Menachot 87 – Which Wine?

The wine for libations – which had to be of the best quality – came from the places of Keduchim and Atulin, which produced the “alpha” quality, although wines from any place was valid.

They avoided wines from fertilized fields, fields requiring irrigation, and fields where other seeds were also sown. Old, sweet, smoked, or cooked wines were invalid. Wine was not stored in large casks but in small barrel, and the barrel was not full, so that the aroma would spread when the barrel is opened.

The best rams came from Moav, lambs from Hebron, calves from Sharon. Rabbi Yehudah says that the best lambs are those whose height is like their width. Rava bar Rav Shila explained this with the phrase “your livestock will graze on that day, a broad lamb.” He also said that God posted angels around the walls, whose task was to remind Him about Jerusalem. And what did these angels say before destruction? “God chose Zion, desired it for His dwelling.”

There were two standard measures for flour in the Temple, “issaron” and half of “issaron,” for the standard flour offering and for the one of the High Priest.

Art: Cornelis van Leemputten - A Shepherd with Sheep and Lambs