[Avodah] The shape of the Menorah of the Temple

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Jul 22, 2010 at 02:50:45PM -0400, Zev Sero wrote:
> Indeed the Maaseh Choshev is almost the first sefer to claim that the
> arms were round; but he explicitly says that his basis is the fact
> that the Rambam says "nimshachim ve'olim" and doesn't say "ba'alachson".

But we both know his basis is the fact that every record of the menorah
(certainly in his day, and I would argue today as well) as it existed
shows curved arms.

He was searching for a way to assume that as many rishonim as possible
weren't wrong (as determined by non-mesoretic evidence).

In that sense, it's akin to our discussion on Areivim about chaleiv
yisrael WRT cheeses and butter. As you noted, the gemara says "chaleiv
temeiah eino maamid." Lemaaseh, though, it does. And if the Babylonian
locals used much camel milk, Chazal would know that well.

However, we can reach the same conclusion WRT requiring CY for cheese
if you take the gemara to mean "eino maamid [the way chaleiv tehorah
would]". That's enough to eliminate the risk of cheese made from milk
adulterated with milk from a temei'ah. And does fit the facts.

In both cases:
If the translation that fits the facts on the ground is plausible,
even it less straightforward, I would gravitate toward it.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             I thank God for my handicaps, for, through them,
micha at aishdas.org        I have found myself, my work, and my God.
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