Menachot 104: How to Choose an Unspecified Offering

Today begins our Masechet's thirteenth perek.  We turn to learning about the use of language when one claims that an offering is coming.  The Mishna teaches that a person can say, "I accept upon myself a meal offering" and then choose one of the different types of menachot:

• solet, a simple flour mixture
• challot, loaves that are unleavened
• rekikim, wafers that are unleavened
• marcheshet, something cooked in a deep pan

Rabbi Yehuda counters that one must bring a meal-offering of solet because that is the mincha, offering, described in the Torah (Vayikra 2:11).

We are taught the many opinions of the rishonim regarding this circumstance.  The Mishneh LaMelech suggests that the Rambam accepts the argument that the owner can choose any of the five offerings.  Rashi, however, explains Vayikra 2:1 as if he agrees with Rabbi Yehuda's opinion that one only brings an offering of solet.

Rav Eliyahu Mizrahi comments on Rashi saying that Rashi does not offer halachic rulings. Instead, he presents the interpretation that best reflects the simple, straightforward meaning of Torah text.  Rabbi Yehuca's approach is certainly the more simple interpretation, but we cannot know that Rashi agreed with it.