Pinchas 28:4 · unit 1 — “one” means the choicest of the flock
Parashas Pinchas · Passuk 28:4
The Complete Passuk
אֶת־הַכֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד תַּעֲשֶׂה בַבֹּקֶר וְאֵת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִי תַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם׃
The one lamb you shall prepare in the morning, and the second lamb you shall prepare between the evenings.
Chabad.org — 28:4
Source Citation
Torah Temimah: Megillah 28a
Sefaria — Megillah 28a
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
שָׁאַל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אֶת רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָא הַגָּדוֹל, אִם נֶאֱמַר כֶּבֶשׂ לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר אֶחָד, אָמַר לוֹ, אֶחָד – מְיֻחָד שֶׁבְּעֶדְרוֹ.
English: R. Akiva asked R. Nechunya the Great: if “lamb” is said, why “one”? He said to him: “one” — the unique, choicest of its flock.
Type of Learning
Emphasis on quality of the selected animal.
What Is Learned
The daily lamb must be the outstanding one of its group.