Commentary for Menachot 185:17

ולמאן דאמר מעולת ראייה מאי טעמא לא יליף מן זקני עדה

And the Rabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How do they know that a woman can effectively substitute another animal for the offering?');">¹⁷</span> - They derive it by expounding the expression 'and if'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the waw, 'and', is superfluous.');">¹⁸</span> And R'Judah? - He bases no exposition on the expression 'and if'. <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>ALL MAY LAY THE HANDS ON THE OFFERING EXCEPT A DEAF-MUTE, AN IMBECILE, A MINOR, A BLIND MAN, A GENTILE, A SLAVE, AN AGENT, OR A WOMAN. THE LAYING ON OF HANDS IS OUTSIDE THE COMMANDMENT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the remnant of the commandment'. I.e., the laying on of hands may be omitted and yet the offering is valid, for the atonement is not dependent upon this act.');">¹⁹</span> [ONE MUST LAY] BOTH HANDS ON THE HEAD OF THE ANIMAL; AND IN THE PLACE WHERE ONE LAYS ON THE HANDS THERE THE ANIMAL MUST BE SLAUGHTERED; AND THE SLAUGHTERING MUST IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW THE LAYING ON OF HANDS. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>We understand a deaf-mute, an imbecile, or a minor being disqualified, because they do not know what they are doing; also a gentile, because it is written, The children of Israel:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. I, 2.');">²⁰</span> [only they] may lay on the hands but gentiles may not lay on the hands. But why should a blind man be disqualified? R'Hisda and R'Isaac B'Abdimi [suggest different reasons]. One Says, It is because we deduce the laying on of hands [for all offerings] from the laying on of hands performed by the elders of the congregation.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In connection with the bullock offered for the transgression of the congregation; cf. Lev. IV, 15. And as the elders of the congregation had to be free from every physical blemish, v. Sanh. 17a, hence the blind may not lay on the hands.');">²¹</span> And the other says, It is because we deduce the laying on of hands [for all offerings] from the laying on of hands performed on the 'appearance' burnt-offering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the burnt-offering offered by every Israelite on appearing at the Temple on the three great Festivals; cf. Deut. XVI, 16. And as a blind man was exempt from the 'appearance' burntoffering. v. Hag. 2a, the inference may therefore be made that a blind man may not lay on the hands.');">²²</span> Why does not he that deduces the law from the 'appearance' burnt-offering rather deduce it from the elders of the congregation? -

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