Menachot 93 – Who Has to Perform Leaning on the Sacrifices

Basically, personal sacrifices require one to lean on them and recite either his guilt or his thanksgiving to God. However, there are some people who are exempt from this requirement. Thus, a deaf-mute, a deranged person, and a minor don't have the requirement of leaning, because they are not legally competent. In truth, since they cannot even consecrate an offering or bring it of their own free will, they are very rarely in a situation where leaning would be discussed.

There are also categories of people who can bring a sacrifice without leaning altogether, and these include a non-Jew, a slave, an agent, and a woman. The agent of a person cannot perform leaning, because it says “your hand” - and not your agent's hand. A woman is not required to lean on her sacrifice because the Torah said “sons of Israel,” to exclude “daughters of Israel” from the requirement of leaning.

Even if one is required to perform leaning and does not do it, the sacrifice is valid – although it is not done completely right. The leaning is done with both hands and is immediately followed with slaughter.

Art: Raphael - The Mute Woman