Midrash sur Le Lévitique 2:4

1) (Vayikra 2:4): "And if you bring (an offering of a meal-offering, etc."): "if you bring" — it is optional (not mandatory). "an offer (korban) of a meal-offering": R. Yehudah said: Whence is it derived that if one says: "I take upon myself a baked meal-offering" that he may not bring part cakes and part wafers? From "an offer" — he brings on offering, and not cakes and wafers.

1) (Vayikra 7:9) ("And every meal-offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is made in the stewing-pan and on the griddle, to the Cohein who offers it up, to him shall it be. (Vayikra 7:10) And every meal-offering mixed with oil or dry, to all the sons of Aaron shall it be, one man as well as another.") R. Yossi b. R. Yehudah said: Whence is it derived that if one said: "I vow (to bring) a burnt-offering of meal baked in an oven" that he should not bring half-cakes (challoth) and half-wafers (rekikim)? From "every meal-offering that is baked in the oven, and all that is made in the stewing-pan and on the griddle … and every meal-offering mixed with oil or dry." Just as the latter ("stewing-pan and griddle" and "mixed with oil or dry") are (respectively) two kinds, so, these ("cakes and wafers" — viz. Vayikra 2:4 ("baked in an oven…) cakes and wafers") are two kinds (and cannot combine with each other to constitute a vow connoting a single kind). "and all that is made in the marchesheth (stewing-pan) and the machavath (griddle)." These terms connote the vessels (themselves) and not their products. Just as a tanur ("oven") is a vessel, so marchesheth and machavath are vessels.

2) "soleth mixed (with oil"): We are hereby taught that it is mixed (with oil) while it is soleth. Rebbi says: It is (thus) mixed (when they are at the stage of) challoth, viz. (Vayikra 2:4): "challoth … mixed" — whereupon they said to him: Are not "challoth" mentioned in respect to the thanksgiving loaves (Vayikra 7:12), and it is impossible to mix them (with oil) when they are challoth, (there being too little oil for that); but (it must be that the oil is mixed with) soleth. How is this done? He places oil in the vessel before processing (the meal-offering). Then he places oil on it (the soleth), and mixes it, and kneads it, and breaks it into pieces, and pours oil on it, and takes the fistful. Rebbi says: He mixes them (with oil) when they are challoth, viz.: "challoth … mixed with oil." How is this done? He places oil in the vessel before processing it, and places (oil) on it, and kneads it, and bakes it, and crumbles it, and places oil on it, and mixes it, and then again pours oil on it, and takes the fistful. "unleavened": I might think that this is a mitzvah specification only; it is, therefore, written "shall it be" — Scripture makes it a categorical requirement.

2) R. Shimon said: Is "offer" written twice? It is written only once, and this is followed by "cakes and wafers" — so that if he wishes to bring cakes he may do so; if he wishes to bring wafers, he may do so; if he wishes to bring cakes and wafers he may do so. And when he takes the fistful (of the cakes and wafers after baking), he mixes both of them (i.e., their pieces) together and takes the fistful. If in taking the fistful only one of them (i.e., one variety) comes up in his hand, it is sufficient.

3) (Vayikra 1:16): "baked in an oven": and not baked in a brazier, or on hot tiles, or in the improvised fire places of the Arabs. R. Yehudah says: Why "oven," "oven," twice? (here and Vayikra 7:9). To validate a brazier. R. Shimon says: Why "oven," "oven," twice? (One,) that he consecrate it (to be baked in) an oven, and (the other,) that all of its processing be in an oven.

Another interpretation (of Lev. 7:11): THIS IS THE LAW OF THE SACRIFICE FOR PEACE OFFERINGS…. This text is related (to Ps. 85:9 [8]): LET ME HEAR WHAT GOD, THE LORD, WILL SPEAK; FOR HE WILL SPEAK PEACE UNTO HIS PEOPLE AND UNTO HIS SAINTS. The peoples of the world said²⁶Reading ‘MRW with the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 2:4, instead of ‘MRY from the Buber text. to Balaam: Why did the Holy One tell Israel to bring him sacrifices without telling us anything? Balaam said to them: The sacrifices are only peace (i.e., the peace offering). Whoever has accepted the Torah in which they are written must offer sacrifice. You rejected < Torah > from the start, and now you wish to offer sacrifices. Whoever accepted it is the one who offers < sacrifices >, as stated (in Ps. 29:11): THE LORD WILL GRANT STRENGTH TO HIS PEOPLE; THE LORD WILL BLESS HIS PEOPLE WITH PEACE (i.e., with peace offerings). It is therefore stated (in Ps. 85:9 [8]): LET ME HEAR WHAT GOD, THE LORD, WILL SPEAK; FOR HE WILL SPEAK PEACE UNTO HIS PEOPLE AND UNTO HIS SAINTS. What did he speak? (Lev. 7:11): THIS IS THE LAW OF THE SACRIFICE FOR PEACE OFFERINGS…. Why was it worded, THE SACRIFICE FOR PEACE OFFERINGS? Because it makes peace among the altar, the priests, and Israel. Come and see. The whole burnt offering belonged wholly to the flames. Also, in the case of the sin offering, its best parts and its devoted portions²⁷Emurim. Perhaps from the Greek, meria, i.e., “thigh bones.” belonged to the altar, its skin and its flesh belonged to the priests, but there was no enjoyment from it for Israel. So also in the case of the guilt offering. However, in the case of the thank offering, its blood and its devoted parts belonged to the altar, the breast and the shoulder belonged to the priests, but the skin and flesh belonged to Israel. It resulted in making peace among the altar, the priests, and Israel. It is therefore called (in Lev. 7:11), THE SACRIFICE FOR PEACE OFFERINGS, because it made peace for all.