Why was this past perek out of order from that in Mishnayos? Any profound or practical reasons?
Chaim , ny usa
(a) I am not sure why Perakim 6 and 10 of Menachos were interchanged in the Gemara.
The same type of transposal occurs in two other locations: Megilah Perakim 3 and 4, and Sanhedrin Perakim 10 and 11. In the latter case, it is clear from the Gemara at the beginning of Makos (which refers to the Mishnah in Sanhedrin 89a as being the last Mishnah in Sanhedrin) that the correct order is that of the Mishnayos. And it is also clear that the Tosefta in all three locations had the Perakim listed in the order that they appear in our Mishnayos.
(b) I noticed that in the Rif - the order of Perakim in Sanhedrin follows that of our Gemara, while the order in Megilah follows that of our Mishnayos. And in the Rosh, the reverse is true!
(c) Nevertheless, the order we have in the Gemara already appears in the Munich manuscript of the Talmud (which doesn't even have Rashi or Tosfos). It is not clear who changed it and why.
Mordecai Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun Hadaf