EXTRA 2 — Vayikra 2:5 · Sifra / Menachos

Extra Credit · Toras Kohanim & Menachos

The Complete Passuk

וְאִם־מִנְחָ֥ה עַל־הַמַּחֲבַ֖ת קָרְבָּנֶ֑ךָ סֹ֛לֶת בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֖מֶן מַצָּ֥ה תִהְיֶֽה׃

And if a meal-offering on the griddle is your offering — fine flour mixed with oil; it shall be matzah.

Source

Sifra / Menachos 63a distinguishing machavas from marcheshes.

The Midrash (longer context)

Core Text
מַה בֵּין מַחֲבַת לְמַרְחֶשֶׁת? מַרְחֶשֶׁת עֲמֻקָּה, מַעֲשֶׂיהָ רוֹחֲשִׁין; מַחֲבַת צָפָה, מַעֲשֶׂיהָ קָשִׁין. מַרְחֶשֶׁת יֵשׁ לָהּ כִּסּוּי; מַחֲבַת אֵין לָהּ כִּסּוּי.

English: What is the difference between the griddle (machavas) and the deep pan (marcheshes)? The marcheshes is deep, and its products “creep” (soft and moving because of the depth of oil); the machavas is flat, and its products are hard. The marcheshes has a cover; the machavas has none.

In Sifra / Menachos: The two vessels produce recognizably different textures. The deep pan retains oil so the mixture remains soft; the flat griddle yields a firmer product. The names follow the vessels, not merely the cooking method.

Type of Learning

Custom (vessel-based classification).

What Is Learned

Machavas and marcheshes are distinct sacred vessels; each produces a different consistency of mincha and therefore constitutes a separate type.