Derasha 4 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 Zevachim 65a (verified; head and body treated separately in melikah and burning).
E-Daf — Tsurras Hadaf
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
וּמָלַק — וְסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ וְהִקְטִיר; אִיתַּקַּשׁ מְלִיקָה לְהַקְטָרָה: מַה הַקְטָרָה הָרֹאשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ וְהַגּוּף לְעַצְמוֹ, אַף מְלִיקָה הָרֹאשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ וְהַגּוּף לְעַצְמוֹ.
English: “And he shall pinch” — juxtaposed with burning: just as in burning the head is by itself and the body by itself, so in melikah the head is by itself and the body by itself.
Type of Learning
Custom (juxtaposition of procedure).
What Is Learned
Melikah severs sufficiently that head and body are treated as separate units for the subsequent burning.