And when a soul offers a meal offering. Who typically volunteers a meal offering? A poor person. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I consider it as if he offered his soul (Menachot 104b). For this reason, it states in Parshat Tzav (6:9) it shall be eaten as matzah, meaning poor man’s bread, as all this relates to the poor person who is naturally humble like matzah dough that does not rise. In this way, the order of all these sacrifices can be explained. Whatever is first in the verses is first to lead to sin, as it is written Jeshurun grew fat and kicked (Deuteronomy 32:15). Anyone who is greater than his fellow in wealth or honor has a stronger evil inclination, as evidenced by what is said When a leader sins (Leviticus 4:22), where the word when [asher] indicates certainty, because his position of leadership brings him to sin as his evil inclination is greater than others. Therefore, Scripture first mentions cattle, which is presumably offered by the wealthy, then sheep, which is typically brought by the middle class, then bird offerings, which the poor person typically brings, and finally the meal offering, which is brought by those in extreme poverty.

Therefore it is stated regarding the cattle, “and its innards and its legs he shall wash with water.” That is, the innards of the sacrifice, but the inner parts of a man and the deep heart are not washed, and his impurity remains within him, because usually wealth causes one to kick back [against God] and he does not wash his filth. But the average person has purer thoughts, therefore it is stated regarding him, and the innards and the legs he shall wash with water, to include also the inner parts of the person bringing the sacrifice, that through the sacrifice he will repent and be consoled for the evil, and his inside will be filled with pure water. But the poor person, for whom God is his refuge, has purer thoughts than all of them — therefore it is stated regarding him, and he shall remove its crop with its feathers and cast it away. This removal and casting away is better than washing, hinting that he will cast away from within him all iniquity, and a correct heart will be renewed within him, and he will discard the old in favor of the new. And regarding the poorest of the poor, who is especially humble and whose eyes are always lifted to God, it is stated, and when a soul offers. Because not only does he cast out from within himself all deceit, but he offers his entire soul completely to God, and he entirely becomes a new creation. Therefore, regarding this offering it is stated it is holy of holies from the fire-offerings of the Lord, meaning that it is more [holy] than the fire-offerings of the Lord mentioned above.

For any leaven and any honey, you shall not bring up as a burnt offering, etc. You shall bring them as a first offering to the Lord, but they shall not be brought up on the altar for a pleasing aroma (Leviticus 2:11-12). Rashi explains that the two loaves brought on Shavuot are made of leaven, and the first fruits [bikkurim] are from honey. The explanation of these matters is that every person has a desire for all the pleasures of this world, which are symbolized by honey. Just as honey is sweet to the palate but excessive consumption is harmful, so too all the pleasures of this world are necessary, but in excess they are harmful. This is the advised counsel: that a person should use what is necessary and forbid [himself] the rest. Leaven is a metaphor for the evil inclination, as Rabbi Alexandri said in his prayer (Berakhot 17a): “It is our will to do Your will, but the leaven in the dough prevents it.” These two things are necessary for human existence. If a person does not involve himself with his required needs, which are symbolized by honey, he will die and not live, and his limbs will not be strong or healthy enough to exert themselves in fulfilling God’s commandments. And if not for the evil inclination, a person would not marry a woman or build a house, and the world would be destroyed. These two things precede the pursuit of Torah and mitzvot in time, because if one does not first eat flour, there is no Torah. However, the pursuit of Torah is primary in thought and in rank, because the leaven and honey we mentioned do not have inherent perfection to ascend as a pleasing aroma to God, but they are the first and beginning for a person, through which he can come to achieve perfection of the soul.

“Therefore it is said, ‘You shall not burn any leaven or any honey as a fire offering to the Lord.’” Because in themselves they have no aspect of perfection that would ascend as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. However, you shall bring them as a first-fruit offering to indicate that they are the first and the beginning for a person to bring him to true perfection, which is impossible to attain without them. For this reason, the leaven is only offered as a first-fruit offering on the day of the Giving of the Torah, because the Torah is like a spice for the evil inclination. And the two loaves of Shavuot were made from leavened bread because the Torah that was given on that day is “healing for your flesh.” And the first fruits come from honey, because when one gives to the Lord the first fruits of his ground from all food that he eats, then all his days he will eat ordinary food that has been prepared with the purity of the sacred. For this demonstrates that his eating is with this intention: that true perfection is foremost in his thoughts. And similarly, the reason for the first fruits is to break his desire, as will be explained, God willing, in the portion of Ki Tavo.

And you shall salt every meal offering with salt. In order to acknowledge God’s kingship over all apparent opposites in the world, which have caused many to turn to heresy, saying that two opposites cannot come from one source. Behold, salt has in its nature a thing and its opposite, for it has the power of fire and heat, and the properties of water, to the extent that the kabbalistic sages said that it corresponds to the attribute of judgment and the attribute of mercy. Therefore, it is called the covenant of your God, because through this offering, one makes a covenant with God to give Him dominion over all opposites. All meal offerings, except for those of the priests, were eaten by the priests, and this is like charity, which is compared to salt that preserves and sustains meat. Similarly, “salt diminishes wealth” (Ketubot 66b), and the charity element in the sacrifice is greater than the sacrifice itself, as it is written To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice (Proverbs 21:3). This is what is meant by on [al] all your offerings you shall offer salt, because salt is superior [oleh al] to all offerings and is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. And according to the simple meaning, on all your offerings also refers to the meat.