Derasha 3 on Vayikra 3:5

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 4 · Passuk 5 · Unit 3 of 3

The Complete Passuk

וְהִקְטִ֨ירוּ אֹת֤וֹ בְנֵֽי־אַהֲרֹן֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עַל־הָעֵצִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֑שׁ אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיהֹוָֽה׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Toras Kohanim (Sifra) on 3:5.

Sefaria — Sifra / Toras Kohanim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Toras Kohanim (Sifra) on 3:5
נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״אִשֶּׁה״ וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר ״לֶחֶם״; וּלְמַטָּה נֶאֱמַר ״לֶחֶם" וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר ״רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ״.

English: Here “isheh” is said and “lechem” is not said; below “lechem” is said and “reiach nichoach” is not said.

In the midrash: Complementary phrasing in different verses is read as distributing the various aspects of the offering across the textual loci.

Type of Learning

Complementary language of isheh and lechem — different verses stress the fire-offering and food-offering aspects of the same emurim.

What Is Learned

Different verses stress the fire-offering and food-offering aspects of the same emurim. The Sifra notes that one locus emphasizes “isheh” (fire-offering) while another emphasizes “lechem” (food), and that the “reiach nichoach” appears in one but not the other. The result is a distributed description that together defines the full character of the emurim placed on the altar.