Derasha 2 on Vayikra 1:15

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 15

The Complete Passuk

וְהִקְרִיב֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וּמָלַק֙ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהִקְטִ֖יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְנִמְצָ֣ה דָמ֔וֹ עַ֖ל קִ֥יר הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Torah Temima points to Kiddushin 36a (verified; melikah juxtaposed with burning — not performed by women).

E-Daf — Tsurras Hadaf

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וּמָלַק — וְסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ וְהִקְטִיר; אִיתַּקַּשׁ מְלִיקָה לְהַקְטָרָה: מַה הַקְטָרָה אֵינָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת בְּנָשִׁים, אַף מְלִיקָה אֵינָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת בְּנָשִׁים.

English: “And he shall pinch” — adjacent to “and he shall cause to smoke”; melikah is juxtaposed with burning: just as burning is not practiced by women, so melikah is not practiced by women.

Type of Learning

Custom (juxtaposition / hekkesh).

What Is Learned

Melikah, like the burning of the limbs, is performed by male kohanim only.