Daf Yomi Summary – Menachot 94: Wave Offerings: Who Waves, What Is Waved, and Why
The Mishnah establishes:
- Peace offerings (shelamim) brought as individuals require tenufah
- Components waved include:
- The breast and thigh
- Along with the sacrificial animal in certain cases
Other offerings (such as burnt offerings) do not require tenufah.
A key question:
- Is tenufah done by the owner, the kohen, or both?
Conclusion:
- Both participate:
- The owner places hands under the kohen’s hands
- The kohen leads the motion
This reinforces a pattern seen with semikha:
The owner is involved, but the kohen directs the avodah.
The Gemara explains tenufah as:
- A symbolic presentation of the offering to all directions
- An acknowledgment of God’s dominion over the world
- A physical act of dedication, distinct from atonement
Tenufah expresses relationship and gratitude, especially in peace offerings.
The daf contrasts:
- Semikha – identification and responsibility
- Tenufah – dedication and submission
Together, they frame korbanot as both personal and God‑directed acts.
- Shared participation between owner and kohen
- Physical gesture as spiritual expression
- Peace offerings as relational, not punitive
Menachot 94 teaches that tenufah enables the owner to actively dedicate a korban to God, with the kohen guiding the act—embodying partnership between person and priest in avodat ha‑Mikdash.