Lishmah in Menachot

Menachot (1:1) | Yisrael Bankier | 3 days ago

Masechet Menachot begins in a similar manner to Zevachim. Just as with Zevachim the korban must be offer lishmah, the same is true for Menachot. Furthermore, lishmah is important four critical processes (avodah). For Menachot these are kemitzah (separating three fingers-full of the mincha), place the kemitzah in the kli sharet, taking it to the mizbeach and offering it on the fire. However, just like with Zevachim, if any of the processes were not done lishmah, the mincha offering is valid, yet the owner has not satisfied their obligation of bringing that offering. Also, in Menachot there are two exceptions. If it is a sin-offering or the mincha of a sotah and it was not offered lishmah then the mincha would be invalid.

The Gemara (2b) however cites a beraita where R' Shimon disagrees. He argues that even if one of the four avodot was not performed lishmah, the mincha offering is valid and satisfies the owner's obligation. The reason brought in the beraita is that each mincha is physically distinct from one another -- which testifies to the purpose that the korban is being brought. The same is not true for animal korbanot.

Rashi explains that R' Shimon also argues with respect to the minchat choteh and minchat kenaot. In other words, R' Shimon would argue that even with these mincha offering, despite being offered with the wrong lishmah, the action contradict that intent and the korban is valid.

The Netivot HaKodesh (Menachot 2b) however finds this explanation difficult. According to the Rashi's explanation that the action contradicts the intent, it would seem that they simply cancel each other out. It would then be equivalent to offering the korban stam, without intent, resulting in the korban being valid. The difficulty with this understanding is that for a chatat, express intent is indeed necessary. The Netivot cites notes that the Rambam (Maaseh Korbanot 10) explains that slaughtering a korban stam is valid for an olah and shelamim. The fact that the chatat and asham are not also listed implies that being offered stam would not be valid. That being the case it is difficult to understand why R' Shimon would argue also in the case of the minchat choteh.¹

The Netivot HaKodesh suggests that perhaps R' Shimon maintains that the due to the distinct actions, it is clear he offered the korban with the correct intent, and we disregard any claim otherwise.

The Chidushi R' Arye Leib however notes that Rashi (s.v. belula) stresses that R' Shimon argues on two points. One regarding the regular menachot and the other regarding the minchat choteh. Why does Rashi treat these as two separate issues?

The Chidushi R' Arye Leib explains that there are two ways to understand R' Shimon's position. One way is to explain, like the Netivot HaKodesh did above, that the actions cancel out the machshava. According to this explanation, there should be no reason to treat the chatat and other mincha offerings differently. The actions make it is if the bad machshava never occurred. The second ways understands that the incorrect machshava is still in place. The actions however serve to validate the korban despite the bad machshava. He continues that since the nature of the issue facing the minchat choteh and other menachot is different, it makes sense that they are addressed separately. In other words, it is necessary to understand the extent to which actions can nonetheless validate the korban with this bad pesul.²

¹ The Netivot HaKodesh notes that the Rambam writes that it is essential that the chatat is offered for the purpose of the specific sin and not the potential more broad issue that the Netivot HaKodesh argued, which is that the chatat offered stam would be invalid.

² Recall that we cited the Griz we cited a few weeks ago that the issue of shelo lishmah is not the lack of lishmah required by the kohen, but rather a pesul in the korban itself (vol 23, iss 3). Perhaps according to the Chiddushei R' Arye Leib's understanding, R' Shimon argues on this point. He understands the lo lishmah as being a lack of necessary lishmah and the clear actions can validate the korban because it fills that gap.

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