Tanach · Acharonim on Tanach · Or HaChaim · Torah

Or HaChaim on Leviticus 2:1/אור החיים על ויקרא ב׳:א׳

אוְנֶפֶשׁ וְגוֹ׳. בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים דָּרְשׁוּ יִתּוּר ״וְנֶפֶשׁ״ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ מִעוּט וְרִבּוּי: מִעוּט ״נֶפֶשׁ״ לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד – לְמַעֵט צִבּוּר שֶׁלֹּא יָבִיאוּ מִנְחַת נְדָבָה, רִבּוּי בְּיִתְרוֹן הַוָּא״ו – לְרַבּוֹת יָחִיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵבִיא מִנְחָה עַל טֻמְאַת מִקְדָּשׁ וְקָדָשָׁיו, שֶׁהוּא כֹּהֵן מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁמֵּבִיא מִנְחַת נְדָבָה.
1 ונפש כי תקריב קרבן מנחה, And a person who offers a meal-offering, etc. Torat Kohanim views the word ונפש as both inclusive and restrictive, the singular נפש being considered restrictively in that a voluntary meal-offering is not acceptable from a community; on the other hand, the letter ו which introduced this verse is interpreted inclusively, to teach that whereas the כהן משיח, the High Priest who offers mandatory meal-offerings daily and who is not permitted to offer such a meal-offering as atonement in the event he had defiled himself before entering the Temple or while inside, -something that an ordinary Israelite is permitted to do,- is nonetheless allowed to bring a voluntary meal-offering in normal cirmcumstances.
בוְטַעַם הַכָּתוּב שֶׁכָּתַב כָּאן רִבּוּי וּמִעוּט בְּתֵבָה אַחַת. אוּלַי כִּי לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא הֻכְרַח לְמַעֵט הַצִּבּוּר אֶלָּא לְצַד שֶׁרִבָּה כֹּהֵן מָשִׁיחַ, לָזֶה רָמַז שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד הֲגַם שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים הַפְכִּיִּים, כִּי לוּלֵי רִבּוּי כֹּהֵן מָשִׁיחַ אֵין צֹרֶךְ לְמַעֵט צִבּוּר, כִּי מִנַּיִן יַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתֵּנוּ שֶׁיָּבִיאוּ שֶׁיֻּצְרַךְ לְמַעֵט, וְאַחַר שֶׁבָּא רִבּוּי כֹּהֵן מָשִׁיחַ יֵצֵא לָנוּ דִּין חָדָשׁ שֶׁיֶּשְׁנוֹ בִּמְלַמֵּד לְצִבּוּר, כְּאָמְרָם שָׁם בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, לָזֶה הֻצְרַךְ לְמַעֵט:
2Why did the Torah write a single word which is restrictive and inclusive at one and the same time? Perhaps the reason is that seeing that the meal-offering by a group of people could be excluded only by reference to the High Priest's inclusion, the Torah felt that both of these halachot should be alluded to in the same word, even though these two הלכות themselves appear contradictory. Had it not been for the fact that the letter ו enabled us to include the High Priest in the category of individuals from whom ordinary (not intended for atonement) meal-offerings are acceptable, there would have been no need to write a word which would indicate that a group of people is denied such a privilege. Why would I even have imagined that groups would be allowed to offer such meal-offerings [the cheapest offering there is. Ed.] that I should have had to exclude them?