*1 I am aided in this series by the following Sefer
   ------------------------------------------------
   The MISHKAN and the Holy Garments
   ------------------------------------------------
   by Rabbi Steinberg, TORAS CHAIM, Jerusalem 5752

   We will therefore frequently cite many Rishonim/Acharonim
   and other opinions. ARE PRIMARY FOCUS will always be
   explanation of the Biblical text

   This book was loaned to me by the family of an elderly
   incapacitated person whom I lained for last year in his house

*2 Rashi does not know why the BREAD SUPPORT STAFFS
   are called MENAKIYOTH. We suggest a simple explanation
   based on Nu05-31 (The support staffs FREE the bread from
   the sin of collapsing and destroying the bread beneath it)

*3 Many Rashis on the temple are based on the prinicple of
   OTHER VERSES -- the idea of looking up cross references
   to verses is easy and can be practiced at the home
   either in a homeschooling situation or as support for a
   schooling situation

*1 So Ex25-30 simply says PLACE THE BREAD ON THE TEMPLE TABLE
   while Lv24-05:09 explains HOW the bread was made, how many
   loaves there were etc. In other words the OTHER VERSES
    in Lv24-05:09 provide FURTHER DETAILS *10

*2 In other words Ex25-29 mentions BOWLS and SPOONS.
   I however am not told their function. By reviewing
   Lv24-05:09 we see that the TABLE had placed on it
   BOTH bread and incense. So it is immediately reasonable
   that the incense was placed in the spoons while the
   bread was placed in the bowls--apparently the purpose
   of these bowls was to support the bread shape.*11


*3 Ex25-29 speaks about
   -----------------------------------------------
   making KSOTH and MENAKIYOTH to COVER the bread
   -----------------------------------------------

   Does the word COVER refer to the function of the KSOTH
   or the MENAKIYOTH?

   Nu04-07 speaks about the KSOTH THAT COVER. Hence I infer
   that it is the KSOTH that COVER, not the MENAKIYOTH.
   Technically then Ex25-29 is an example of a Dangling modifier

   The KSOTH were 3 half rods which rested on each bread and
   helped provide air to prevent the bread from becoming
   moldy.

   I still dont know what MENAKIYOTH looked like.Clarification
   comes from 1C28-17 which mentions all 4 table utensils but
   calls the MENAKIYOTH, FORKS. I therefore infer that the
   MENAKIYOTH were 3-pronged-fork shaped objects which helped
   support the KSOTH and hence the bread. See a diagram and other
   interesting comments in footnote *12.

*10 The Bible calls the Table bread, FACE-BREAD. Rashi explains
    this strange phrase which only occurs here. Rashi explains
    that this is an idiom referring to CURLED UP BREAD with
    2 sides that FACE EACH OTHER (Hence the name FACE BREAD)

    Here is a picture of what the bread looked like

    ---     ---
    |         |
    |         |   A side view of the temple FACE BREAD.
    |         |   The Bread was folded over so that it
    -----------   had 2 sides FACING EACH OTHER. Hence
                  the name FACE BREAD.

    There is in fact a 4 way controversy on the exact shape
    of the bread but all 4 positions agree that there were
    2 sides FACING EACH OTHER (The controversy revolves around
    the bottom of the bread);
    - we have portrayed it like a BOX with 2 faces
    - some say it looked like a BOAT with 2 faces
      The boat may have a pointed bottom or flat bottom

    In this list we are interested in the COMMONALITY of
    all sides of a controversy-- in this case the COMMONALITY
    is that FACE-BREAD refers to the shape of the bread with
    2 sides FACING each other.

    We now comment on the Rashi method of going from
    the name FACE-BREAD to the explanation above (that
    the bread looked like 2 people FACING each other)
    The technique used here is the method of NAMING items.
    See http://www.Rashiyomi.com/naming-8.htm

    One of the major 8 methods of naming an item is either
    by FORM or the FORM of an activity. Some simple examples
    might be
    -------------------------------------------------------------
    NAME        Reason for name
    ----------- -------------------------------------------------
    Pentagon    A building that looks like a pentagon
    surf web    An bumpy to and from walking over internet
    brainSTORM  a collection of ideas (like a group of drops)
    table LEG   it has the position of a LEG
    Lamp HEAD   has the position of a HEAD
    FACE bread  Bread folded over with 2 sides FACING each other
    -------------------------------------------------------------


*11 There is a controversy if INCENSE in spoons was placed
   -- on top of the bread stack
   -- or on top of the table table
   This controversy is rooted in whether the word AL in the verse

   -----------------------------------
   Lv24-07 place incense AL the bread
   -----------------------------------

   means ON (AL=ON) or NEAR (AL=NEAR).That is does the verse
   translate
   ---------------------------------------
   Lv24-07 Place the incense ON the bread
   ---------------------------------------
   or does the verse translate
   -------------------------------------------------------
   Lv24-07 Place the incense (on the table)NEAR the bread
   -------------------------------------------------------

   The Hebrew word AL can mean both NEAR and ON
   See http://www.RashiYomi.com/words.htm
   or http://www.Rashiyomi.com/al-5.htm

   The controversy also revolves around whether the Temple
   cubit is 5 or 6 handbreadths (as the length of the table
   influences whether there is room left on the table to place
   the incense--if there isnt it must be placed on the top
   of the bread stack)

*12 Here is a side picture of support system of the bread

          E                      E  Incense spoons
    ------------------
    | |   B3      |  |           B  the Bread
    | |-----------|  |
    ------------------
    | |   B2      |  |
    | |-----------|  |
    --------------------  C      C air-rods(anti-mold)
    | |  B1       |  |           C called KSOTH
    | |___________|  |
    A     B          A           A: Fork like support staffs
                                 A called MENAKIYOTH

    B refers to the folded over bread which was placed in
      folded up BOWLS

    A refers to the 3 rods placed on the bread to provide
      air to prevent mold. The bread was stacked up in
      groups of 6. Each bread had rods on it providing
      air. The rods lied between each layer of bread.
      (B1 supports B2 supports B3)
      The Bible calls these KSOTH

    A are 3 pronged staffs which have slots into which the
    sides of the support rods fit. Thus
    -A, the fork like MENAKIYOTH support
    -C, the KSOTH rods that support
    -B, the 2 sided FACE-BREAD in the BOWLS

    There are opinions that D was further strengthened with
    a support panel, possibly with air holes.

    E refers to the spoons of INCENSE which according to
    Lv24-07 was placed ON the bread.

    We have left to deal with the ETYMOLOGY of KSOTH and
    MENAKIYOTH.

    KSOTH from Kuph-SHin-Hey, meaning HARD would refer to
    the FUNCTION of the AIR RODS---they prevented the bread
    from becoming moldy and mushy and kept them HARD


    Rashis says I DONT KNOW WHY THE MENAKIYOTH are so
    named.BUt I found a vers to explain the name
    -------------------------------------
    Nu05-31 The man will be FREE of sin
    -------------------------------------

    Recall that the MENAKIYOTH help support the AIR RODS
    which prevent the BREAD from becoming moldy and keep
    them HARD. Without the MENAKIYOTH the weight of the
    upper bread would cause them to collapse on the lower
    bread. Thus the MENAKIYOTH FREE the upper bread of
    the sin of collapse by the upper bread on the lower bread

    Finally Rashi cites many alternate opinions. For
    example there is an opinion that the KESOTH SUPPORT
    the bread (KSH=HARD preventing collapse) while the
    MENAKIYOTH prevented MOLDINESS(NAKI=CLEAN from MOLD)

    In my opinion Rashi rejected this opinion because
    an OTHER VERSE, Nu04-07 EXPLICITLY states that the
    KSOTH COVER the bread thus indicating that
    the air rods are called KESOTH.