As we have learned previously, fine quality oil is a primary component of many meal offerings. A mishnah on today’s daf divulges where the best olive oil can be found.
Olive trees in Tekoa are the primary source of oil to be used in meal offerings. Abba Shaul says: Secondary to Tekoa is Regev on the east bank of the Jordan River. All the regions were valid for oil to be brought from them, but it was from here that they would bring it.
But what makes it the best?
The verse states: “And Yoav sent to Tekoa and fetched from there a wise woman.” (2 Samuel 14:2) What is different about Tekoa? Rabbi Yohanan says: Since the residents of Tekoa are accustomed to use olive oil, wisdom is prevalent there.
During the final years of King David’s reign, he was beset by rivals to the throne. One of those was his own son, Absalom, who poached David’s general Yoav. As part of an elaborate ruse, Yoav goes to Tekoa to fetch a “wise woman.” And what makes her so wise? According to the Gemara, consuming that outstanding oil.
At this point, the Gemara relates a lengthy tale of an oil shortage in Laodicea in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It’s worth heading to the daf to read the whole story, but I’ll paraphrase here: Lacking oil, the Laodiceans send an emissary to Judea to buy a million measures of oil. This is, obviously, an outrageously expensive commission. The messenger heads first to Jerusalem, where he’s unsuccessful in purchasing the oil. From there he travels to Tyre (no luck), and then to Gush Halav, close to Tekoa.
In Gush Halav, the messenger meets what looks like an ordinary worker tending an olive grove and asks where he can buy a million measures of oil. The laborer tells the messenger to wait. While he’s waiting, he stews, thinking that all this is an elaborate practical joke. But, eventually, the worker brings the messenger home, where he discovers that — surprise! — the worker is not a poor laborer, but a man of means. He sells the messenger not only the million measures of oil requested, but even more on credit, before accompanying the messenger, together with a veritable Noah’s Ark worth of laden animals, back to Laodicea. Here’s the conclusion of the story in the Talmud:
When the messenger finally reached his city, the people of his city came out to praise him. The messenger said to them: “Do not praise me. Rather, praise this man who has come with me, as it is he who measured for me one million measures worth of oil, and he extended a debt to me for 180,000 more.” This incident was in fulfillment of that which is stated: “There is one who seems to be rich, yet has nothing; there is one who seems to be poor, yet has great wealth.” (Proverbs 13:7)
This story has several hallmarks of a good folktale — a quest, a surprising identity and a happy ending. Here are two more thoughts that stick with me:
First, we have the connection between oil and wisdom. In the Temple menorah and in Sabbath lamps, oil provides light. Our language around wisdom frequently uses related words such as enlightenment, illumination and brilliance to reflect understanding and knowledge. The woman from Tekoa is presumed wise because she has regularly consumed superior oil. The Laodicean messenger, who can’t see beyond his own biases to recognize that the guy tending the olive grove with such care is surely the owner, doesn’t achieve wisdom until he too gets access to the oil. The Gemara concludes the story by bringing a verse from Proverbs spelling out that one shouldn’t judge a person by appearances alone — and learning that lesson is certainly a mark of wisdom.
Second, we have the oil itself, and the rabbinic ruling that only the best oil should accompany a mincha (grain) offering. If the purpose of a sacrifice is to draw closer to God, it’s not just that the oil should be the finest money can buy. When a person comes to the Temple to worship God, it takes wisdom to recognize that sacrificing the best quality offering makes that offering more meaningful.
Read all of Menachot 85 on Sefaria.
This piece originally appeared in a My Jewish Learning Daf Yomi email newsletter sent on April 6, 2026. If you are interested in receiving the newsletter, sign up here.
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