Talking Talmud

2 mishnayot - 1. The impact of bringing the omer offering - and how it releases the new grain from that status, even at quite a physical distance from the Temple. Plus, determining what is done in the absence of a Temple in terms schedule (the release from the prohibition against new grain is not cancelled). Also, the decree of R. Yohanan ben Zakkai. [What's What: The decrees of R. Yohanan ben Zakkai]. 2. - The schedule of other grain-offerings in the context of the omer. And also the 2 loaves of Shavuot. What is the significance and impact of each? Plus, new wine, and how the omer didn't have impact on it (or maybe it did!).

Questions by Rava that lead to his seeking answers in a dream! What if dough were kneaded by a non-Jew? Is that dough subject to having hallah separated? What is the status of the dough? With answers coming from a parallel to the case of a convert -- and his dough. Of course, the dream-sourced answers are then queried by other sages, to no conclusion, or at least not as yet. Plus, the process of offering the omer sacrifice and the actions and items that offering the omer rendered permitted.

More on the opinions about when the omer offering was to be brought - as presented by the Tannaim, and explained (and refuted and then finally upheld) by Rava. Plus, the question of how to count the omer. Also, a new mishnah - on handling the omer and parching the grain. The Gemara follows, defining the springtime and elaborating on how they would parch the grain. Plus, bringing the first fruits - including these barley parched groats. And soft ears of the grain too. Note that some analysis here of the salient verses receive word-play acronym interpretations.

A new mishnah! On the ceremony of the process of the omer - how they wove the stalks of barley together while they were still attached to the ground, which made them easier to harvest. And the people who lived in the area came together to celebrate. And the ceremony continued... with underlying goals of taking a polemical stance against the Boethusians. [Who's Who: The Boethusians]. Plus, Megillat Ta'anit, and the days when it was not permitted to fast, and some when it wasn't permitted to eulogize either. Where the day of the starting counting the omer is highly disputed.

A new chapter - focused on the grain-offering that is the omer, brought on the 16th day of Nisan, the second day of Pesach, and which allows the "new" grain (or removes the prohibition against it. So, beginning with the new mishnah - on the case of the day of the omer offering falling on Shabbat, which is the unusual case, not the norm. The proper date of this entails a decision made against those who pushed for a different (regular) date, and therefore a good deal of ceremony to make the point. But with an effort to minimize the degree of violation of Shabbat. Also, the mitzvah of bringing the barley for the omer offering was first for the fields in proximity to Jerusalem, unless that barley didn't ripen, and then they could look farther afield. At the time of a civil war - in the Hasmonean era - during a time of siege, including an old man who knew "Greek wisdom," who fundamentally let the besiegers into the city. He acknowledged that the correct offerings were protecting those within the city of Jerusalem, and then the people outside of the city finally sent in a pig for an offering, and that was beyond bearing.