Menachot 81 – Thanksgiving Offering from Tithe

If one said, “Let this animal be an exchange for my thanksgiving,” both animals are now sanctified. If one of them dies, the other one cannot be brought: if the live one is the thanksgiving, it needs breads, and if it is the exchange, it does not need bread. The students throughout time made eight attempts to resolve this problem and find the way to bring the animal. At fourth attempt by Levy, Rabbi Yehudah the Prince remarked, “This one looks like he has no brains in his head,” which was perfectly in order, since the students deduced laws even from Rabbi Yehudah's tone of answers.

If one promises to bring a thanksgiving offering, he should use the animal and the breads from regular supplies. If he says, “I will bring it from the regular supplies and the breads from tithe,” his first words takes effect, and he has to bring both from regular supplies. If he promises to bring both from tithe, he may do so, only he should not bring the wheat kernels of tithe, but rather use the tithe money.

Art: Sir Edwin Henry Landseer - Study Of A Dead Stag