Menachot 26: With or Without a Keli, a Vessel

The Mishna introduced in today's daf rules that the kometz must be placed in a proper vessel to be fit for sacrifice.  Simon disagrees; he believes that the sacrifice will be valid regardless of the fitness of the vessel. 

Rashi suggests that the meal offering requires a proper vessel so that it is sanctified to begin with .  The disagreement between rabbis thus regards the second stage of offering, where the kometz is placed in the vessel and the inherent nature of the vessel.  

Rambam states that Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Chiyya quotes Valikra (6:10), suggesting that the first stage of the sacrifice is being discussed.  He compares the meal offering to a chatat, a sin offering, and an ashram, a guilt offering.  If one performs the offering like that of the chatat, the right hand is used (where the blood is sprinkled by the priest's right hand onto the altar).  If one sacrifices like with an asham, the left hand is used (for in guilt offerings the blood is poured from the vessel onto the altar with the priest's left hand).

We are told about some possible understandings of Rabbi Shimon's directions.  First, Rabbi Shimon might allow the meal-offering to be transferred by hand and thus he would not require a vessel for this service.  Second, Rabbi Shimon might allow one to make this sacrifice by hand or by vessel.  In this case, the Mishna would teach that the meal offering is permitted to be brought without a vessel as long as the right hand is used in the process of offering.