the two loaves of bread, it is written (Exodus 34:22): “of the first fruits of the wheat harvest.”

All the sacrifices communal or individual may be offered from [produce grown] in the Land [of Israel] or outside the Land, from new [produce] or from the old, except for the omer and the two loaves, which must be offered only from new produce and from [produce grown] in the land. All sacrifices can come from animals raised either in or outside of Israel and similarly all menahot can come from grain grown anywhere. It can also come from new produce or aged produce. There are two exceptions: the omer barley offering brought on the second day of Pesah and the two loaves brought on Shavuot. With regard to the omer it is stated in Leviticus 23:10, “When you come into the land…you shall bring the omer, the first of your harvest.” With regard to the two loaves it states there in verses 16-17, “And you shall offer a new minhah to the Lord, from your dwelling places you shall bring it.” Both of these verses teach that the omer and the two loaves must come from the new harvest and from grain grown in the land of Israel.

ומן הארץ – in regard to the Omer, it is written (Leviticus 23:10): “When you enter the Land [that I am giving you and you reap its harvest,” and with the two loaves [of bread] it is written (Leviticus 23:17): “You shall bring from your settlements two loaves of bread [as an elevation offering].”

All [offerings] must be offered from the choicest produce. All offerings must come from choice produce. The mishnah explains where the best grain is grown.

מכמס וזוניחה – these are names of places (see Ezra 2:27 and Joshua 15:35, 56).

And which is the choicest? That from Michmas and Zanoha are “alpha” for the quality of their fine flour; second to them is Hafaraim in the valley. The best grain is grown in two places. Michmas, which is in the territory of Benjamin (I Samuel 13:2) and Zanoha, which is in Judah (see Joshua 15:34). These places are “alpha” the first letter in the Greek alphabet, which means that they are numero uno when it comes to grain. Next best is grain that comes from Hafaraim which is in the territory of Issachar (see Joshua 19:19).

אלפא לסלת – their choice flour is first and chosen to all the choice/fine flour. Like this Aleph, it is the first of all the letters.

The [produce of the] whole land was valid, but they used to bring it from these places. There is a preference to bring grain from these regions, and it was the custom to indeed do so. But if they brought grain from other regions within the land of Israel, it was still valid.

אלפא – this is Aleph in the Greek language.

שנייה להן – its choice flour is close to being praiseworthy like the choice flour of Michmas and Zonicha.

חפרים בבקעה – these are two Chafarayim -one in the mountains and one in the valley, and the one that is in the valley that its choice flour is praiseworthy.

כל הארצות – of the Land of Israel they were kosher/fit, but from here (i.e., the places mentioned in the Mishnah) they would bring them.