On the second day of Creation G-d separated the upper waters from the lower waters. Water has a special characteristic; it is constantly striving upward. Notice when you place water on a surface, it naturally tends to assume the smallest surface area. It doesn’t spread itself as far and wide (and flat) as possible. It consolidates into the smallest possible space and at the same time achieves the greatest altitude. That is water which is static. Water in motion also constantly strives upwards – note the waves in the sea. Water here on earth is always striving upward – to be closer to G-d!
When G-d separated the upper and lower waters, the lower waters (the salt water/seas and the fresh water/rivers/lakes) complained. “We do not want to be separated from You G-d!” G-d placated the lower waters. “Do not worry, I have ensured that you will still be able to connect with the upper waters, through your service in the Beit HaMikdash.” The fresh water in the world is elevated and reconnects with the upper waters via the special ceremony of the Nisuch HaMayim, the water libation performed on Sukkot. The salt water in the sea is elevated and reconnects with the upper waters by using the salt from sea water to salt the Korbanot before they are offered on the Mizbe’ach (Rashi, Vayikra 2, 13).
The pasuk from this week’s parsha (Vayikra 2:13) that commands us to add salt to all the Korbanot has strange phraseology. It seems to be highly repetitious. It first says “You must salt all the Menachot.” It then seems to repeat that, “Do not omit salt from on top of the Menachot.” Hang on, didn’t the pasuk just say that? And finally, it says “You must add salt to all the Korbanot” (not just the Menachot).
The pasuk could have simply said “You must add salt to all the Korbanot” and that’s it. From that we could easily infer that it means ALL the Korbanot – the animal Korbanot, also the Menachot, etc. Why repeat the Menachot twice in the same pasuk and then speak generally about all the Korbanot?
Sefer Meir Panim explains why we have this seeming repetition. The commandment to salt the Menachot seems to be repeated twice, but if you look closely, it is phrased differently. First the Torah says regarding the Menachot “You must salt all the Menachot” and then immediately after that it says “Do not omit salt from on top of the Menachot.” This is referring to two distinct saltings.
The first “You must salt all the Menachot” is salting in the dough. Then comes a second salting on top of the Menachot, after it is baked and before it is offered on the Mizbe’ach. Unlike the first salting, this second salting has a special name, it is called – G-d’s covenant of salt.
In other words, the repetitious phraseology of the pasuk teaches us a chiddush. The salting of the Menachot on top is because of the covenant G-d made with the lower waters that they would be brought on the Mizbe’ach in the Beit HaMikdash, but for the Menachot alone, there is an additional salting – while mixing the dough, you have to add salt inside the bread as well as on top of it and the purpose of that is not because of G-d’s covenant of the salt, it is for a different reason – to give honor to the King.
The Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot, negative commandment 99) says that it is not permitted to bring a Korban that has no taste, it has to have an intrinsic taste and flavor that is not just palatable, but an honor to the King to Whom it is sacrificed, it has to be delicious. Dough mixed without salt is unpalatable, it has no intrinsic flavor. Case in point – matzos for Pesach.
The matzos Ashkenazim eat on Pesach are made from flour and water, without salt. This is a stringency that developed in the last few centuries. Matzos made in the Mikdash all had salt added, including what we now call Pesach matzos, which are in fact a type of matzah called “Rekikim,” thin, round matzos.
Anyone who has eaten Pesach matzos knows they have almost zero flavor, unless something is added to them, salt sprinkled on top or jam, cheese, etc. spread over them. The reason some of the mefarshim give for this stringency is that the presence of salt accelerates the chametz process, but this is scientifically incorrect, in fact it is the opposite – salt slows the chametz process. Another reason given is because Pesach matzos are called a “poor man’s bread.” To make the bread “poor,” salt is removed so that it is devoid of flavor. This does not explain the fact that the poor man’s bread our forefathers ate in slavery in Egypt were not matzos, they were chametz bread with salt. Matzos were only first introduced just before the Exodus, from Rosh Chodesh Nissan – when we were no longer slaves. Despite all these inconsistencies, it has since become the Ashkenazi custom to make Pesach matzos without salt. The Yemenites, on the other hand have a custom to add salt to their Pesach matzos and they consider it a glorification of the mitzvah. As many can attest, Ashkenazi matzah is not delicious bread we would serve on the table of a king, certainly not on the table of the King of kings, however, we must follow the customs of our fathers.
What kind of salt was used in the Mikdash?
The Gemara (Menachot 21a) says that the first preference is Melach Sodomit, salt from the area of Sodom, derived by evaporating the sea water to leave the solid salt sediment. This, according to Rashi above, is the salt that G-d made a covenant with in the six days of Creation, the salt from the lower waters – the sea.
When someone wants to say that a person is of high character, they refer to them as “salt of the earth.” From the above it appears that the Torah version of that saying would more accurately be “salt of the sea,” salt from the lower waters that constantly strive upwards to touch the upper, spiritual waters and achieve a closer connection with and give honor to G-d.
Parshat HaShavua Trivia Question: Why is there a small letter aleph in the word Vayikra?
Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Question: Betzalel and Oholiav built the components of the Mishkan. Who erected the completed structure? Moshe (Shemot chap. 40).
