Menachot 5 – Offering of New Grain With Wrong Intent

New grain that grew after Passover is forbidden for consumption until the next Passover. On the second day of Passover, they would bring barley flour offering, and then all new grain was permitted.

What happens if a kohen takes off a handful of this barley sacrifice thinking that it is some other offering? Resh Lakish says that is valid, and the handful can be burned on the Altar, but he has to bring another barley offering. How could he say that? If a new offering is required, that means that the first one was invalid. How can one bring it on the Altar?

You may say that since this very day the new offering will be brought, the offering done with the wrong intent is “as if” valid. But if you say this, you will have to allow many other invalid actions “as if” valid. It turns out that Resh Lakish does not consider the barley offering a requirement, but only as a good advice.

Rava disagrees and says that the barley offering always remains valid. Being made of barley, it is not considered a regular offering, and thus the wrong intention does not hurt it.

Art: Thomas Hewes Hinckley - Rats Amongst The Barley Sheaves