Shekalim Daf 14 שקלים דַף 14

The Mishnah taught that בית גרמו presided over the production of the lechem hapanim. A Baraisa taught that they were expert in the production of the lechem hapanim and its removal, but they did not wish to teach their methods to others. The sages sent for and brought craftsmen from Alexandria in Egypt who were expert in the production of the lechem hapanim but not in its removal and their bread would spoil. When the sages heard about this, they sent for the Beis Garmu craftsmen who did not want to return until the sages enticed them by doubling their wages. The sages asked them why they do not want to teach others and they responded, מסורת היא בידינו מאבותינו – We have a tradition from our forefathers שהבית הזה עתיד ליחרב – that this Temple is destined to be destroyed. Therefore, we will not reveal the method to others so that others will not learn it and utilize it for avodah zarah. Regarding the following matter, מזכירין אותן לשבח – they were spoken of with praise, that white bread was never found in the hands of their children so that people should not say, “They are eating from the production of the lechem hapanim.

Rebbe Chama, the son of Rebbe Chanina said, מפסולת של לוחות העשיר משה – Moshe became wealthy from the fragments hewn away in carrying the second luchos, as it is written regarding them, פסל לך שני לחת אבנים – Carve yourself two stone tablets. פסל לך – Carve yourself teaches that Hashem was telling Moshe, שתהא הפסולת שלך – that the fragments shall be yours. Rebbe Chanin said, מחצב של אבנים טובות ומרגליות ברא לו הקדוש ברוך הוא מתוך אהלו – Hakadosh, Baruch Hu, created for Moshe a quarry of precious stones and pearls from within his tent and from it Moshe became wealthy.

Regarding the Jewish people’s sentiments regarding Moshe’s wealth the passuk states, והביטו אחרי משה עד באו האהלה – they gazed after Moshe until he entered the tent. There is a machlokes Amoraim how to interpret the passuk. One says that the Jewish people behaved poorly and murmured about Moshe that he was becoming plump from eating and drinking by using funds embezzled from the Jews. The other Amora said their behavior was praiseworthy in that they were saying: Would that we merit to see the righteous and just. It was good to have merited to have seen him.

The last Mishnah on the Daf details the system of dispensing the nesachim. ארבעה חותמות היו במקדש – There were four types of tokens in the Beis Hamikdash, and it was written on them, עגל זכר גדי וחוטא – calf, ram, kid and sinner. Ben Azzai says there were five and Aramaic was written on them, עגל דכר גדי חוטא דל וחוטא עשיר – calf, ram, kid, poor sinner and rich sinner. The Tiklin Chaditin explains that Aramaic, the language most commonly used at the time, was used to prevent mistakes or misunderstandings with the buyers. The Mishna continues explaining the daily procedure for distributing them.