intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

Lishkat Osei Chavitin (Chamber of the Griddle-Cake Makers)
The Azara was situated to the west of Sha'ar Nicanor (Nicanor Gate) and was divided into two unequal sections: the smaller Ezrat Yisrael (Court of the Israelites) adjacent to the gate and the larger Ezrat Kohanim (Court of the Priests), further to the west. "The place where the Israelites trod" - i.e. Ezrat Yisrael - was 11 Amot from east to west (approx. 5.5m). The length of the Azara "from north to south was 187 Amot" (Midot 5:1,2). The western limit of Ezrat Yisrael was the Duchan, the step-like platform upon which the Leviyim stood when they accompanied the Temidin with instrumental music and the singing of T'hilim. On the eastern side, a wall (wherein was located Sha'ar Nicanor) separated the Ezrat Yisrael from the Ezrat Nashim.

There were two Lishkot (chambers) in the eastern wall of the Ezrat Yisrael located on either side of Sha'ar Nicanor. These two Lishkot are not mentioned in the Mishna in Midot 5:3 which lists the Lishkot in the Ezrat Yisrael ("There were six chambers in the Azara - actually Ezrat Yisrael... three to the north… and three to the south…") probably, because unlike them, they were actually built into the wall and did not protrude into the courtyard. The chamber to the south of Sha'ar Nicanor was called Lishkat Osei Chavitin."

The Minchat Chavitin, the twelve unleavened loaves ("griddles") offered daily by the Kohein Gadol on the Mizbei'ach, were prepared in this chamber (Midot 1:4, Menachot 76a). The Torah ordains, "And G-d said to Moses saying: 'This is the offering of Aaron and his sons, which each shall offer to G-d on the day that he (Aaron) is inaugurated: a tenth of an Eifa (2.48 kg.) of Solet (fine flour) as a continual meal offering; half of it in the morning and half of it in the afternoon. It should be made on a pan with oil; scalded shall you bring it, a repeatedly baked meal offering, broke into pieces as a sweet savour to G-d. And the Kohein who is anointed (i.e. the Kohein Gadol) from among his sons in his place shall perform it - it is an eternal law before G-d. It shall be wholly burnt (on the Mizbei'ach). And every meal offering of the Kohein shall be burnt (on the Mizbei'ach): it shall not be eaten'" (Vayikra 6:12-16).

The Sages interpreted this Pasuk to mean that a regular Kohein (Hedyot, not the Kohein Gadol) brought his offering on the first day that he began to serve in the Mikdash. A kind of priestly initiation, this offering also consisted of twelve loaves and was called Minchat Chinuch. It preceded any other Avoda performed by the novice Kohein in the Mikdash and he offered it only once in his lifetime. The Kohein Gadol on the other hand, offered his Minchat Chavitin every day including Shabbat as long as he held his position. The Kohein Hedyot offered all twelve loaves with the morning Tamid, however the Minchat Chavitin of the Kohein Gadol were offered in two stages; half accompanied the morning Tamid and half accompanied the afternoon Tamid. Similar to all other Menachot (with the exception of one of a variety of loaves offered with the Shelamim - peace offering (Vayikra 7:13) and the Two Loaves brought on Shavu'ot (Vayikra 23:17)), the Chavitin were actually a kind of Matza. While today Matzot are usually quite thin, they can be made quite thick, as in fact, the traditional Temani Matzot are to this day.

The Torah, in discussing the Lechem HaPanim, specifies that there were twelve loaves (Vayikra 24:5-8), however when the Minchat Chavitin of the Kohein Gadol is considered, the Torah does not specify a number. (Lechem HaPanim is usually translated "showbread," also spelled 'shewbread' - after the German Shaubrot which is Martin Luther's translation! A better term perhaps would be "Bread of the Presence".

Lechem HaPanim has also been translated as "Bread of Faces" because each loaf was oblong and had straight sides - like faces.) The Gemara reads, "All Menachot - the generic name for meal offerings - consist of ten cakes each except for the Lechem HaPanim and the Chavitin of the Kohein Gadol which consist of twelve loaves each. The Lechem HaPanim consisted of twelve loaves as written. With regard to the Chavitin of the Kohein Gadol, it is not written, but we can infer it by the Scriptural utilization of the word Chok ("statute") both here (in reference to the Chavitin) and elsewhere referring to the Lechem HaPanim" (Menachot 76a). The Sages concluded that the Chavitin of both the Kohein Gadol and the Kohein Hedyot also consisted of twelve loaves by means of a Gezeira Shava, a verbal analogy, which may be utilized only when there is a Tradition asserting that the two legal expressions in different Pesukim complement each other. "What the syllogism is in logic, the verbal analogy is in philology." Incorporated into the Shacharit service many centuries ago, the Gezeira Shava is the second of the thirteen hermeneutic principles used to "deduce the whole breath and depth of meaning hidden in the epigrammatic brevity of the Torah" as promulgated by the Tana R. Yishmael.

The Gemara explains how the Chavitin offering of the Kohein Gadol was prepared. "How was the dough of the Chavitin divided into the (twelve) loaves? Was it done by hand or by using a utensil? Certainly it must have been done by hand because otherwise if you maintain that it was done by use of a utensil - would you bring a scale to weigh bread into the Mikdash? And why not? Because weighing bread is connected with curses" (Menachot 87b). Vayikra 26:14-43 records the frightful punishments Am Yisrael would experience if they refused to live up to their Divine calling.

One of the curses mentioned is that "ten women will bake your bread in one oven and they will bring back your bread by weight; you will eat and not be satisfied" (Vayikra 14:26). Therefore the dough of the Chavitin was divided by hand without recourse to utensils. Bread (or dough but not flour) should not have to be measured exactly. Like most other Menachot, the twelve Chavitin of the Kohein Gadol were prepared from Solet, the finest wheat flour mixed with pure olive oil (Menachot 4:5). Like other Menachot, the Chavitin were accompanied to the Mizbei'ach by frankincense. Early every morning, Kohanim were assigned to begin heating up the water necessary for the preparation of the Chavitin (Tamid 28b). Since the Minchat Chavitin was considered to be the personal offering of the Kohein Gadol and not a communal offering, he either paid for the Solet himself or brought it from home. (See Menachot 5:4; also note Torat Kohanim, Parshat Tzav 3 and Menachot 50b). The Kohanim preparing the Chavitin first placed the flour in a Mikdash measuring vessel to ascertain that they had the correct amount. Placing the Solet in the Mikdash vessel sanctified the flour permitting it to be utilized for an offering in the Mikdash. This act is called Hakdasha. <to be continued>

Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service

[The Parshat Vayaqhel-P'kudei Homepage]
[The TORAH tidbits Homepage] [How to use TORAH tidbits]
[About The OU/NCSY Israel Center] [About TORAH tidbits]
 [www.ou.org]