Devar/5770/Vayikra
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< Devar | 5770
עברית
English
No meal-offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven; for ye shall make no leaven, nor any honey, smoke as an offering made by fire unto the LORD. (Lev 2:11)
The Rambam writes: Leavening and honey are forbidden, with respect to the offerings, in any amount (Laws of Prohibited Offerings 5:1). According to our verse, they are forbidden whether on their own or in a mixture -- all of it is forbidden. The main point of the prohibition seems to be due to the prohibition of idolatry: for idolaters used to add these ingredients to their offerings, and therefore the Torah forbade any leavening and any honey with respect to the offerings.
One may add that when wine is fermented completely, all of the sugar the juice contained is used up, and the wine becomes "dry" rather than sweet (unless the juice was very sweet, in which case the final wine will also be sweet). A dough made from flour and water, if baked without adding leaven or yeast, will rise and become bread. If it is baked immediately after kneading, the bread will not rise, and it will then be matsah. In both these cases, the natural product (without additions) is what God demands. Similarly, regarding kiddush wine it says: For kiddush one may only use wine which is proper for bringing as an offering; therefore, if honey or leaven were mixed with it, even a tiny speck in a large barrel, one may not use it for kiddush (Laws of Shabbat 29:14).
It seems to me that the reason for this prohibition is that we may only praise God using His works. All of the varieties which are brought as offerings, are brought "simply" and not processed. We do not cook the animal offerings first, before offering; nor do we add honey or anything similar. Wine forms on its own from the juice expressed from grapes, and similarly oil from olives. The only offering which is not so "simple" is bread. And this is a wonder. God wants us to partner with Him in the offering. That is, that the item offered be partly our own work. He could have commanded us to bring wheat, but He, may He be blessed, commanded us to bring bread. However, He also commanded that we not add any honey or leavening to the dough -- to remind us that we are coming to praise Him, and not to exalt ourselves in our own works.
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