Midrash su Levitico 6:8

5. R. Eliezer says: I might think that he could present it (either) at the south of the horn or at the west. — This cannot be said! If there are two verses, one satisfying itself and satisfying the other, and one satisfying itself but nullifying the other, we choose the former and negate the latter. If you say "before the L–rd" at the west, you have nullified "in front of the altar" at the south; and if you say "in front of the altar" at the south, you have satisfied "before the L–rd" at the west. At which side, then, is it presented? At the south of the horn. (Vayikra 6:8) ("And he shall lift up from it with his fistful from the fine flour of the meal-offering and from its oil and all the frankincense that is on the meal-offering; and he shall cause it to smoke upon the altar, a sweet savor, a remembrance to the L–rd.") "And he shall lift up from it": from what is all joined together, that he not bring one issaron (a tenth of an ephah) in two vessels. "with his fistful": that he not make a vessel for the fistful. "from the fine flour of the meal-offering": and not from the fine flour of its neighbor, (i.e., he should not bring two meal-offerings in one vessel so that they become intermixed and the fistful is taken from both). "and from its oil": and not from the oil of its neighbor — that he not bring two meal-offerings in one vessel. "from the fine flour of the meal-offering and from its oil and all the frankincense": (Even though it is not taken with the fistful), frankincense must be in the vessel when it is taken. "and all the frankincense that is on the meal-offering and he shall cause it to smoke": He picks out the frankincense and brings it up on the fire.

6) "his full fistful": I might think it should be flowing over; it is, therefore, written (to negate this) (Vayikra 6:8): "in his fistful." If "in this fistful," I might think he can take the fistful with his fingertips (and that they need not reach his palm); it is, therefore, written: "his full fistful." How is this done? He bends three fingers over his palm (and bunches the flour in). And with a machvath or a marchesheth (baked meal-offerings, that do flow over [see Vayikra 2:5 and Vayikra 2:7]), he "erases" (the overflow) with his thumb from above and with his little finger from below.

8) In that case, should not the meal-offerings of Cohanim and the high-priest's meal-offering, which come by virtue of themselves, require "touching"? It is, therefore, written (to negate this): "and he shall touch it." Why do you see fit to include all of the meal-offerings and to exclude the meal-offerings of Cohanim and the high-priest's meal-offering? After Scripture includes, it excludes. Just as these are distinct in that part of them goes to the fire, that they come by virtue of themselves, and that part of them goes to the Cohanim (to be eaten) — (so, all meal-offerings like these require "touching"): to exclude the two loaves and the show bread, no part of which goes to the fire; to exclude the libation meal-offering, which does not come by virtue of itself, and to exclude the meal-offerings of Cohanim and the high-priest's meal-offering, no part of which goes to the Cohanim (but which is entirely consumed on the altar). (Ibid. 2:9): "And he shall lift (from the meal-offering its remembrance" [the fistful]): I might think (that he lifts it) in a vessel; it is, therefore, written elsewhere (Ibid. 6:8): "And he shall lift from it in his fist." Just as there, "in his fist," so, here.

9) "from its soleth": not from the soleth of its neighbor (offering); "and from its oil": not from the oil of its neighbor — that he not bring two meal-offerings in one vessel — whence it was ruled: Two meal-offerings from which fistfuls were not taken, which got mixed up with each other — If he can take a fistful from each independently, they are kasher; if not, they are pasul.

10) "his fistful from its soleth and from its oil": If in taking the fistful there came up in his hand a pebble or a grain of salt or of frankincense, it is pasul. "from its soleth and from its oil, aside from all of its frankincense" There must be frankincense there (on the meal-offering) at the time of the kemitzah. "aside from all of its frankincense and he shall smoke": He picks the (grains of) frankincense (from the meal-offering, places it on the fistful in the vessel) and offers it on the fire (of the altar).

(Lev. 16:1:) NOW THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AFTER THE DEATH < OF AARON'S TWO SONS >. This text is related (to Job 37:1): AT THIS ALSO MY HEART TREMBLES. [Who spoke this verse? Elihu spoke it.] Elihu was observing how the sons of Aaron went in to sacrifice and came out destroyed by fire.⁵⁸Tanh., Lev. 6:8; cf. PRK 26(27):5; Lev. R. 20:5. He was amazed and said (ibid.): AT THIS ALSO MY HEART TREMBLES AND LEAPS FROM ITS PLACE. What did he see for him to say this? It is simply at a time when⁵⁹Besha‘ah besha‘ah shennitpaqpeqah, which translates literally as, “In the hour, in the hour that < the priesthood > was shaken.” This repetition may well be an error, which Buber seems to avoid when he cites the passage in his notes. the priesthood was shaken {i.e., when < the priesthood > had become weak} in the hand of Aaron. What is written there (in Numb. 17:21 [6])? THEN MOSES SPOKE UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; AND THEIR PRINCES GAVE HIM A STAFF, A STAFF FOR EACH PRINCE…. So he wrote the name of each and every tribe on its staff. He also wrote the name of Aaron on the staff of Levi and put it in the middle. Moses said < It was > lest the children of Israel say: It smelled the Divine Presence and bore fruit. [Moses said: See, I am putting it in the middle so as not to give a pretext, as stated (in Numb. 17:21 [6], cont.): AND THE STAFF OF AARON WAS IN THE MIDST OF THEIR STAFFS.] What is written there (in vs. 22–23 [7–8])? THEN MOSES PLACED THE STAFFS < BEFORE THE LORD IN THE TENT OF THE TESTIMONY >…. AND THERE THE STAFF OF AARON < OF THE HOUSE OF LEVI > HAD SPROUTED; IT < HAD PUT FORTH SPROUTS, PRODUCED BLOSSOMS, > AND HAD BORNE ALMONDS. The scriptural text lacked nothing. Why then: AND HAD BORN (rt.: GML) ALMONDS (rt.: ShQD)?⁶⁰Numb. R. 18:23. It repaid (rt.: GML) anyone who was bent on (rt.: ShQD) evil against the tribe of Levi. So while (in Numb. 17:16–24 [1–9]) even dry pieces of wood emitted an aroma among those who live in the world, [sprouted blossoms,] came out alive, and produced fruits; the sons of Aaron, who entered there alive, came out destroyed by fire. So when Elihu beheld the one and the other, he said (in Job 37:1): AT THIS ALSO MY HEART TREMBLES. When? (Lev. 16:1:) NOW THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.