פירוש על ויקרא 2:14

ואם תקריב AND IF (according to Rashi, AND “WHEN”) THOU OFFER [A MEAL-OFFERING OF FIRST FRUITS] — אם here has the meaning of כי, “when”, for this (the offering of the מנחת בכורים) is not optional, since Scripture is speaking of the meal-offering of the “Omer” which is obligatory. Similar is אם in the phrase (Numbers 36:4) ואם יהיה היובל which means: “when the jubilee will be”, not: “if the jubilee will be”, since it is bound to come (cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Section 13 2; see also Rashi on Exodus 20:22).

V’IM (AND IF) THOU BRING A MEAL-OFFERING OF FIRST-FRUITS. “The word im (if) here has the meaning of ki (when), for the bringing [of this meal-offering of the first-fruits] is not a voluntary matter, since Scripture speaks here of the meal-offering of the new barley, which is obligatory.²³⁰Further 23:10. It was brought on the sixteenth day of Nisan — the second day of Passover. It is known as the Omer. For a full discussion see “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 54-55. Similarly, ‘V’im’ (and if) the Jubilee of the children of Israel shall be²³¹Numbers 36:4. [means ‘when’ the Jubilee will be — for it is bound to come].” This is Rashi’s language.
The correct interpretation is that He used the expression im (if) because He is not commanding the performance now of this precept [namely bringing the meal-offering of the new barley], and He is thus saying: “When you offer a meal-offering baked on the griddle²³²Verse 5. you shall do it in such-and-such a way; and if you offer a meal-offering of the stewing-pan,²³³Verse 7. you shall make it in another way; and if the meal-offering you will bring will be the one of first-fruits, you should do it in this manner.” Thus the word im is here to be understood in its literal sense [namely, “if”]. Then the meaning of the verse, ‘V’im’the Jubilee of the children of Israel shall be²³¹Numbers 36:4. is as follows: [The heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribe of Manasseh] said to Moses: “Even ‘if’ the children of Israel will inherit the Land forever, and will be privileged to sanctify the year of the Jubilee, the inheritance [of Zelophchad] will not return to us” [because his daughters might marry men from other tribes, which would cause the land to be transferred to other tribes].
It is also possible that He is stating: “And if you bring a meal-offering of the first-fruits, you shall do it in this prescribed way,” as if He were to say, “if the Eternal your G-d will bring you into the Land, and you will reap the harvest thereof and bring the meal-offering of the first-fruits, you shall do it in such-and-such a manner;” for G-d always mentions the inheritance of the Land to them conditionally, just as He said, For if ye shall diligently keep all this commandment … then will the Eternal drive out all these nations from before you,²³⁴Deuteronomy 11:22-23. and so also in many places.

ואם תקריב מנחת בכורים, "And if you bring a meal-offering consisting of first-fruit, etc." The word אם here means "when," and refers to the period when the first-fruit ripens. The offering of the first-fruit is mandatory whenever it is being offered. The word תקריב means "you are to offer it, it is a duty." The conditional word ואם refers only to the timing of the offering.

ואם תקריב, when you offer the “Omer,” not “if you offer, etc.”

ואם תקריב מנחת בכורים, “When you bring a meal-offering of the first (grain) etc.” Rashi states that the meaning of the word אם here is the same as the meaning of the word כי, “when,” as opposed to when the same word is conditional and means “if.” Nachmanides writes that the justification for using this word at this juncture, [although every time the Torah used this introductory word thus far in our chapter it meant “if,” Ed.] is the fact that first ripe specimens of any of the seven categories of produce qualifying for the commandment of בכורים, are not immediately capable of being performed as one has to await the time when nature enables us to harvest such fruit. The word refers to the previous paragraph in which the meal offering in a deep pan had been discussed. The rules applying to that meal offering also apply to the offering of bikkurim consisting of grain products. Nachmanides explains in similar fashion the use of the word אם where it prefaces some of the legislation of the Jubilee year (Numbers 36,4) It cannot be translated there as “if,” as the Jubilee will occur every 50 years and is not subject to man’s whims. The verse speaks of the time after the Israelites will have taken possession of their homeland. The Torah promises that as long as the Jewish people will observe that legislation the land will remain their ancestral possession. Another approach to the meaning of the word ואם here, could be simply: “if” the Lord will bring you to the land and you will in due course reap your harvest and bring the first fruit offerings, then you shall do so in the manner here described. Inheritance of the land of Israel is always described as conditional on our observing the relevant legislation pertaining to the earth of that land. Failure to observe this legislation will result in our expulsion from that land.

As meaning “when.” Then, I may explain it as being an obligation.

מנחת בכורים THE MEAL-OFFERING OF FIRSTFRUITS — Scripture is speaking here of the meal-offering of the “Omer” (Leviticus 23:10) which is brought when the grain is in the green ears ,(אביב), i.e.. at the time of the ripening of the grain, and which was brought of barley, for it states here “אביב”, and there, too, (Exodus 9:31) it slates “for the barley was in the ears (אביב)” (Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Section 13 4; Menachot 68b).

גרש, similar to the same word with the letter ס as in Lamentations 3,16 ויגרס בחצץ שיני, “He broke my teeth on gravel.” Here the term means that the grain is to be ground in a mill.

When there will be a jubilee year. [You might ask:] Above, at the end of Parshas Yisro (Shemos 20:22), Rashi cites only three [examples], and he does not bring this one. The answer is: Over there he explains according to the view of Rabbi Yishmael, but here he explains according to the view of Rabbi Shimon, who explains this phrase, “when there will be a jubilee year” as being obligatory.

קלוי באש PARCHED BY THE FIRE It is thus described because they roast it on the fire in the “tube of the grain-parchers (אביב של קלאים)”, for unless it was treated thus it could not be ground in the mill because it was fresh, as the term אביב green, fresh suggests (cf. Rashi on Exodus 9:31).

Comes fresh. I.e., Rashi provides two signs [that it deals with the omer]. One is that it comes fresh, i.e., at the time when the crops ripen, which is the start of the harvest. Secondly, it comes from barley, as is derived from a gezeirah shavah from the words אביב אביב.

גרש כרמל means broken (גרוש) whilst it was yet fresh (כרמל).

Kernels. I.e., the word כרמל is a compound word: כר מלא (full husk).

גרש is an expression for breaking and grinding. — He ground it in a grit-mill. — גרש has the same meaning as the verb in (Lamentations 3:16) “and He hath broken (ויגרס) [my teeth] with gravel-stones”; and similarly (Psalms 119:20) “My soul is broken (גרסה).

כרמל — i. e., broken whilst the husk (כר) is yet full (מלא) (according to this כרמל is a word compounded of כר and מל) — when the crop is yet fresh and full in its stalks; for this reason the fresh ears are called כרמל. Similar is, (2 Kings 4:42) “and full ears of corn (כרמל) in the husk thereof”.