Measuring a Full Handful With Three Fingers

"The fullness of his handful" — one might think heaped up; the verse says "with his handful" (Leviticus 6:8). If "with his handful," one might think with the tips of his fingers; the verse says "the fullness of his handful," as people take a handful. How then? He folds his three fingers over the palm of his hand and takes the handful. For the pan offering and the deep-pan offering (in another reading, also for the broken pieces) he wipes off the excess with his thumb above and with his little finger below, and this is the hardest service in the Temple. As for what lies between the boundaries of the handful, what is its status? Of what is within, you need not ask, for it is certainly part of the handful; of what is outside, you need not ask, for it is certainly part of the remainder; the question is only of what lies between, and the matter is left in doubt. What does he do? He burns the handful by itself first, then burns what lies between the boundaries. For if you said the in-between portion first, perhaps it is part of the remainder, and then it would be remainder that became deficient; and the master said that remainder which became deficient between the taking of the handful and the burning — one does not burn the handful upon it. Even now we apply here, "whatever is partly given to the fires is under the prohibition do not burn it." He burns the in-between portion for the sake of wood, like Rabbi Eliezer who said of "for a pleasing aroma" (verse 12), you may not offer it up as an aroma, but you may offer it up for the sake of wood; and according to the Sages, what can be said? That they take the handful from the oily part. Rav Pappa said: it is obvious to me that "the fullness of his handful" means as people take a handful. Rav Pappa asked: if he took the handful with the tips of his fingers, what is the law? From the sides, what is the law? From below upward, what is the law? Let it stand undecided.