מִצְוַת סִדּוּר לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים וּלְבוֹנָה – לְהָשִׂים בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לִפְנֵי יְיָ לֶחֶם תָּמִיד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כה ל) וְנָתַתָּ עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן לֶחֶם פָּנִים לְפָנַי תָּמִיד (עי' ספר המצוות עשין כז). The commandment of arranging the bread of display and the frankincense: To always place bread in the Temple in front of God, as it is stated (Exodus 25:30), “And on the table you shall set the bread of display, to be before Me always.” (See Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandments 27.)
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה, שֶׁצִּוָּנוּ הָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִצְוָה תְּמִידִית בַּלֶּחֶם לְפִי שֶׁבּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם, וְעַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ אֵלָיו לִהְיוֹת הַבְּרָכָה מְצוּיָה בּוֹ תָּמִיד, וּמִתּוֹךְ עָסְקֵנוּ בּוֹ לְקַיֵּם עָלָיו מִצְוַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יִהְיֶה הָרָצוֹן וְהַבְּרָכָה חָלִים עָלֵינוּ וְיִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּמֵעֵינוּ, כִּי בְּכָל שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה בּוֹ הָאָדָם רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בּוֹ הוּא מִתְבָּרֵךְ. וּלְפִי כָּל עִנְיָן וְעִנְיָן שֶׁיָּשִׂים מְגַמַּת פָּנָיו וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו וַעֲסָקָיו בִּדְבַר מִצְוָה לְפִיהֶן מַעְיַן הַבְּרָכָה נוֹבֵעַ עָלָיו. וְכֵן מָצָאתִי לְהָרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (תרומה כה כד) וּכְעִנְיָן מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ר"ה טז א) הָבִיאוּ לְפָנַי עֹמֶר בַּפֶּסַח, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְבָּרְכוּ לָכֶם תְּבוּאָה שֶׁבַּשָּׂדוֹת, נַסְּכוּ לְפָנַי מַיִם בֶּחָג, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְבָּרְכוּ לָכֶם גִּשְׁמֵי בְּרָכָה בַּשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה, תִּקְעוּ לְפָנַי בְּשׁוֹפָר שֶׁל אַיִל, כְּדֵי לִזְכֹּר עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק. וְעַל הַלֶּחֶם הַזֶּה בְּעַצְמוֹ אָמְרוּ (מגילה כו ב) כִּי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא תַּשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּצְוָה וּבוֹ נַעֲשָׂה רְצוֹן הָאֵל, הָיְתָה הַבְּרָכָה דְּבֵקָה בּוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר. וְכָל אֶחָד מִן הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ כְּפוֹל הָיָה שָׂבֵעַ. It is from the roots of this commandment that God, blessed be He, commanded us the constant commandment of the bread, on account that through it a man lives; and as a result, [the commandment] is needed by him for blessing to always be found in [his bread]. And from our involvement in it to fulfill the commandment of God, may He be blessed, the [Divine] will and blessing will descend upon us, and that which is similar to it will be blessed. And according to each and every matter upon which he places the conglomeration of his focus, his thoughts and his activities by way of a commandment — according to them, a similar blessing will emerge upon him. And so I have found [in] Ramban (Ramban on Exodus 25:24). And [it] is like the matter that they, may their memory be blessed, said (Rosh HaShanah 16:1), “Bring the omer (barley-offering) in front of Me at Pesach, in order that the grain in the fields will be blessed for you; pour the water in front of Me on the Festival (Sukkot), in order that the rains of blessing will be blessed for you in the coming year; blow the ram’s horn (shofar) in front of Me, in order to remember the binding of Yitschak.” And they said about this very same bread (Megillah 26b) that because it is an accessory of the commandment, and through it the will of God is done, blessing would cling to it more. And [so] each one of the priests who had from it coming to him would be twice as satiated.
וְאֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים כְּגוֹן שֻׁלְחָן וּמְנוֹרָה וְלֶחֶם הַפָּנִים וְהַקָּרְבָּנוֹת בְּכֻלָּן נִצְטַוִּינוּ מִצַּד הַמְקַבְּלִים. וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי, אֵין סָפֵק וּפִקְפּוּק לְכָל מֵבִין עִם תַּלְמִיד, שֶׁאֵין חֲסַר תְּבוּנוֹת בָּעוֹלָם יַחְשֹׁב שֶׁבְּסִדּוּר לֶחֶם בַּבַּיִת עַל שֻׁלְחָן שֶׁנְּנִיחֶנּוּ שָׁלֵם וְנִקָּחֶנּוּ שָׁלֵם תְּקֻבַּל שׁוּם הֲנָאָה לְמַעְלָה חָלִילָה, לֹא בְּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בְּרֵיחַ וְלֹא בְּשׁוּם צַד, רַק שֶׁצִּוָּנוּ בְּכָךְ לְחֶפְצוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵךְ מִמֶּנּוּ מֵרֹב מִדַּת טוּבוֹ. גַּם הַלְּבוֹנָה הַבָּאָה עִם הַלֶּחֶם שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בָּהּ אִשֶּׁה לַייָ, וְאָמְרוּ מִן הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (רש"י ויקרא כד ז) שֶׁאֵין מִן הַלֶּחֶם לַגָּבוֹהַּ כְּלוּם אֶלָּא הַלְּבוֹנָה שֶׁנִּקְטֶרֶת בְּכָל שַׁבָּת כְּשֶׁמְּסַלְּקִין הַלֶּחֶם, אֵין כַּוָּנָתָם חָלִילָה לִהְיוֹת חִלּוּק כְּלָל בֵּין הַלְּבוֹנָה וְהַלֶּחֶם לְמַעְלָה. וְקִיּוּם מִצְוַת הָאֵל בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַלְּבוֹנָה אֶחָד הוּא, כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁצִּוָּה הָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַסְדִּיר הַלֶּחֶם לְפָנָיו וְנַעֲשָׂה רְצוֹנוֹ וְסִדְּרוּהוּ, כֵּן נַעֲשָׂה רְצוֹנוֹ בַּלְּבוֹנָה שֶׁצִּוָּה לְהַקְטִיר וְהִקְטִירוּהָ, קֶצֶב אֶחָד לַכֹּל. אֲבָל כָּל אֵלֶּה הָעִנְיָנִים יִכָּתְבוּ עַל צַד הָעוֹסְקִים, כִּי הַלֶּחֶם שֶׁנֶּאֱכָל לַכֹּהֲנִים אֵין לִכְתֹּב עָלָיו שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ לַשֵּׁם, כִּי הֵם יֹאכְלוּהוּ. נִמְצָא כִּי אֵין כֻּלּוֹ לַשֵּׁם, כִּי אֲחֵרִים יַחְלְקוּ בּוֹ. אֲבָל בְּכָל מָה שֶׁלֹּא יֵהָנֶה בּוֹ הָאָדָם כְּלָל אֶלָּא שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה מִמֶּנּוּ מִצְוַת בּוֹרְאוֹ וְכָלֶה לְגַמְרֵי בַּמִּצְוָה, בְּזֶה נוּכַל לוֹמַר עָלָיו כִּי כֻּלּוֹ לַייָ, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁנִּכְנָס כֻּלּוֹ בְּמִצְוָתוֹ לֹא אָכַל מִמֶּנּוּ אָדָם וְלֹא נֶהֱנָה בּוֹ הֲנָאָה גּוּפָנִית כְּלָל. וְעַל שֶׁהָרֵיחַ אֵינוֹ מִן הַהֲנָאוֹת שֶׁל הַגּוּף רַק מֵהֲנָאַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, כִּי הַגּוּף לֹא יְקַבֵּל רַק הֲנָאַת הַמִּשּׁוּשׁ, יְכַנּוּ לְעוֹלָם עִנְיַן הָרֵיחַ אֶל הַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ אֵינֶנּוּ לְרֹב מַעֲלָתוֹ וְגָדְלוֹ בְּגֶדֶר עִנְיָנִים אֵלֶּה כְּלָל לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ גּוּף וְלֹא כֹּחַ בְּגוּף, יָדוּעַ הוּא אֵצֶל כָּל מֵבִין. וּכְבָר פֵּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (רש"י זבחים מו ב' ד"ה הנחת רוח) בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא א ט) רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ לַייָ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי וְנַעֲשָׂה רְצוֹנִי, וְכֵן (בראשית ח כא) וַיָּרַח יְיָ אֶת רֵיחַ הַנִּיחֹחַ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה. זֶהוּ שֶׁנִּרְאֶה לָנוּ בְּעִנְיַן סִדּוּר הַלֶּחֶם בְּבֵית הַשֵּׁם. וְהָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה כָּתַב (מורה נבוכים ח"ג פמ"ה) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ, אֲבָל הַשֻּׁלְחָן וֶהֱיוֹת הַלֶּחֶם עָלָיו תָּמִיד לֹא אֵדַע לוֹ סִבָּה, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ לְאֵיזֶה דָּבָר אֲיַחֵס אוֹתוֹ עַד הַיּוֹם. We were commanded in all of these things, such as the table, the menorah, the bread of display and the sacrifices, from the angle of the receivers (people), and like the matter that I wrote. There is no doubt or qualm to anyone who understands, or student that is not lacking in comprehension in the world who would think that with the arrangement of bread in the Temple upon the table, which we place complete and we take [away] complete, that there is any benefit (enjoyment) accrued by the Above, God forbid — not in its appearance, not in its smell and not from any angle. Rather, He commanded us like this in His desire, blessed be He, that we be blessed from Him, in His great trait of kindness. And [this is] also [true about] the frankincense that comes with the bread, about which it is written, “a burnt-offering to the Lord.” And [when] some of the commentators (Rashi on Leviticus 24:7) said that there is nothing from the bread that is for the Above except for the frankincense, their intention was not, God forbid, that there be any distinction between the frankincense and the bread for the Above. And the fulfillment of the commandment of God is the same with the bread and the frankincense: As just like God, blessed be He, commanded to arrange the bread in front of Him, so too is His will done with the frankincense that He commanded to burn, and they burned it — one standard for all. Rather, all of these matters were written from the angle of those involved [in them]. As it cannot be written about the bread — that we feed the priests — that it is all for God; as others have a portion in it. But with anything that man does not have any benefit in it at all, and it is completely consumed in the commandment — with that we can say about it that it is completely for God. [That] means to say that all of it is included in the commandment — no man ate from it, nor enjoyed any physical benefit from it at all. And since smell is not from the pleasures of the body, but rather from the pleasures of the spirit — as the body only receives tangible pleasure — the matter of smell is always attributed to God, blessed be He. [This is] even though He, blessed be He and blessed be His name, is not — due to His supernal level and His greatness — connected to these matters at all; as He is not a body, and not the attribute of a body. This is known to all that understand. And they, may their memory be blessed, already explained (Rashi on Zevachim 46b, s.v. hanachat ruach) [that] every place that it is stated, “a pleasing smell to the Lord” (for example, Leviticus 1:9), [it means] “I said something, and My will was done.” And so [too,] “And the Lord smelled the pleasant smell” (Genesis 8:21), [should be understood] in this way. This is what appears [correct] to us regarding the matter of the arranging of the bread in the House of God. And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote (Guide for the Perplexed 3:45), and this is his language: But I do not know a reason for the table and the bread always being put upon it; and to this day, I do not know to what thing to ascribe it.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה, מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תורת כהנים אמור פי"ח) שֶׁבְּכָל אַחַת מִן הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין כְּלִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ קֹמֶץ לְבוֹנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כד ז) וְנָתַתָּ עַל הַמַּעֲרֶכֶת. כְּלוֹמַר, עַל כָּל אַחַת מֵהֶן לְבוֹנָה זַכָּה (ויקרא כד ז). וּכְלִי זֶה נִקְרָא בָּזֵךְ. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות כז א) שֶׁשְּׁנֵי הַסְּדָרִים מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה, וּשְׁנֵי הַבָּזִכִּין מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה, וּמִיּוֹם שַׁבָּת לְיוֹם שַׁבָּת (שם צט ב) מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הַלֶּחֶם וּמְסַדְּרִין לֶחֶם אַחֵר מִיָּד. וְזֶה שֶׁמּוֹצִיאִין הוּא (יומא יז ב) שֶׁחוֹלְקִין שְׁתֵּי הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת, הַנִּכְנֶסֶת וְהַיּוֹצֵאת, עִם כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וְאוֹכְלִין אוֹתוֹ. וְכֵיצַד מְסַדְּרִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁאַרְבָּעָה נִכְנָסִין בַּלֶּחֶם וּבַבָּזִכִּין וְאַרְבָּעָה מַקְדִּימִין לִפְנֵיהֶם לִטֹּל הַלֶּחֶם מֵעַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות צט ב) שֶׁהָיוּ מְכַוְּנִין בְּהַנָּחָתוֹ לִהְיוֹת טִפְחוֹ שֶׁל זֶה בְּצַד טִפְחוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, לְקַיֵּם מָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְפָנַי תָּמִיד. וְצוּרַת הַלֶּחֶם וְעִנְיַן הַנָּחָתוֹ כֵּיצַד הָיָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא הָאֲוִיר שׁוֹלֵט בּוֹ, וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, מְבֹאָרִים בְּפֶרֶק אַחַד עָשָׂר מִמְּנָחוֹת (צד, א) [פרק ה' מהלכות תמידין]. From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sifra, Emor Chapter 18:5) that in each array, they would put a vessel that would have a fistful of frankincense in it, as it is stated (Leviticus 24:7), “And you shall set on the array,” meaning to say on each one of them, “pure frankincense” — and this vessel is called a bazakh (bowl), And [that which] they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 26a) that [the absence of one of] the two sets [of loaves] impinges on the other, and [that] the two bowls impinge upon one another; that they would remove the bread and arrange other bread immediately, from one Shabbat day to another Shabbat day (Menachot 99b); [that] that which they take out is what is split by the two shifts, the incoming [one] and the departing [one], along with the high priest, and they [would all] eat it (Yoma 17b); and how it was arranged, that four would come in with the bread and the bowls, and four would precede them to take the [old] bread from upon the table. And they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 99b) that they would orchestrate [it], that in their setting them down, the [edge] of [the new one] would be alongside the [edge] of the [old one] — to fulfill that which it states, “before Me always,” And the form of the bread; how was the matter of its placement, such that it [be exposed] to the air; and the rest of its details — are [all] elucidated in the eleventh chapter of Menachot. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Daily Offerings and Additional Offerings 5.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת בִּזְכָרִים הַכֹּהֲנִים, כִּי לָהֶם הָעֲבוֹדָה, וְלֹא לְנָשִׁים. And [it] is practiced at the time of the Temple by male priests, as the service is theirs, and not women’s.