Sifra Nedavah Section 10

¹1) (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. ²2) 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. ³3) (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. ⁴4) (Vayikra 1:16); "soleth": Just as "soleth" mentioned elsewhere is of wheat, so, here, it is of wheat. "unleavened cakes (challoth) mixed (with oil"); but the wafers are not to be mixed. For (if not for the exclusion clause) we would reason: If challoth, which do not require spreading (with oil after they are baked), require mixing (with oil before they are baked) — wafers, which require spreading (with oil after they are baked), how much more so should they require mixing (with oil before they are baked)! It is, therefore, written (to negate this): "challoth mixed," and not wafers mixed. ⁵5) (Vayikra 1:16): "wafers spread (with oil" after baking), and not challoth spread. Now does it not follow (that challoth should require spreading), viz.: If wafers, which do not require mixing (with oil before baking) require spreading (with oil after baking) — challoth, which require mixing, how much more so should they require spreading! It is, therefore, written (to negate this): "wafers spread," and not challoth spread. ⁶6) "soleth: unleavened cakes mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil": Why "oil," "oil," twice? (One,) to validate "second oil," and (the other,) to validate "third oil." R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: He spreads the wafers (with oil) in the shape of (the Greek letter) chi; for there is inclusion after inclusion ("oil," "oil") only for limitation (i.e., that he spread it only thinly [the rest to be eaten by the Cohanim]). R. Yehudah says (in reference to 4) and Vayikra 1:5) above): "matzoth" (unleavened), "matzoth" (twice): They (challoth and wafers) are similar in respect to matzoth, and not in respect to spreading and mixing. ⁷7) Likewise, R. Yehudah says (Shemoth 30:18): "And you shall make a laver of copper, and its pedestal, of copper, for washing": I might think that the pedestal could serve for ablution just as the laver does; it is, therefore, written "copper," "copper" (twice) — it is likened (to the laver) only in respect of its being copper, and not in respect to washing. Likewise, R. Yehudah says (Shemot 28:15): "And you shall make a breastplate (choshen) of judgment, artistic work; like the work of the ephod shall you make it." I might think that just as this (the choshen) was doubled, so, that (the ephod) was to be doubled; it is, therefore, written: "of gold": It (the ephod) is similar to it (the choshen) only in respect to gold, but not in respect to doubling.