Midrash su Levitico 7:9

1) R. Elazar b. R. Shimon says: A (Cohein) tvul yom (one who immersed in the daytime, and becomes clean at sunset) came and said to (another) Cohein: Give me of the meal-offering (of an Israelite) to eat it (tonight). The Cohein: Now if in a place (i.e., an instance) where you are "strong," in your sin-offering, (i.e., a Cohein who is liable for a sin-offering may bring it at any priestly watch and take its priestly portions), I have pushed you away from the sin-offering of an Israelite (A tvul yom does not share in it, viz. Vayikra 6:19), then in a place where you are "weak," in your meal-offering, (Even a clean Cohein may not eat his own meal-offering, it being entirely burnt), does it not follow that I should push you away from the meal-offering of an Israelite today (when you are a tvul yom and unfit to sacrifice the meal-offering of an Israelite)! The tvul yom: Why would you push me away from the sin-offering of an Israelite? Because you are "strong" in your own sin-offering. Would you then push me away from the meal-offering of an Israelite, when you are "weak" in your own meal-offering? The Cohein (Vayikra 7:9): "To the Cohein that sacrifices (a meal-offering), to him shall it be" — Come, sacrifice (when you are clean) and eat!

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.

1) Whence is it derived that the time (for eating offerings) of the bamoth (temporary altars, when such altars were permitted), is the same as that of the time (for eating them) in the tent of meeting (i.e., two days and one night for peace-offerings and a day and a night for thank-offerings)? Since Scripture states that lan, an offering that remains overnight (without being eaten in its prescribed time), is to be burnt, and that an offering that becomes tamei is to be burnt — just as tamei is unfit in a bamah, so, lan is unfit in a bamah. Or, go in this direction: lan is unfit, and yotzei (an offering leaving its prescribed bounds) is unfit (in the tent of meeting) — just as yotzei does not obtain in a bamah, (for which there are no prescribed bounds), lan, too, does not obtain in a bamah!

2) "to the Cohein who offers it up, to him shall it be.": I might think, to him alone; it is, therefore, written "to all the sons of Aaron shall it be." I might think, to all of them; it is, therefore, written "to the Cohein who offers it up." How is this to be reconciled? It is (divided among) the (particular) priestly household that offers it up.

2) But does it not follow a fortiori (that lan obtains in a bamah), viz.: If a bird, which is not rendered unfit (as an offering) by a blemish, is rendered unfit by lan, bamah offerings, which are rendered unfit by a blemish — how much more so should they be rendered unfit by lan! — No, why is it that a bird, even though it is not rendered unfit by a blemish is rendered unfit by lan? Because (sacrifice by) a zar (a non-Cohein) renders it unfit. But would you, therefore, say of bamah offerings that because a blemish renders them unfit, lan should render them unfit? (This is not so,) because a zar does not render them unfit. And because a zar does not render them unfit, lan should not render them unfit! It is, therefore, written (Vayikra 7:11): "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings … (Vayikra 7:12) If for thanksgiving he shall offer it, etc." (i.e., there is one law for all offerings, whether in the tent of meeting or in a bamah) — equating the time (and the lan) factor in a bamah with that in the tent of meeting.

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.

3) Whence is it derived that meal-offerings are not apportioned against flesh offerings (i.e., that one Cohein should not say to another: You take the flesh offerings and I will take the meal-offerings)? From "Every meal-offering that is baked in the oven … to all the sons of Aaron shall it be" (i.e., the meal-offerings shall be shared by all of the Cohanim.)

3) "the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings … If for thanksgiving he shall offer it": We are hereby taught that a thank-offering may be slaughtered as a thank-offering or as a peace-offering. I might think that a peace-offering, too, may be slaughtered as a peace-offering or as a thank-offering; it is, therefore, (to negate this) written "This (is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings.")

4) I might think that meal-offerings baked in the oven are not apportioned against flesh offerings, but that other meal-offerings are apportioned against flesh offerings; it is, therefore, written "All that is made in the stewing-pan and on the griddle, etc. … to all the sons of Aaron shall it be."

4) "the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings … If for thanksgiving": Just as a peace-offering requires placing of the hands (semichah), and libations, and waving of breast and thigh, so, a thank-offering.

5) I might think that meal-offerings are not to be apportioned against flesh offerings, (because nothing is substituted for meal-offerings in a state of poverty) but that bird-offerings are apportioned against meal-offerings, (for meal-offerings are substituted for bird-offerings in a state of poverty; it is, therefore, written "and on the griddle, etc. to all the sons of Aaron shall it be."

5) They said in the name of R. Yishmael: Because the thank-offering departed (from the general category of peace-offerings) for a new learning (that it required loaves, unlike peace-offerings), I might think that it retains only its new learning (see Hermeneutical Principle 11); it is, therefore, written, (to restore it to its category): "the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings … If for thanksgiving" — Just as a peace-offering requires placing of the hands, and libations, and waving of breast and thigh, so, a thank-offering.

6) I might think that bird-offerings are not to be apportioned against meal-offerings, but that meal-offerings are to be apportioned against (other) meal-offerings; it is, therefore, written "and every meal-offering mixed with oil or dry, to all the sons of Aaron shall it be."

6) "the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings … If for thanksgiving": Just as peace-offerings may be brought from the tithe [ma'aser], (if he vowed to bring a peace-offering from second-tithe monies), so a thank-offering may be brought from the tithe.

7) I might think that machavath is not to be apportioned against marchesheth and marchesheth against machavath, but that (one type of) machavath is apportioned against (a second type) of machavath, and marchesheth against marchesheth; it is, therefore, written "… or dry, to all the sons of Aaron shall it be."

7) If one vowed to bring (a thank-offering) without qualifying (from which monies), I might think that he could bring it from the tithe; it is, therefore, written "the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings" — Just as with peace-offerings if he specified "from the tithe," he brings from the tithe, and if he does not specify "from the tithe," he brings only from chullin (non-consecrated) monies, so, with the thank-offering.

8) I might think they do not make apportionment with higher order offerings, but they do make apportionment with lower order offerings; it is, therefore, written (after (Vayikra 2:11) "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings [lower order offerings]"), (Vayikra 2:12) "If for thanksgiving (a lower order offering) he shall offer it" — Just as apportionment is not made with higher order offerings, they are not made with lower order offerings.

8) Whence is it derived that the loaves of the thank-offering (Vayikra 7:13) may be brought from the tithe? From (the redundant) "which he shall offer (to the L–rd" [Vayikra 7:11]). Just as the peace-offerings may be brought from the tithe, so the loaves may be brought from the tithe.

(Lev. 19:2:) YOU SHALL BE HOLY. This text is related (to Ps. 20:3 [2]): MAY HE SEND YOU HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY AND SUSTAIN YOU FROM ZION. FROM THE SANCTUARY (QDSh) < means > from the holiness (rt.: QDSh) of the works that are in you; AND [SUSTAIN YOU] FROM ZION (MTsYWN) < means > [from the marker (TsYWN)] of the works that are in you.³⁵Tanh., Lev. 7:9; M. Pss. 20:5. R. Berekhyah said: There was a story in our village about a certain spirit who dwelt by the spring.³⁶Lev. R. 24:3. Another spirit came to attack³⁷Lahizdawweg, from the root Zug. The word also has implications of mating. Cf. the Gk.: zeugos, i.e., “a team of beasts,” and then “a married couple.” Cf. also the Latin: conjugium, from jugum. it and sought to get it away from there. There was also there a certain saint whose name was Jose the man of Zaythor. The first spirit appeared to him. It said to him: Rabbi, look at how many years I have been situated here; yet neither at noon nor at night have I harmed < any > mortal. {Also not during the day.} But now this spirit has come upon me from another place and wants to get me away from here in order to harm mortals. He said to it: What shall we do? It said to him: Take your staves and your scythes, and go out against it at the noon hour. Then say: Ours is winning! Ours is winning! And it will run away. They did so and drove it away from there. They used to say: They did not move from here until they saw, as it were, a clot of blood floating on the water. When the sages heard about the matter, they said: If something which was not created with a need for assistance needs assistance, how much the more so in the case of the children of Adam. David, therefore, said (in Ps. 20:3 [2]): MAY HE SEND YOU HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY.

9) "one man as well as another" shares, even if he is blemished; but a minor does not share, even if he is unblemished.

9) If one vowed to bring a thank-offering from the tithe, but did not specify that its loaves were to be brought from the tithe, I might think that he could bring it and its loaves from the tithe; it is, therefore, written "the peace-offerings which he shall offer": Just as with peace-offerings, if he specified "from the tithe" he brings from the tithe; but if he did not specify "from the tithe," he brings only from chullin, so, with the loaves. If he vowed to bring a thank-offering from chullin and its loaves from the tithe, I might think that since he specified, he could do so; it is, therefore, written "the peace-offerings which he shall offer" — When he says "I vow to bring a thank-offering, it and its loaves from the tithe," he may do so, but when he says "I vow to bring a thank-offering from chullin," even if he specifies "its loaves from the tithe," he brings them only from chullin.

10) I might think that he can bring them from the wheat of the tithe itself; it is, therefore, written "the peace-offerings which he shall offer. Just as peace-offerings are brought (from what is bought with the monies of the tithe, so, the (thanksgiving) loaves.

11) And whence is it derived that if one vowed to bring peace-offerings, he may do so only with chullin? From (Devarim 16:2): "And you shall offer a Pesach-offering to the L–rd your G d, sheep and cattle." Now does the Pesach offering not come only from lambs and kids? Why, then, is it written "sheep and cattle"? To liken everything that comes from sheep and cattle to the Pesach offering, viz.: Just as the Pesach offering is mandatory and comes only from chullin, (there having been no consecrations and no tithe at the time of the exodus from Egypt,) so, everything that is mandatory comes only from chullin — so that if one vowed to bring a thank-offering or a peace-offering, since they are mandatory, (having been vowed), they are to be brought only from chullin; and libations, in all instances, (even if he specified "from the tithe") are to be brought only from chullin, (their not having been likened to peace-offerings, as the thanksgiving loaves were).