Vayikra 5:11 · unit 10 · Toras Kohanim

Complete Passuk

וְאִם־לֹא תַשִּׂיג יָדוֹ לִשְׁתֵּי תֹרִים אוֹ לִשְׁנֵי בְּנֵי־יוֹנָה וְהֵבִיא אֶת־קָרְבָּנוֹ אֲשֶׁר חָטָא עֲשִׂירִת הָאֵיפָה סֹלֶת לְחַטָּאת לֹא־יָשִׂים עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמֶן וְלֹא־יִתֵּן עָלֶיהָ לְבֹנָה כִּי חַטָּאת הִיא׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Core Text

כִּי חַטָּאת הִיא — לֹא יָשִׂים שֶׁמֶן וְאִם שָׂם פָּסוּל; יָכוֹל לֹא יִתֵּן לְבֹנָה וְאִם נָתַן פָּסוּל? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר כִּי חַטָּאת… הִיא.

“For it is a chatas” — he shall not put oil, and if he put it, it is invalid; might one say the same for frankincense, that if he put it, it is invalid? Scripture says “for it is a chatas… it” (limiting the harsher rule).

In the midrash: The identification “chatas hi” is used to distinguish the two prohibitions. Oil always disqualifies; frankincense is forbidden but does not always produce the same absolute invalidation.

Type of Learning

Ribbuy / miyut of “chatas hi” — oil vs. levonah distinction.

What Is Learned

Adding levonah is forbidden but does not invalidate in the same absolute way that oil does. The chatas identity of the flour is preserved unless oil is mixed in. The Torah’s language therefore treats the two substances under different levels of severity.