Answers to this Week’s Riddles

(For the riddles, please see back page)

1. The Gemara (Yevamos 40a) derives from a pasuk in Parshas Tzav (6:9) that there is a mitzvah for a Kohen who offers a Korban Mincha [flour offering] to eat it himself. The Minchas Chinuch (134) notes that this requirement is unique to the flour offering, for the law governing all other korbanos is that a Kohen has the right to eat any korban that he offers, but if he does not wish to do so, he can give it to any of the Kohanim in that week’s mishmar (see Taanis 4:2).
2. The Abarbanel offers nine reasons for the Kohen Gadol’s daily obligation to bring a korban mincha. The first is as a means of rectifying any sins he may have personally committed before he can then proceed to bring korbanos to atone for the rest of the nation. Secondly, seeing the lofty Kohen Gadol bring a daily korban will inspire other sinners to examine their deeds and bring korbanos for their sins. This will also reduce embarrassment on their part since the Kohen Gadol also brings regular korbanos. Additionally, it will protect the poor from feeling embarrassed at their inability to bring more valuable korbanos, as the Kohen Gadol brings a similar flour offering daily. Realizing that his offering is comparable to that of the poor will inspire humility in the Kohen Gadol as he serves in the Beis HaMikdosh. A sixth reason is that the Kohanim receive part of the flour offerings offered by other Jews in the Beis HaMikdosh each day to eat, so Hashem wanted to make it clear that they are eating these korbanos solely to