daf bit: Zevachim 91

[cellio]

(Today's daf is 92.)

The g'mara on yesterday's daf discusses various types of non-animal offerings. While (olive) oil is brought with (some? all?) meal offerings, the g'mara says that a person can donate oil directly. This is not an offering called for by torah; it's just a donation. (As with most other offerings, a small amount is offered on the altar and the rest goes to the priests.) I was therefore surprised to see a discussion of the minimum donation amount: while you aren't required to donate oil at all, if you do make such a donation it must be at least one log (according to the tannaim) or three logs (according to Rabbi). The tannaim compare the oil donation to a meal-offering (minimum size one log); Rabbi compares it to a wine offering (minimum size three logs). (91b)

(A log is a liquid measure. I don't know the volume.)

Comments

[talvinamarich.livejournal.com]

Quick google search turned up this: http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/units/volume/volume.biblog.en.html

Take it with a quarter-log of salt.

I would guess the minimum donation amount is intended as a point of etiquette, more or less: if you are going to make a gift, don't make it an insulting one.

[zevabe.livejournal.com]

A log is 4 reviot (that's reviit in plural). The reviit is defined in Arvei Pesachim (last chapyter of Persachim) as 10 and some fifths cubic fingersbreadths. So the log is 40ish fingersbreadths or 4x5x2: A handsbreadth by a little bit more by a half of a handsbreadth. That may or may not help you imagine it.