💾 Archived View for scholasticdiversity.us.to › scriptures › jewish › t › Ramban%20on%20Leviticus%20… captured on 2024-05-10 at 13:55:36. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
11 [1] NO MEAL-OFFERING, WHICH YE SHALL BRING UNTO THE ETERNAL, SHALL BE MADE WITH LEAVEN. Here He prohibited the bringing of a meal-offering in leaven form. After that He said, *Ye shall not ‘thaktiru’* (*cause to ascend in fumes*) *either any leaven or honey*, in order to prohibit the leavening of the handful and burning it upon the altar, this being included in the expression *ye shall not cause to ascend in fumes* … All terms of *haktarah* are expressions of burning aromatics, for druggists say that honey would have been appropriate for the incense, but the Torah prohibited it. Scripture states *any of it* in order to prohibit [leaven or honey] even as a part of it, that is to say, even in one half of the handful. Similarly, one is liable to the punishment of stripes for mixing [leaven or honey with the handful in such a way that it is not recognized], because Scripture included it in saying, *for ye shall not cause to ascend in fumes ‘any’ leaven or ‘any’ honey*, as is explained in Tractate Menachoth and in Tractate Pesachim.
The reason why Scripture mentions here *minchah hi* [in the feminine] while it is written *hu* [in the masculine], and similarly in all places, [will be understood] from the section, *Behold, I send a messenger before thee*. So also ‘*ha’ishah hahi’* (*that woman*) [is written *hahu* in the masculine, while it is read *hahi* in the feminine], because the feminine is potentially included in the masculine.
It is possible that the reason why we are forbidden to bring leaven and honey [upon the altar] is as the Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] states in the Moreh Nebuchim, where he says that he found it written in their books that the custom among the idolaters was to offer all their meal-offerings only in leavened form, and to season all their sacrifices with honey; therefore He forbade bringing them on His altar. Our Rabbis have similarly said with reference to monuments [of one stone raised in order to sacrifice on it], that this was a favored mode of worship in the days of the patriarchs, and afterwards G-d hated it because [the Canaanites] had made it an ordinance of an idolatrous character, as He said, *which the Eternal thy G-d hatheth*.
Concerning the reason why we were commanded to offer salt with every offering, [Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon] also said that it is because the idolaters rejected it and did not offer it at all to their idols; [therefore He commanded us to have salt in every offering]. It is possible that [we are commanded to offer salt because] it is not respectful that the food which is offered up to G-d should have no flavoring, being without salt, similar to that which is written, *Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee?* That is why the Sages excluded wood and blood from the requirement of being offered with salt [since they are not edible]. Or it may be that there is in all these matters some secret hidden from us.
In the case of leaven and honey Scripture speaks in the plural [*for ‘ye’ shall not cause to ascend in fumes, either any leaven or honey*] because it speaks to Aaron and his sons. After that it says, *And every meal-offering of ‘thine’ shalt ‘thou’ season with salt*, because it refers to him who brings the meal-offering, concerning whom it said at the beginning of the section, *And if thy offering be a meal-offering of the stewing-pan;* and the reason [why it refers to salting by the person who brings the offering, is because] it is valid if done by a non-priest, just as pouring the oil and mingling it with the flour are [as explained above in Verse 2]. *Upon all thine ‘offering’ thou shalt offer salt* means “upon all thine offerings” [in the plural], for all offerings have to be offered with salt, just as the meal-offering.
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