How the Three Pressings of the Olive Were Graded

We learned there: Tekoa ranks first for oil. Abba Shaul says: second to it is Regev across the Jordan. All lands were valid, but from these places they would bring it. They do not bring from a field that has been dunged, nor from an irrigated field, nor from what is sown among the olive trees; but if one brought such, it is valid. And they do not bring from berries that have been soaked in water, nor from preserved ones, nor from boiled ones; and if one brought such, it is unfit. There are three olives, and in each of them three grades of oil. The first olive: he picks the berry at the top of the tree, crushes it, and places it into the basket. Rabbi Yehudah says: around the basket. This was the first grade. He presses it with the beam. Rabbi Yehudah says: with stones. This was the second. He presses again; this was the third. The first is for the Menorah and the rest for the meal offerings. And the second olive: he picks the berry at the rooftop, crushes it, places it into the basket; Rabbi Yehudah says around the basket, this was first; presses with the beam, Rabbi Yehudah says with stones, this was second; presses again, this was third; the first for the Menorah and the rest for the meal offerings. The third: he presses it in the press house until it begins to spoil, then brings it up and dries it on the rooftop, crushes it and places it into the basket; Rabbi Yehudah says around the basket, this was first; presses with the beam, Rabbi Yehudah says with stones, this was second; presses again, this was third; the first for the Menorah and the rest for the meal offerings. The first of the first has none above it. The second of the first and the first of the second are equal. The third of the first, the second of the second, and the first of the third are equal. The third of the second and the second of the third are equal. The third of the third has none below it. Now the meal offerings should by right also require pure olive oil: if the Menorah, which is not for eating, requires pure olive oil, then the meal offerings, which are for eating, surely should require pure olive oil. Therefore Scripture teaches "pure, crushed, for the light" (Exodus 27:20), and there is no "pure, crushed" for the meal offerings. They asked: did we learn "he picks the berry" or "he rolls it"? Come and hear: "olive oil from its olive." From here they said: the first olive he rolls at the top of the tree and gathers it into the press house and grinds it in the mill and places it in baskets; the oil that comes out of it was the first grade. He presses with the beam; the oil that comes out was the second. He unloads, grinds, and presses again; this was the third. The first for the Menorah and the rest for the meal offerings. And likewise the second olive. And the third olive he presses in the press house until it begins to spoil, brings it up to the rooftop and shapes it like a mound of dates so that its moisture drips out, gathers it into the press house, grinds it in the mill, and places it in baskets. Rabbi Yehudah says: he did not grind it in the mill but crushed it in a mortar, and did not place it in baskets but around the basket. Who taught "crushes"? Rabbi Yehudah. "Into the basket"? We come to the Rabbis. This teacher holds with him in one matter and differs with him in another. Our Rabbis taught: "pure." "Pure" means nothing but clean. Rabbi Yehudah says: "crushed" means nothing but pounded. One might think this is unfit for meal offerings; therefore Scripture says, "a tenth of fine flour mingled with crushed oil, a quarter of a hin" (Exodus 29:40). If so, why does Scripture say "for the light"? Because of the saving. What saving? Rabbi Elazar said: the Torah is sparing of the money of Israel.