Salty Korban

The Ramban in his 12^th rule of what’s counted as a mitzvah disagrees with the Bahag that counts the avodos of the korbanot such as יציקה, בלילב, פתיתה ומליחה as separate mitzvot.  He says those are all included in the mitzvah of the mincha itself.  However, the Rambam himself counts offering salt on a korban as a mitzvah (Sefer Hamitzvot 62,) so why does he disagree with the Bahag counting the salting as a mitzvah?  The Briskor Rav explains that the obligation of putting salt on a korban is written in the parsha of the mincha.  In regard to the mincha, the salt isn’t part of the general rule to offer salt on korbanot, it is part of the mincha offering itself.  In regard to other, then the salt isn’t part of the sacrifice, its part of a general rule to offer salt with the sacrifice.  The Rambam doesn’t count the salt of the mincha as a mitzvah for it is part of the mitzvah of the mincha.  It is the mitzvah of the salt on all sacrifices that isn’t a detail of the sacrifice that the Rambam counts as a mitzvah.  This is very מדיוק in the Rambam that cites the words על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח, not וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח.

The Rambam in איסורי מזבח ה:יב says הקריב בלא מלח כלל לוקה שנאמר ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלהיך ואע"פ שלוקה הקרבן כשר והורצה חוץ מן המנחה שהמלח מעכב בקמיצה שנאמר ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלהיך מעל מנחתך:  See the Kefes Mishne what is the source of the Rambam.  However, we see that the Rambam differentiates between the מנחה where salt is מעכב the korban vs. other korbanot that it isn’t.  According, to the Briskor Rav it is understood that it is the salt of the מנחה that is part of the מנחה itself but by other korbanot it doesn’t affect the fulfillment of the sacrifice.  (See also Tosfos Menachos 67b ד"ה יצק and Tosfos Tov Tov there.)

Why does the Torah forbid adding honey to a korban but requires bitter salt to be added?  Rabbi Y.Y. Jacobson explained that honey is an external addition and flavor to sweeten the food.  Salt doesn’t add its own flavor, it helps bring out the flavors that exist within the food.  The Torah is teaching us that for a person to bring out his potential there may be an aspect of bitterness, but it will help him/her make the most of their abilities.  It is sugarcoating that leaves a person shortchanged and unable to give his/ her greatest abilities to be used for Hashem.