Commentaire sur Menachot 5:2

שנאמר כל המנחה אשר תקריבו לה' לא תעשה חמץ – it refers to the first clause [of the Mishnah] as it teaches that they are watched so that they do not become leavened, and it is speaking of prior to grabbing a handful . But the residue/remnants we derive from a different verse, as it is written (Leviticus 6:10): “It shall not be baked with leaven; [I have given it] as their portion [from My gifts],” even the portion of the priests which are the residue of the meal-offering that remained from the handful, even this shall not be baked with leaven, and with leaven, it is especially mentioned regarding the residue, but it is permitted to knead them with honey and to fry them with oil in it.

Introduction Our mishnah deals with the prohibition of allowing a minhah to become hametz, for as we learned in yesterday’s mishnah, nearly all minhahs must be brought as matzot.

עריכתה (rolling it) – when he engages it with his hands after kneading, and they are liable for each and every one, for since it is says (Leviticus 2:11): “[No grain offering that you offer to the LORD] shall be made with leaven,” he is not able to be liable except for one [offering], the inference teaches us that “it should not be baked” (Leviticus 6:10), that baking was included and why was it excluded, to make an analogy of Biblical verses to it, just as baking is special that it is the action of an individual and one is liable for it on its own, even I include kneading it and rolling it and all individual actions regarding it, to include forming and smoothing the surface of the dough which is the action of an individual and we are liable for it on its own. And forming and smoothing the surface of the dough is smoothing its face in water and even though it does not appear so much as an action.

All minhahs must be kneaded with lukewarm water and must be watched lest they become leavened. In order to delay the leavening process, the minhah was kneaded with lukewarm water, and it was carefully watched so that it would not become leaven.

If one allowed the remainder to become leavened he has transgressed a negative commandment, for it is written, “No minhah which you shall bring to the Lord shall be made leavened” (Leviticus 2:11). Even the remainders of the minhah, the part of the minhah eaten by the priests, were not allowed to become leaven. If one did allow any part of the minhah to become leaven, he transgressed the negative commandment found in Leviticus 2:11.

One is liable for the kneading, and for rolling and for baking. If a minhah becomes leaven and one performs any one of these acts, kneading, rolling the dough or baking it, he is liable.