A Jew’s Altar
“Or If He… Did Not Salt It…”
(Menachos 18a)
Our Mishna states: If the Mincha offering was not salted, it is nevertheless valid. The Gemara (infra 19b-20a) cites a baraisa that disputes the view of this Mishna. The baraisa expounds from two pesukim: “It is a covenant of salt forever” (Bamidbar 18:19) and “The covenant of an everlasting priesthood” (Bamidbar 25:13). Just as it is inconceivable for sacrifices to exist without the priesthood, so is it inconceivable for sacrifices to be brought without salt. Indeed, as a proof for the baraisa, the Gemara cites the pasuk (Vayikra 2:13), “And every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt.”
The R’av (Rabbeinu Ovadia of Bartenura) and Rambam (Pirush HaMishnayos, Menachos ad loc.), however, maintain that there is no disagreement between the mishna and the baraisa. Rambam amends the text to read, “If he, the Kohen, did not salt it, but rather a ‘zar’ (non-kohen) salted it…” The R’av offers that the Mishna is referring to the entire Mincha – meaning that if only the kometz (fistful) of the portion that was offered up on the altar was salted, that is sufficient. Indeed, the Gemara derives the law from the end of the pasuk (Vayikra 2:13) “…on your every offering shall you offer salt,” which implies only the fistful of the Mincha. Thus, we see that all agree that the offering requires salting.
Seemingly Unnecessary
Rabbi Akiva Eger (Novella to our daf) finds difficulty with the R’av and asks: Since there is no obligation to salt the entire Mincha, why must the Mishna teach that failure to salt the entire Mincha does not invalidate the Mincha offering? He notes that Rambam (in Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Ma’aseh Hakorbanos 13:11), when citing our Mishna, omits salting altogether, because in his view the Mishna and baraisa are in dispute. The only difficulty is when we contrast this with his view as expressed in his Pirush HaMishnayos (cited above).
A Kingdom of Priests
Yad Dovid (to our daf) in defense of the R’av suggests that the Kohanim are obligated to salt the shirayim – the leftovers – before eating the korban, based on the concept of “l’moshcha” – to anoint with oil. He cites the Gemara (Zevachim 91a) which quotes from this pasuk (Bamidbar 18:8): “I have given [all of] them to you for distinction and to your sons as an eternal portion.” The pasuk’s wording of “l’moshcha,” would normally be understood as “to anoint,” but the Gemara sees it as meaning “distinction” (see Rashi, Bamidbar 18:8). The Gemara thus explains that to anoint with oil is the manner in which kings eat. Thus, salting is also a condiment of distinction at the royal table. The Mishna therefore found it necessary to teach that even if the korban was not salted, it is nevertheless a valid sacrifice, despite it not being eaten in a royal and appetizing manner.
Why We Salt Our Bread
We find in the Rema (Orach Chayyim 167:5, Hilchos Betziyas HaPas) that we are required to salt our bread. This means that we are required to have salt on the table before we bless Hamotzi, as our table is considered to be a mizbe’ach (altar), and the pasuk (Vayikra 2:13, cited above) states “on your every offering shall you offer salt.”
The Mishna Berurah (ad loc. s.k. 30) explains, citing the Gemara (Berachos 55a), that when the Holy Temple existed, the altar atoned for our sins, but today it is our table that atones for our sins.
Ba’er Heitev (ad loc. s.k. 7-8) notes as well that therefore one is not allowed to kill a parasite (louse) on the table (obviously, one pushes it off the table and then kills it), and even where the bread is already highly salted, one must at least have salt on the table.
Except When We Don’t
Magen Avraham (Orach Chayyim 583) refers to our custom on Rosh Hashanah – which we continue through Shemini Atzeres – to dip the challah (or any bread) in honey. It is obvious that we do not use salt – as during that period of the year, our emphasis is on looking forward to a sweet year. We eat many other symbolic foods with a good omen – simanei milsa – such as fruits that are eaten with honey. Some are so strict as to eliminate any type of bitter food or condiment, such as horseradish. This brings us to the question: How then do we eat our bread without salt for this entire period?
The answer lies in our Gemara, as the Sefas Emes (Novella to Menachos 6a) explains that only that portion that goes on the altar – which we do not consume – must be salted, but the portion that we may eat, if it is not salted, does not invalidate the korban. Thus, when indicated otherwise, we may forego the salt on our bread (and substitute the honey, as desired).