Menachot 62 – How Waving Is Performed

Both the owner of the sacrifice and the priest are mentioned as doing the waving. How is this accomplished? The priest places his hands below the hands of the owner and waves the portions. If there is bread to go with the sacrifice, it is placed on top of the other portions, just as they did at the Inauguration service in the desert.

Earlier we said that with the two breads and two lambs on Shavuot the breads are put on the lambs. Actually, there are four opinions about this. The Torah said that “the kohen shall wave the lambs upon the first-offerings breads” and “upon the two lambs.” The first opinion follows the Inauguration service. Rabbi Yose ben Hamshullam says that the lambs were on top, and “on the lambs” means with the two lambs, and not with the seven lambs brought at another time. Rabbi Chanina says that the breads were between the thighs of the lambs, thus fulfilling both verses. Rabbi Yehudah the Prince says that it would be unseemly even before a earthly king, but rather that they were placed side by side, and “on” means “together with.”

Art: Rosa Bonheur - Sheep Grazing in a Meadow