(11) This is the ritual of the sacrifice of well-being that one may offer to the LORD: (12) If he offers it as a thanksgiving offering, he shall offer together with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes with oil mixed in, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of choice flour with oil mixed in, well soaked. (13) In addition to cakes of leavened bread he shall offer his sacrifice, along with his thanksgiving sacrifice of well-being. (14) Out of this he shall offer one of each kind as a gift to the LORD; it shall go to the priest who dashes the blood of the offering of well-being. (15) And the flesh of his thanksgiving sacrifice of well-being shall be eaten on the day that it is offered; none of it shall be set aside until morning.
(1) IF AS A THANKSGIVING OFFERING. When a person made a vow using the expression "Todah" instead of using the expression "Well-being" [to describe what he vowed to bring]. The usual reason to bring such an offering is when one has been saved from danger. As the Sages [Talmud Berachot 54b]: "Four types of people [saved from danger] need to bring a Thanksgiving offering. And our rabbis interpreted that the total number of challot [brought with this offering] is 40. And they specified [other details regarding] the quantities oil and flour.
(1) IF HE BRINGS IT AS A THANKSGIVING OFFERING. If [he brings it] because of something that requires thanksgiving, because of a miracle that was done for him, such as [1] those who went to sea, or [2] traveled through the wilderness, or [3] had been imprisoned, or [4] became ill and was healed--all of them are required to offer thanksgiving, as it is written regarding them, (Psalms 107:8, 15, 21, 31) “Let them thank the Lord for his kindness and for His wonders to human beings, and let them sacrifice offerings of thanksgiving!” If because of one of these things he make a vow, then those well-being offerings are considered “well-being offerings of thanksgiving,” and they require the offering of bread that is mentioned in this matter. And they may not be eaten beyond a period of one day and one night as set forth here [verse 15].
Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: Four types of people are required to offer thanksgiving [with a special blessing]: [1] those who went to sea, or [2] traveled through the wilderness, or [3] became ill and was healed, or [4] had been imprisoned and got free.
מאי מברך אמר רב יהודה ברוך גומל חסדים טובים אביי אמר וצריך לאודויי קמי עשרה דכתיב (תהלים קז, לב) וירוממוהו בקהל עם וגו' מר זוטרא אמר ותרין מינייהו רבנן שנאמר (תהלים קז, לב) ובמושב זקנים יהללוהו (שם)....
מתקיף לה רב אשי ואימא כולהו רבנן מי כתיב בקהל זקנים בקהל עם כתיב ואימא בי עשרה שאר עמא ותרי רבנן קשיא.
What blessing does he recite? Rav Yehudah said: Blessed is the One who grants compassionate favors. Abaye said: And he must give thanks before ten people, as it is written, “And let them exalt Him in the congregation of the people, etc." (Psalms 107:32). Mar Zutra said: Two of them must be Sages, as it is stated, “And praise Him in the assembly of elders” (ibid.).
Rav Ashi presented an objection: Then say that all of them [listening to the blessing] must be Sages! But is it written, 'In the congregation of elders'? No, "In the congregation of the people" is written. Then say that [the majority of the] ten are from the rest of the people, but there must be [at least] two Sages ["elders"]. It remains a question.
(ט) הני ארבעה לאו דוקא דה"ה למי שנעשה לו נס כגון שנפל עליו כותל או ניצול מדריסת שור ונגיחותיו או שעמד עליו בעיר אריה לטרפו או אם גנבים באו לו אם שודדי לילה וניצל מהם וכל כיוצא בזה כלם צריכים לברך הגומל:
Not specifically those four types only, since the rule is the same for one who experiences a miracle such as a wall falling on him [and he survived], or he was saved from being trampled and gored by an ox, or he encountered a lion within the city ready to tear him apart, or if thieves or night bandits came upon him and he was saved from them, or anything similar, for all of them one is required to bless, "The One who grants...."
(י) ויש אומרים שאין מברכין הגומל אלא הני ארבעה דוקא וטוב לברך בלא הזכרת שם ומלכות:
But some say that one does not bless "The One who grants...." except those four types specifically. And it is better to recite [a short form of] the blessing without mentioning God's name or God's kingship.
Commentary of Abarbanel
on Leviticus 7:12
And the explanation for this bread at the thanksgiving offering of well-being is to increase joy by extending it to the priests as well as the owners [the bringers of the sacrifice], as people do at their celebrations where they rejoice and celebrate with their friends....
And with this we may also resolve the question of why God singled out thanksgiving offerings alone to be eaten within one day and night, but the other well-being offerings may be eaten over the course of two days and a night, as mentioned in this section. The purpose of this is to publicize the miracle [done for the one offering the sacrifice]. For when the owner of the thanksgiving offering realizes that his offering may only be eaten for that one day and night until midnight, he will invite his relatives, loved ones, and friends to partake in the thanksgiving offering and celebrate with him. And they will ask one another what the thanksgiving offering is for, and he will tell them about the miracles and wonders that God did for him, and "they will exalt Him in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of elders” (Psalms 107:32). But if the thanksgiving offerings were eaten like the other offerings of well-being in two days and a night, the owner would not invite anyone else since over two days and a night it can be eaten by one household.
אברבנאל
וטעם הלחם הזה לשלמי תודה כדי להגדיל השמחה להשלימה לכהנים ולבעלים כדרך שעושי' בני אדם בשעת שמחתם שהם שמחי' ומשמחים את רעיהם
ועם זה נשיב גם כן למה הבדיל השם שלמי תודה להיותם נאכלים ליום ולילה ושאר השלמים נאכלים לשני ימים ולילה אחד כמו שמבואר בפרשה. כי הנה היה זה כדי לפרסם הנס וזה שהבעל שלמי תודה כשהוא רואה ששלמיו אינם נאכלים אלא ליום ולילה עד חצות הוא מזמין על שלמי תודתו אחיו ואוהביו ומיודעיו לאכול ולשמוח עמו וישאלו זה את זה על מה היה תודתו והוא יגיד להם הנסים והנפלאות שעשה עמו השם וירוממוהו בקהל עם ובמושב זקנים יהללוהו. ואלו היו שלמי תודה נאכלים כשאר השלמים לשני ימים ולילה אחד לא היה הבעל מזמין לשום אדם כי לשני ימים ולילה אחד בבית אחד יאכל.
(א) אם על תודה יקריבנו וגו' (ויקרא ז יב), ראה היאך הקב"ה סולח לעונותיהם של ישראל, ומה היו מקריבין להקב"ה, והקריב על זבח התודה, אלא אמר הקב"ה מי שיש לו פר יביא פר, ומי שיש לו איל יביא איל, מי שיש לו שה יביא שה, מי שיש לו יונה יביא יונה, ומי שאין לו אלא אחד מכל אלו יביא סולת, ומי שאין לו סולת ולא כלום יביא דברים, שנאמר קחו עמכם דברים [ושוב אל ה'] (הושע יד ג), לכך נאמר אם על תודה וגו'.
(1) (Lev. 7:12:) IF HE OFFERS IT FOR A THANKSGIVING OFFERING, etc. See how the Holy One forgives the sins of Israel. So what did they offer to the Holy One? "He shall offer on his sacrifice thanksgiving" (ibid.). The Holy One, who is blessed, said: Whoever has a bull, let him bring a bull; whoever has a calf let him bring a calf; whoever has a lamb, let him bring a lamb; whoever has a dove, let him bring a dove. Whoever has only one of all these [i.e., is very poor], let him bring fine flour. And whoever has neither flour nor anything else, let him bring words. As it is stated, "Take with you words [and return to the Lord] (Hosea 14:3). It is therefore stated [here], "If he offers it as a thanksgiving."
