The Handful and Frankincense of the Meal Offering

All meal offerings have a handful taken from them, and so forth, as it is written [whether it is written explicitly or not written explicitly, it is considered written]: "And this is the law of the meal offering" (Leviticus 6:7), "and the remainder of it Aaron and his sons shall eat" (Leviticus 6:9). "Before the LORD" - one might think this means on the western side (it is written in hint 448 and in hint 438). "And he shall take up from it" (Leviticus 6:8) - from that which is joined together, teaching that one may not bring a single tenth-measure of fine flour in two vessels, and that one may not make a fixed measure for the handful. "From the fine flour of the meal offering and from its oil and all the frankincense" - that the frankincense must be present there at the time the handful is taken. "And all the frankincense that is upon the meal offering, and he shall burn it" - that he shall gather up the frankincense and offer it upon the altar fires. "And he shall burn upon the altar a pleasing aroma, its memorial portion to the LORD" - they are remembered by it, and they are remembered through the handful, and they are remembered through the frankincense. Our Rabbis taught: If the frankincense was diminished and only one grain remained, it is invalid; if two grains remained, it is valid - these are the words of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Shimon says: With one grain it is valid; less than that, it is invalid. But was it not taught that Rabbi Shimon says a handful of frankincense that is lacking any amount whatsoever is invalid? Teach instead: a grain of frankincense that is lacking any amount whatsoever is invalid. And if you wish, say: here he speaks of frankincense that comes with the meal offering, and there of frankincense that comes by itself. Rabbi Yitzchak bar Yosef said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: There are three disputes in the matter. Rabbi Meir holds: a full handful at the start and a full handful at the end. Rabbi Yehuda holds: a full handful at the start and two grains at the end. Rabbi Shimon holds: a full handful at the start and one grain at the end. And all three derived their views from a single verse, "and all the frankincense that is upon the meal offering." Rabbi Meir holds: until [there be present] the frankincense that was fixed together with the meal offering from the outset. And Rabbi Yehuda holds: "all" - even one single grain, [and the word] "and" comes to include one grain. And Rabbi Shimon does not expound the word "and." And Rabbi Yitzchak said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: The dispute concerns frankincense that comes with the meal offering, but frankincense that comes by itself - by all opinions a full handful at the start and a full handful at the end. For this reason "that is upon the meal offering" was required: that which comes with the meal offering, yes; by itself, no. And Rabbi Yitzchak said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: The dispute concerns frankincense that comes with the meal offering, but frankincense that comes in dishes - by all opinions two handfuls at the start and two handfuls at the end. This is obvious! [Why state it?] Lest you say that since it comes together with the bread, it is treated like "that which is upon the meal offering" - therefore it teaches us [otherwise].