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9 ‎[1] AND EVERY MEAL-OFFERING THAT IS BAKED IN THE OVEN, [AND EVERYTHING MADE IN THE BOILING POT, AND IN THE PAN, SHALL BE THE PRIESTS THAT OFFERETH IT]. The simple explanation of this verse is apparent, namely that He is commanding here that if one vows to bring one of the three kinds of meal-offering — the one baked in the oven, or made in the boiling pot, or in the pan — that they should all be given exclusively to the priest who offered them. Then He states concerning all the other meal-offerings, — such as if a person vowed to bring a meal-offering without specification of which kind, in which case he brings it of fine flour, and the meal-offering of first-fruits, which are both mixed with oil; and the meal-offering of the sinner and of the suspected adulteress which are dry [without oil and without frankincense] — that they should be divided *among all the sons of Aaron*, that is to say, among all priests of their Father’s House. The meaning of the expression, *and every meal-offering, mingled with oil, or dry* — is that a meal-offering which is of fine flour only, whether it be mixed with oil or dry, which is not one of these [three] mentioned above [the one baked in the oven, or made in the boiling pot, or in the pan — belongs to all priests who were ministering on that day, and not exclusively to the priests who offered them]. The reason for the difference between them is because [in the case of the three meal-offerings mentioned above] the priest took pains in baking them, and therefore he deserves to be given a greater reward. [All this is in accordance with the plain meaning of Scripture].
Our Rabbis, however, did not want to explain the verses in this way because Scripture said, *and every meal-offering, mingled with oil or dry*, which includes *all* possible meal-offerings, since they are all either mingled with oil or dry. Therefore the Rabbis understood the expression *it shall be the priest’s that offereth it* [mentioned here in Verse 9 in connection with the three meal-offerings: the one baked in the oven, etc.] as meaning that it shall belong to all pure priests who are present there. Similarly, when He said, *And the priest that offereth any man’s burnt-offering*, and *the priest that maketh atonement therewith, he shall have it*, these verses are only intended to say that they do not belong to the owners who brought them, but that in reward for offering them they belong to the pure priests who are present there, for all of them are engaged in offering them, whether physically or by command, since any individual priest or two or three of them who offered up [the particular offering], did so with the permission of all of them and acting as their deputy, and all of them would stand by the offering. *As is the share of him that goeth down to the battle, so shall be the share of him that tarrieth by the baggage; they shall share alike*. After He had said [in general terms] that they shall belong to the priests as a reward for their service, He explained it again in detail: *and every meal-offering, mingled with oil, or dry*, which includes all meal-offerings, *shall all the sons of Aaron have*, meaning all the officiating priests mentioned [in the preceding verses], *one as well as another*, that is to say, all clean priests of the Father’s House, as they are all the officiating priests mentioned previously. Thus Scripture [first] mentioned the meal-offerings by their individual names — the one baked in the oven, or made in the boiling pot, or in the pan — and then mentioned them all again in a general rule, saying [that they belong to all the priests], *one as well as another*, meaning that one priest should only have [of the kind of meal-offering] that the other priest has, [and they cannot give one priest his share of one kind of meal-offering, and the others a share of another kind]. Even if the meal-offering was of fine flour, each is to be given his share from that offering. Scripture thus states that this law applies to meal-offerings, and all the more so to the other offerings, which are of greater monetary value. It is tradition which decides [in favor of the Rabbis’ interpretation mentioned above], and it is furthermore for the benefit of [all] the priests and conducive to peace in the Sanctuary.
It is possible that the interpretation of the verses according to this opinion of the Rabbis is as follows: “*And every meal-offering that is baked in the oven, and everything made in the boiling pot, and in the pan, shall be the priest’s that offereth it; and every meal-offering, mingled with oil, or dry* shall [also] be so, and *all the sons of Aaron shall have it, one as well as another*.”
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