Menachot 27a (כז.) — the Talmud in English

the verse intends that it be placed directly upon that location, you need not raise the question, Since

it is written, “upon the wood”

it must be placed literally upon the wood.

For if you raise the question according to the one who says that “upon”

means adjacent to

the matter is as follows:

What

does this mean? Is

here too

it stated,

“upon”

the wood,

adjacent

to the wood?

Or perhaps “upon the wood” is analogous to “upon the altar”—

just as there, “upon

the altar”

means literally upon it,

for it is impossible to burn an offering anywhere other than upon the altar,

so here too, “upon

the wood”

means literally upon it?!

The Likkutei Halakhot explains that this uncertainty is framed as a conditional inquiry, meaning that even if we maintain that “upon the wood” is precise, and it is impossible to burn the offering beneath the arrangement, it is still possible that it is valid at the sides of the arrangement. He further wrote that, seemingly, this entire uncertainty concerning the sides of the arrangement applies only to the limbs, with regard to which “upon the wood” is stated; but with regard to the handful, it would certainly be valid. For although beneath the arrangement is uncertain, since it is possible that burning there is not the normal manner of burning, nevertheless burning at its sides is the normal manner. Therefore, Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa raised his uncertainty only on the basis of the interpretation of the verses. However, he cites that Maimonides there also brought this uncertainty concerning the sides of the arrangement with regard to the handful.

And we conclude:

teyku!

Mishna:

The handful—

a deficiency in it invalidates the whole,

meaning that if even the slightest amount is missing from it, it is invalid.

The tenth

of fine flour for the meal offering—

a deficiency in it invalidates the whole.

The wine

that is brought with the offering to be poured upon the altar—

a deficiency in it invalidates the whole.

The oil

of the meal offering—

a deficiency in it invalidates the whole,

for if any amount is missing from the prescribed measure of wine or oil required for that meal offering, they are invalid.

The fine flour and the oil

in the meal offering—

each is indispensable to the other,

for if one of them is missing, it is invalid.

The handful and the frankincense—

each is indispensable to the other,

for if one of them is burned without the other, the meal offering is invalid 162 .

Gemara:

And we inquire:

What is the reason

that a deficiency in the handful invalidates the whole?

And we answer:

The verse states “the fullness of his handful” twice—

the Torah repeated the matter to teach that it is indispensable, so that nothing may be missing from it.

And we inquire:

The tenth

of fine flour mentioned in the Mishna—

a deficiency in it invalidates the whole—

what is the reason?

And we answer:

The verse states “from its fine flour,”

and we derive this from the superfluous letter heh:

if any amount is missing, it is invalid.

A deficiency in the wine invalidates the whole—

this is derived from the fact that the Torah states concerning libations

“thus,”

which indicates that it is indispensable.

The oil—

a deficiency in it invalidates the whole!

There are two meal offerings that contain oil, and with regard to both of them we derive that the oil is indispensable. The oil

of the libation meal offering

is shown to be indispensable from the fact that the Torah wrote

“thus,”

and the oil

of a voluntary meal offering

is shown to be indispensable from the fact that

the verse states, “and from its oil,”

using the superfluous heh to teach:

if any amount is missing, it is invalid.

The oil and the fine flour are each indispensable to the other,

and this is derived from the fact that it is written

“from its fine flour and from its oil,”

which indicates that both must be present in the meal offering. The Torah then repeats and writes

“from its groats,”

that is, fine flour,

“and from its oil,”

to teach that both are indispensable. [This is the general principle: whenever the Torah repeats a matter, it is only to teach that it is indispensable.]

The handful and the frankincense are each indispensable to the other

—this is derived from the fact that it is written: “And he shall take a handful of its full measure” ...

“with all its frankincense,”

which indicates that both must be present for the burning. The Torah then repeats and writes: “And he shall take from it, from its handful” ...

“and all the frankincense that is upon the meal offering,”

to teach that each is indispensable to the other, [as was explained concerning the oil and the fine flour].

Mishna:

The two goats of Yom Kippur,

upon which lots are cast, one “for the Lord” and one “for Azazel,”

are each indispensable to the other,

for one cannot be brought without the other.

The two sheep of Shavuot are each indispensable to the other.

The two loaves

that are brought with the sheep of Shavuot

are each indispensable to the other.

The two arrangements

of the showbread, arranged upon the table in two rows, with six loaves in each,

are each indispensable to the other.

The two bowls

containing frankincense, which are placed upon the two arrangements of the showbread,

are each indispensable to the other.

The arrangements and the bowls are each indispensable to the other,

for if one of them is missing, one may not place the other alone upon the table.

The two types

of bread

in

the offerings of

a nazirite

brought at the completion of his nazirite period,

, three

types

in the red cow,

cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson wool, which are cast into the burning of the cow,

and four

types of bread

in the thanks offering, and four

types

in the lulav, and four

types

in the leper,

birds, cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson wool—all of these

are each indispensable to the other.

The seven sprinklings of the red cow

in which its blood is sprinkled toward the front of the Tent of Meeting

are each indispensable to the other.

The seven sprinklings between the staves

on Yom Kippur , the seven

upon the curtain,

the seven

upon the golden altar

[of those offerings whose blood is sprinkled upon the curtain and the golden altar]

are each indispensable to the other,

for if even one sprinkling is missing, he has not achieved atonement.

Gemara: