VaYikra 6, v. 13: This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they should offer unto the L-RD in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half thereof in the evening.
On the day of his inauguration, every Kohen must bring a meal offering, called "minchas chavitin." The Kohen Gadol brings this offering of 12 (baked and fried) loafs every day, offering half in the morning and half in the afternoon.
R’ Berachya says this offering is beloved to HaShem like all the 12 tribes; ÙÛ (this) is the gematria of 12 (7+5).
Abarbanel offers 10 reasons for the Kohen Gadol bringing it every day.
- By bringing an offering daily he will repent daily. As the spiritual leader of the generation and its representative in the Beis HaMikdash, he must be in top spiritual form. Before he can serve as the agent to cleanse others of their sins, he himself must be cleansed (Sanhedrin 18).
- This will spur others on to bring offerings when they have sinned, as they will surely take a lesson from him.
- This will keep sinners from being reluctant because of shame, to bring sin-offerings.
- This will keep poor people who can only afford to bring a meal offering from being reluctant to bring their offerings, as the Kohen Gadol himself brings a daily meal-offering.
- This will bring the feeling of humility into the heart of the Kohen Gadol, as his offering is the same as a poor person's.
- Since he and his descendants will consume the meal-offerings of the bnei Yisrael daily, he must bring his own daily and have it burned in its entirety, to symbolize that his eating of others' meal-offerings is not to stuff his belly, but rather to serve as a form of burning/consumption of their offerings similar to that of the altar.
- To serve as a daily thanks for receiving numerous "matnos Kehunoh" benefits, not only in the Beis HaMikdash, but also from throughout the land.
- To make up for the possible shortfall of an incomplete "kemitzah" portion for the altar.
- To guarantee on a twice daily basis, morning and afternoon, that public and private offerings are brought - The "korban tomid" is the twice-daily public offering, and the "minchas chavitin machatzisoh vaboker umachatzisoh boerev" is the twice-daily private offering.
- Aharon made the Golden Calf which was the source of punishment that is meted out to the Jews on a small basis each day. Therefore, the Kohen Gadol who stands in the place of Aharon offers a sacrifice by day and by evening to provide a portion of protection for the Jewish people.
Mayanah shel Torah offers that a regular Kohen only brings this offering only one time on the day of his inauguration to do the Avodah. However, the Kohen Gadol is expected to raise himself daily, to grasp new levels of service of HaShem. Thus he goes through a daily inauguration, as his office of Kohen Gadol is a new and greater responsibility daily.
This minchah gets its name (Chavitim) from the fact its is baked on a griddle.
