EXTRA 6 — Vayikra 1:12 · Sifra

Extra Credit · Toras Kohanim

The Complete Passuk

וְנִתַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ לִנְתָחָ֔יו וְאֶת־רֹאשׁ֖וֹ וְאֶת־פִּדְר֑וֹ וְעָרַ֤ךְ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֹתָ֔ם עַל־הָֽעֵצִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

And he shall cut it into its pieces, and its head and its suet; and the kohen shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire that is on the altar.

Source

Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura deNedavah, on 1:12 (“and the kohen shall arrange them”).

Sefaria — Sifra DeNedavah Ch. 6

The Midrash (longer context)

Core Text
״וְעָרַךְ הַכֹּהֵן אֹתָם״ — יָכוֹל אֶחָד עוֹרֵךְ אֶת כֻּלָּם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״וְעָרְכוּ״. הָא כֵּיצַד? אֶחָד עוֹרֵךְ שְׁנֵי אֵבָרִים; וְכַמָּה הֵן אֵבָרִים? עֲשָׂרָה, וְאֶחָד בַּקְּרָבַיִם — נִמְצָא טָלֶה עוֹלָה בְּשִׁשָּׁה. ״רֹאשׁוֹ וּפִדְרוֹ״ — הָרֹאשׁ וְהַפֶּדֶר קוֹדְמִין.

English: “And the kohen shall arrange them” — might one think one kohen arranges all of them? Scripture says (elsewhere) “and they shall arrange.” How so? One arranges two limbs. How many limbs? Ten, and one for the innards — so a lamb goes up with six (kohanim). “Its head and its suet” — the head and the suet come first.

In Sifra: Arrangement is a multi-kohen service: six for a lamb (five pairs of limbs plus innards). Head and suet are ordered before the other pieces.

Type of Learning

Custom (plural vs singular; order of pieces).

What Is Learned

A flock olah’s limbs are laid by several kohanim (six for a lamb); head and suet lead the arrangement.