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Ramban on Leviticus 6:10:1

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Torah

10 ‎[1] I HAVE GIVEN IT AS THEIR PORTION OF MY OFFERINGS. Even to apportion it [i.e., the residue of the meal-offering which the priests are to eat] they are not permitted to do until after the parts given to the fire [i.e., the handful] have gone up on the altar. It is from here that we learn that the same law applies to all hallowed offerings, as it is written, *I have given it as their portion of My offerings; it is most holy*.

It shall not be baked as anything leavened. Their portion* … — even the residue [which the priests receive as their share of the meal-offering] may not be baked with leaven. *As the sin-offering, and as the guilt-offering* — this teaches that just as the sin-offering must come from ordinary money, and can be offered only at daytime, and the priest performs all its acts with his right arm — so also this meal-offering must come from ordinary money, and be brought at daytime, and its acts must be performed with the priest’s right hand. *Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it* — it may be apportioned even amongst those priests who have a bodily blemish [such as are mentioned further in Chapter 21:16-21 as disqualifying them from performing the acts of offering, but they may eat the residue of the meal-offering].

Now with regards to the meal-offering of the priests He added [this command]: *And every meal-offering of the priest shall be wholly burnt; it shall not be eaten*. On this the Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] wrote in the Moreh Nebuchim that the reason [for the meal-offering of the priest being entirely burnt] is because every priest offered up his own meal-offering himself, and if he were to offer it and eat the residue of it himself, it would appear as if he had brought no offering. For nothing was offered of an ordinary individual’s meal-offering except the frankincense and the handful of the flour. If then, in addition to the fact that the whole offering was small, he who offered it were to eat it himself, he would imagine that he had brought no offering at all. Therefore [the Torah required] that it be entirely burnt.

Version Info

Version: Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH002108945/NLI

License: CC-BY

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