The Sons of Aaron the Priest Shall Put Fire Upon the Altar

(Lev. 1:7:) “And the sons of Aaron the Priest shall put fire upon the altar, and they shall lay wood in order upon the fire.” (Tamid 2:3:) All of the trees are proper for [altar] firewood except the vine and the olive.¹⁸TMen. 9:14; Sifra to Lev. 1:7, Wayyiqra, Pereq 6.Why? Because they produce excellent fruit.¹⁹Cf. Tamid 29b. See, you have learned that by virtue of sons, fathers are honored. (Lev. 2:5:) “And if [your offering] is a meal offering on a griddle.” [But] it is also written (in Exod. 2:7), “And if [your offering] is a meal offering in a pan.” (Men. 5:8:) What is the difference between a griddle and a pan?²⁰Sifra to Lev. 2:5, Wayyiqra, Pereq 12. A pan has a cover, and a griddle does not have a cover. A pan (rt. rhsh) is deep, and its products tremble (rt. rhsh).²¹Lev. R. 3:7. A griddle is flat and its products are solid. (Men. 11:3:) The cakes of the high priest had their kneading and their rolling out within [the Temple court], and [doing so] overrides the Sabbath. Their grinding and sifting do not override the Sabbath. (Men. 5:1:)²²See Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 8:11. All meal offerings were offered unleavened except the leavened [cakes] in the thank offering and the two loaves (of Pentecost) which were offered leavened. (Men. 5:2:) All meal offerings were kneaded in lukewarm water and one watched them lest they become leavened; and if the rest of it became leavened, one transgressed a negative commandment, as stated (in Lev. 2:11), “No meal offering which you offer to the Lord [shall be made with leaven].”

(Lev. 1:7:) “And the sons of Aaron the Priest shall put fire upon the altar, and they shall lay wood in order upon the fire.” (<i>Tamid</i> 2:3:) All of the trees are proper for [altar] firewood except the vine and the olive.<sup class="footnote-marker">18</sup><i class="footnote"><i>TMen</i>. 9:14; <i>Sifra</i> to Lev. 1:7, <i>Wayyiqra</i>, Pereq 6.</i>Why? Because they produce excellent fruit.<sup class="footnote-marker">19</sup><i class="footnote">Cf. <i>Tamid</i> 29b.</i> See, you have learned that by virtue of sons, fathers are honored. (Lev. 2:5:) “And if [your offering] is a meal offering on a griddle.” [But] it is also written (in Exod. 2:7), “And if [your offering] is a meal offering in a pan.” (<i>Men</i>. 5:8:) What is the difference between a griddle and a pan?<sup class="footnote-marker">20</sup><i class="footnote"><i>Sifra</i> to Lev. 2:5, <i>Wayyiqra</i>, Pereq 12.</i> A pan has a cover, and a griddle does not have a cover. A pan (rt.: <i>rhsh</i>) is deep, and its products tremble (rt.: <i>rhsh</i>).<sup class="footnote-marker">21</sup><i class="footnote">Lev. R. 3:7.</i> A griddle is flat and its products are solid. <i>(Men.</i> 11:3:) The cakes of the high priest had their kneading and their rolling out within [the Temple court], and [doing so] overrides the Sabbath. Their grinding and sifting do not override the Sabbath. (<i>Men.</i> 5:1:)<sup class="footnote-marker">22</sup><i class="footnote">See <i>Tanh</i>. (Buber), Numb. 8:11.</i> All meal offerings were offered unleavened except the leavened [cakes] in the thank offering and the two loaves (of Pentecost) which were offered leavened. (<i>Men.</i> 5:2:) All meal offerings were kneaded in lukewarm water and one watched them lest they become leavened; and if the rest of it became leavened, one transgressed a negative commandment, as stated (in Lev. 2:11), “No meal offering which you offer to the Lord [shall be made with leaven].”