פירוש על ויקרא 2:5

ואם מנחה על המחבת AND IF AN OBLATION BAKEN IN THE PAN [BE THY OFFERING], in that one said, “I take upon myself the obligation to bring a meal-offering baken in the pan” (cf. Rashi on previous. verse and Note thereon). This (the מחבת) was a vessel employed in the Temple in which they baked this particular meal-offering on the open fire in oil. The vessel was not deep but flat; therefore the meal-offering made in it was hard, for just because it (the מחבת) was flat the fire burnt the oil. (Menachot 63a). — All of them (i.e. both the meal-offerings prepared in a vessel) require a three-fold use of oil — pouring upon them after they ware prepared, mingling with their dough, and placing of oil in the vessel prior to preparing them (Menachot 74b; cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 12 1).

The fire burnt. I.e., it is not deep, but rather the pan’s bottom ‘floats up’ (צפין) close to the rim and the oil scattered towards the pan’s rim. An alternative interpretation: The middle of the pan’s floor, which is the place he would place the meal-offering, was raised from below to above, and protruded like our glass vessels. It was raised like a mount in its middle, and when they put the meal-offering on that place it seemed as if it floated (צפה), since it was a raised area.

סלת בלולה בשמן FLOUR MINGLED WITH OIL — This teaches us that he mingles them together when they (the cakes) are yet flour (are not yet baked, and not, as might be assumed, when the dough is already formed into cakes, as is the case with לחמי תודה. the cakes of the sacrifice of acknowledgment, Leviticus 7:12, where Scripture prescribes חלות בלולת בשמן, “Cakes” mingled with oil; cf. Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 12 2).

Pouring, mixing. As it is written with regard to the pan-baked meal-offering (v. 5-6): “Mixed with oil ... and pour oil on it.”

And placing of oil in the vessel. As it is written with regard to the deep-pan meal-offering (v. 7): “With fine flour and oil you shall make it,” which refers to placing the oil in the vessel. This is before they are prepared, as it is written, “with fine flour and oil,” followed afterwards by, “you shall make it.” Next, we learn [a gezeirah shavah from the words קרבנך קרבנך]: “קרבנך (your offering)” stated above [regarding the pan-baked meal offering] from קרבנך stated below regarding the deep-pan meal-offering, and we apply what is stated by this to that, and what is stated by that to this. Therefore, all of them require pouring, mixing and placing of oil in the vessel before they are prepared. “Before they are prepared” means: Before anything is done with them at all. Although it says: “Mixed with oil... Break it into pieces” and only afterwards: “And pour oil on it,” and if so, perforce, after they were prepared he poured the oil on it! Rather, the explanation is [the oil is poured] before they are brought, [i.e., the flour is put into the vessel].