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We ask the following database query:
What Minchah procedures (rest-offering procedures)
are offered and who (owner/priest) must/may do them.
The reader is encouraged to perform the query using a standard Biblical Konnkordance or search engine.
This database query yields the list below. The list justifies the following Rashi-Midrashic inference:
1) All procedures until taking the handful may be done by the owner.
This includes, mixing with oil, placing the frankincense and bringing to the Priest.
2) From the handful procedure to the end only Priests may officiate.
This includes taking the handful, bringing it to the altar, offering oil-flour
on altar, offering frankincense on altar.
The list below presents the results of the database query.
The list below has an unusual construction: The left hand column mentions all procedures
of the Minchah offering. The other 4 columns list 4 textual passages dealing with Minchah.
The table itself reflects which procedures are mentioned in which textual passages. Taking
the table as a whole shows how Rashi following the Talmud inferred the laws of Minchah.
| Minchah Procedure
| Lv02-01:03
| Lv02-08:10
| Lv05-12
| Lv06-07:09
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| Spilling oil on flour
| Mentioned
| '
| '
| '
|
| Place Frankincense on flour-oil
| Mentioned
| '
| '
| '
|
| Bringing offering to Priest
| Mentioned
| Mentioned
| Mentioned
| '
|
| Bringing Minchah to altar corner
| '
| Mentioned (Priests)
| '
| Mentioned (Priests)
|
| Taking a fistful of flour/oil
| Mentioned (Priests)
| Mentioned (Priests)
| Mentioned (Priests)
| Mentioned
|
| Offering the flour/oil fistful with the Frankincense
| Mentioned (Priests)
| Mentioned
| Mentioned
| Mentioned
|
| Eating remains of offering
| Mentioned (Priests)
| Mentioned (Priests)
| '
| Mentioned (Priests)
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Advanced Rashi:
Rashi states The requirement of priest starts with
the lifting of the fistful procedure. But a
review of the above table shows that the requirement of
priest starts with the bringing of the Minchah to the
altar corner. Why did Rashi deviate from the implications
of the above list?
The above table answers this. The bringing to the altar
corner is not mentioned in the Lv02-01:03 passage.
In that passage the requirement of Priest is first
mentioned in the taking of the fistful procedure. Hence
the Rashi comment The requirement of priest starts with
the taking the fistful procedure is not a statement
about legal requirements but rather a statement about
the textual listing of the word priest among all procedures.
In the Lv02-01:03 text the word Priest first occurs
in the the taking of fistful procedure. However to infer
the correct legal requirements we have to not only review this
passage but all passages discussing Minchah. When we do that we
find that the legal requirement of priest begins with
bringing the Minchah to the altar corner.
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