A Covenant of Salt

(13) You shall season your every offering of meal with salt; you shall not omit from your meal offering the salt of your covenant with God; with all your offerings you must offer salt.

מלח ברית [NEITHER SHALT THOU SUFFER] THE SALT OF THE COVENANT [… TO BE LACKING FROM MY MEAL OFFERING], because a covenant was established with the salt as far back as the six days of Creation when the lower waters (those of the oceans) received an assurance that they would be offered on the altar in the form of salt and also as water in the ceremony of “the libation of water” on the Feast of Tabernacles).‎

THE COVENANT OF THY GOD. God caused you to enter the covenant and made you swear that you would not offer anything which is unsalted and inedible, for that is an insult.

NEITHER SHALT THOU SUFFER THE SALT OF THE COVENANT OF THY GOD TO BE LACKING FROM THY MEAL-OFFERING. “For a covenant was established with salt as far back as the six days of Creation, for the lower waters [i.e., those of the oceans] were promised that they would be offered upon the altar in the form of salt, and [also as water] at the libation of water, on the Festival of Tabernacles.” This is Rashi’s language, and it is a homiletic exposition of the Sages. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra interpreted it in line with the plain meaning of Scripture as follows: “I have brought you into a covenant and made you swear that you would not offer a saltless offering, nor shall it [i.e., a saltless offering] be eaten, because it is a mark of contempt.” Now since salt is the covenant of the offerings, Scripture made this accord the pattern for all such agreements, saying of the gifts given to priests and the dynasty of David that they are [an everlasting] covenant of salt, meaning that they are as everlasting as the covenant of salt of the offerings. There, however, Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained: “A covenant of salt — a covenant decreed, it being of the root, a fruitful land into a salt waste, since a salt waste is as if it has been decreed [upon it that nothing should grow therein].” But there is no sense to his words.Now it seems to me that since Scripture here states, the covenant of thy God, and does not say “the covenant of the Eternal,” which would have been in consonance with the language of the section and the way all the offerings are mentioned [throughout Scripture], or did not say, “the covenant of the Eternal thy God” — that the reason for this is because salt is derived from water, and it is through the power of the sun which shines upon it that it becomes salt. Now the nature of water is that it soaks into the earth and makes it bring forth and bud; but after it becomes salt it destroys every place and burns it, that it is not sown, nor beareth. Since a covenant is inclusive of all attributes, water and fire come into it, and unto her shall come the former dominion — the Kingdom of God, just like salt which seasons all foods and helps to preserve them, but destroys them when they are over-saturated with it. Thus salt is like the covenant. It is for this reason that Scripture states, Ought ye not to know that the Eternal, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt forever? For this too is the attribute of David. Therefore He says in connection with the offerings, it is an everlasting covenant of salt, for the covenant is “the salt of the world,” and by virtue of it [the world] exists or may be destroyed. I have already taught you to understand from our words in other places the meaning of these three words, brit olam hi (it is a perpetual covenant).

You shall surely salt all of your sacrifices. In order to coronate God as master of all opposites which are found in the world and which have caused many to utter the heresy that one divinity cannot be the source of two opposites. Behold, salt holds in its very nature a thing and its opposite, for it has the power of fire and warmth, and it also has the derivative of water. The Kabbalists say that these are akin to God's attribute of Justice and Mercy. Thus, it is called the Covenant of your Lord because when you bring salt on the altar, you are coming into a covenantal relationship with God and giving him reign over all opposites. All Mincha offerings (?) except that of the Kohen (?) were given to the Kohen to eat. Thus, the Mincha is a kind of Tzedaka which itself is compared to salt on account of its ability to preserve and sustain meat. If you lack salt, you lack money. The Tzedaka of the sacrifice is greater than the sacrifice itself as it says (Proverbs 21:3), "To do what is right and just is more desired by God than sacrifice." When the verse says, "With all of your sacrifices bring salt," it means that the Tzedaka (salt) which is brought with every sacrifice is more dear to God than the sacrifice itself. The simple understanding of "All your sacrifices" includes even meat sacrifices (and not just Mincha offereings). (DBS translation)

Should you not revere Me—says GOD—Should you not tremble before Me,Who set the sand as a boundary to the sea,As a limit for all time, not to be transgressed?Though its waves toss, they cannot prevail;Though they roar, they cannot pass it.

NEITHER SHALT THOU SUFFER THE SALT OF THE COVENANT OF THY G-D TO BE LACKING FROM THY MEAL-OFFERING. “For a covenant was established with salt as far back as the six days of Creation, for the lower waters [i.e., those of the oceans] were promised that they would be offered upon the altar in the form of salt, and [also as water] at the libation of water, on the Festival of Tabernacles.” This is Rashi’s language, and it is a homiletic exposition of the Sages. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra interpreted it in line with the plain meaning of Scripture as follows: “I have brought you into a covenant and made you swear that you would not offer a saltless offering, nor shall it [i.e., a saltless offering] be eaten, because it is a mark of contempt.” Now since salt is the covenant of the offerings, Scripture made this accord the pattern for all such agreements, saying of the gifts given to priests and the dynasty of David that they are [an everlasting] covenant of salt, meaning that they are as everlasting as the covenant of salt of the offerings. There, however, Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained: “A covenant of salt — a covenant decreed, it being of the root, a fruitful land into a salt waste, since a salt waste is as if it has been decreed [upon it that nothing should grow therein].” But there is no sense to his words.Now it seems to me that since Scripture here states, the covenant of thy G-d, and does not say “the covenant of the Eternal,” which would have been in consonance with the language of the section and the way all the offerings are mentioned [throughout Scripture], or did not say, “the covenant of the Eternal thy G-d” — that the reason for this is because salt is derived from water, and it is through the power of the sun which shines upon it that it becomes salt. Now the nature of water is that it soaks into the earth and makes it bring forth and bud; but after it becomes salt it destroys every place and burns it, that it is not sown, nor beareth. Since a covenant is inclusive of all attributes, water and fire come into it, and unto her shall come the former dominion — the Kingdom of G-d, just like salt which seasons all foods and helps to preserve them, but destroys them when they are over-saturated with it. Thus salt is like the covenant. It is for this reason that Scripture states, Ought ye not to know that the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt forever? For this too is the attribute of David. Therefore He says in connection with the offerings, it is an everlasting covenant of salt, for the covenant is “the salt of the world,” and by virtue of it [the world] exists or may be destroyed. I have already taught you to understand from our words in other places the meaning of these three words, brith olam hi (it is a perpetual covenant).

ועל כל קרבנך תקריב מלח . Salt represents the Covenant with your G–d, for salt is water which has become solid through being heated by fire. It alludes to the emanation מלכות. Although אסתר המלכה, Queen Esther, [a symbol of the emanation מלכות Ed.] had the חוט של חסד, thread of loving kindness (from the emanation חסד which represents the "upper” waters) extended to her, the fact remains that דינא דמלכותא דינא, that the preponderant emanation she was subject to was the emanation of דין, justice. The waters of this emanation are "salted" due to the power of the fire which has "burned" those waters. Salt as a symbol of the Covenant is the mystical dimension based on the emanation יסוד, which is in itself the אות הברית, symbol of the Covenant, as is well known to Kabbalists. שאור ודבש, yeast and honey, represent the כחות חיצוניות, negative forces in the universe, because yeast causes fermentation, whereas honey "sweetens” the חימוץ, i.e. strengthens the negative forces [because it makes sin appear palatable, enjoyable. Ed.]. Inasmuch as these two ingredients represent rebellion against G–d's commandments, they must not form part of any offering dedicated to G–d. The purpose of קרבן is to bring about a rapprochement between man and G–d. Yeast and honey are instruments which help to estrange man from G–d. It is clear that they cannot be part of any offering.