Menachot 90 – Heaped Measures

All dry measures in the Temple were heaped, that is, to accomplish a proper measurement one had to fill the vessel and then heap flour on top. This follows the rule “there is no room for poverty in the place of opulence.” The only exception to this was the daily flour offering of the High Priest, whose measure was leveled.

Regarding liquid measures, their overbrim (liquid that rests above the level of the rim due to surface tension) is sacred, but the heap of dry measures is non-sacred. The teacher who composed this part of the ruling argues with the one who started it (also called the first teacher or tanna kama) about the sacredeness of the heap.

Rabbi Akiba agrees that the liquid measures and their overbrim is sacred, but he argues about the dry ones and says that even the inside of the measure was not sanctified. Rabbi Yose says that the law of the overbrim is explained thus: liquids mix, and liquid top is as if it came from the inside, but dry measures do not mix.

All sacrifices required libations, except for Passover, firstborn, and tithes, as well as sin offerings.

Art: Eastman Johnson - Measurement and Contemplation ca 1861-63