Menachot 105 – One Who Promises a Flour Offering

The Torah said “When a soul (person) offers a flour offering to God...”  Why “soul?” God said, “Who usually brings flour? A poor man. I consider it as if he offered his soul.” Why are there five different ways to cook the flour offering? This is similar to a king whom his poor friend invited for a meal, and the king said, “Make many types of flour dishes, and I will enjoy them.”

If one promises a “tenth” of an ephah, he should bring one “tenth”, if he promises “tenths,” he should bring two, but if he says, “I specified the size but forgot,” he needs to bring the largest possible offering, 60 tenths, or about 300 pounds. In this last case, he states, “The amount that I promised in my vow is found within these 60 tenths and it goes for the fulfillment of my vow, and the rest I am bringing as a free-will offering.”

Art: Charles Meer Webb - A Satisfying Meal