Le torte del sommo sacerdote furono impastate, formate e cotte all'interno [del cortile del Tempio] e scavalcarono Shabbat [divieti]. La loro macinatura e setacciatura non prevalgono su Shabbat. Il rabbino Akiva ha dichiarato una regola generale: tutto ciò che può essere fatto prima dello Shabbat non ha la precedenza sullo Shabbat, e tutto ciò che non può essere fatto prima che lo Shabbat prevalga sullo Shabbat.
Bartenura on Mishnah Menachot
חביתי כהן גדול לישתן ועריכתן בפנים – according to the words of everyone. For that one-half Issaron that they divide its Issaron of the High Priest who is anointed and sanctified and sanctifies the meal offering (see also Tractate Menahot, Chapter 4, Mishnah 5 and Chapter 6, Mishnah 5).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Menachot
Introduction
This mishnah discusses the “griddle cakes” offered daily by the High Priest (Leviticus 6:13-15).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Menachot
ודוחות את השבת – because it is impossible to perform its kneading and its rolling and its baking from the day before, for since it is sanctified in a vessel, it becomes defiled staying overnight [This principle is also taught in Tractate Shabbat, Chapter 19, Mishnah 1 with regard to ritual circumcision and in Tractate Pesahim, Chapter 6, Mishnah 2 with regard to the Passover offering].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Menachot
The high priest’s griddle cakes: their kneading, their shaping, and their baking were performed within [the Temple Court], When it comes to the high priest’s griddle cakes, all agree that they must be prepared and baked in the Temple. The reason is that these griddle cakes are anointed with oil in the Temple. This makes them holy and they cannot subsequently be taken out to be kneaded, shaped or baked outside the Temple.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Menachot
And they override the Shabbat. These cakes were offered every day. Therefore, these three actions, which are performed on the same day that they are offered, can be performed on the Shabbat. As Rabbi Akiva says in section four, any action that cannot be performed the day before, overrides the Shabbat.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Menachot
The grinding [of the grain for it] and the sifting did not override the Shabbat. However, grinding grain to make these cakes and sifting the grain to make the flour are not essential parts of the minhah offering. Rather they are preparatory acts, and therefore they can be performed on Friday. As Rabbi Akiva states, anything that can be done before Shabbat, does not override Shabbat.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Menachot
Rabbi Akiva said a general rule: any work that can be done on the eve of Shabbat does not override Shabbat, but that which cannot be done on the eve of Shabbat does override Shabbat. This is the general rule that governs when something overrides the Shabbat.
