The continuing saga of the house of Garmu and the house of Avtinas TY Shekalim 14

The House of Garmu were experts in baking lekhem hapanim in the right shape and removal so it would not crumble. They refused to teach their method to others. The rabbis brought in craftsmen from Alexandria, Egypt who were experts and baking the lekhem hapanim, but can’t not remove them from the baking molds without the bread crumbling and spoiling. The House of Garmu used their leverage to double their wages.

 (The Sages) said to them: Why do you not want to teach others how to make the lekhem hapanim? They said to (the Sages): We have a tradition from our forefathers that this Temple is destined to be destroyed. Thus, will not reveal our method to anyone outside her family, to ensure that others will not learn it and utilize it before their idols. (Art Scroll translation)

 “The Sages did not praise the House of Garmu for keeping their methods secret. They felt that the House of Garmu should have revealed their methods and not have been concerned themselves with possible future consequences.” (Art Scroll commentary)

 Nevertheless, the baraita continues to cite one praiseworthy ethical tradition the House of Garmu observed. Regarding the following manner, however, they spoke of (the House of Garmu) with praise: 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 lekhem hapanim.” (Art Scroll translation)

 The House of Avtinas were expert in both compounding the ingredients of the incense and identifying Maaleh Ashan, a grass with unique properties that made the smoke rise up in a straight column. The exact same story concerning the House of Garmu played out with the House of Avtinas. Alexandrian craftsmen are brought in but they couldn’t identify the Maaleh Ashan. The House of Avtinas use their leverage to double their wages as well. They also gave the same excuse that the House of Garmu did.

 They said to (the Sages): We have a tradition from our forefathers that this Temple is destined to be destroyed. Thus, will not reveal our method to anyone outside her family, to ensure that others will not learn it and utilize it before their idols. (Art Scroll translation)

 Similarly, the Sages did not praise the House of Avtinas for keeping their methods secret. Nevertheless, the baraita praises the House of Avtinas for one praiseworthy ethical tradition.

 Regarding the following matters, however they spoke of (the House of Avtinas) with praise: Never did one of their women go out into the street while perfumed. Not only that, but when one of them would marry a woman from another place who was unfamiliar with their custom, he would stipulate with her that he was marrying her on the condition that she could not perfume herself, so that people should not say, “They are perfuming themselves from the production of the compounded incense.” The House of Garmu abstain from eating white bread and the House of Avtinas abstain from perfuming, to fulfill what is stated: “You shall be innocent in the eyes of God and of Israel.” (Numbers 32:22) (Art Scroll translation)