Derasha 2 on Vayikra 1:15
Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 15
The Complete Passuk
וְהִקְרִיב֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וּמָלַק֙ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהִקְטִ֖יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְנִמְצָ֣ה דָמ֔וֹ עַ֖ל קִ֥יר הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi
Source Citation
Torah Temima points to Kiddushin 36a (verified; melikah juxtaposed with burning — not performed by women).
E-Daf — Tsurras Hadaf
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
וּמָלַק — וְסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ וְהִקְטִיר; אִיתַּקַּשׁ מְלִיקָה לְהַקְטָרָה: מַה הַקְטָרָה אֵינָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת בְּנָשִׁים, אַף מְלִיקָה אֵינָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת בְּנָשִׁים.
English: “And he shall pinch” — adjacent to “and he shall cause to smoke”; melikah is juxtaposed with burning: just as burning is not practiced by women, so melikah is not practiced by women.
Type of Learning
Custom (juxtaposition / hekkesh).
What Is Learned
Melikah, like the burning of the limbs, is performed by male kohanim only.