Sifra Tzav Chapter 4

¹1) (Vayikra 6:14) ("On a griddle with oil, shall it be made; soaked shall you bring it; well-baked, a meal-offering of pieces shall you offer it, a sweet savor to the L–rd.") "On a griddle": We are hereby taught that it is a (ministering) vessel. "with oil": Oil is to be added to it (above the amount for the griddle offering of an Israelite). I would not know how much (oil to use). I, therefore, induce: This requires oil and the libation meal-offering (Shemoth 29:40) requires oil. Just as the libation meal-offering (requires) three logs for the issaron (viz. Shemoth 29:40), this, too, requires three logs for the issaron. ²2) But why not go in this direction: This requires oil and a gift meal-offering requires oil. Just as a gift meal-offering requires one log for the issaron, this, too, requires one log for the issaron! ³3) Let us see what it most closely resembles. We derive it from a meal-offering (the libation meal-offering) which is offered always (every day, with the tamid offering) and which overrides Shabbath and tumah, and not from a gift meal-offering, which lacks these factors. ⁴4) But why not go in this direction: We derive an individual meal-offering, which comes in its own right (and not as an adjunct to another offering) and which requires frankincense, from an individual (gift-) offering, which comes in its own right and which requires frankincense; and this is not to be refuted by the libation meal-offering, which lacks these factors! ⁵5) R. Yishmael b. R. Yochanan b. Berokah says: "Minchah tamid" here (Vayikra 6:13) is like minchath temidim (the libation meal-offering). Just as with the minchath temidim, three logs for the issaron, here, too, three logs for the issaron. R. Shimon says: Oil is added for the griddle meal-offering (of the high-priest, here) and oil is added for the meal-offering of (i.e., accompanying) sheep, (the libation meal-offering). Just as with the sheep meal-offering, three logs for the issaron, here, too, three logs for the issaron. But why not go in this direction: Oil is added for the griddle meal-offering and oil is added for the ram meal-offering (Bamidbar 15:6). Just as with the ram meal-offering, two logs for one issaron; here, too, two logs for one issaron! Let us see what it most closely resembles. We derive a meal-offering (the high-priest's offering), all of which is one issaron, from a meal-offering (the libation meal-offering), all of which is one issaron, and not from the ram meal-offering, all of which is not one issaron, (but two). ⁶6) "soaked shall it be made": We are hereby taught that it is to be scalded with hot oil to saturation (before baking). There is no other "soaked" (revuchah) in the Torah but this and that of the thanksgiving offering (Vayikra 7:12) and that of the investiture offering (of the Cohanim, Shemoth 29:23). "shall you bring it": I might think after the libations; it is, therefore, written (Shemoth 29:23): "shall you offer it" — before the libations. "tufinei" — tofeh na (Bake it lightly). R. Yehudah says: "tofeh na'ah (Bake it beautifully). R. Yossi says: Bake it many (times). "a meal-offering of pieces": We are hereby taught that he folds it once into two parts and does not separate them, and the meal-offering of an ordinary Cohein is folded once into two and two into four and he does not separate them.