Quoting%20commentary for Menachot 99:1

מ"מ שבעה הוו אלא תנא בעלמא קאי ומאי כדי לשבת וב' ימים טובים של ר"ה סימנא בעלמא

At all events seven are necessary! - We must say that the Tanna [of that Mishnah] speaks in general,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., at all times of the year there must be six lambs in readiness, each inspected four days previously, so that whatever the circumstances there would always be sufficient lambs to last for three days. The expression used by the Tanna 'sufficient for a Sabbath and the two Festival days of the New Year' is merely a mnemonic suggesting the number six. To ensure that every day there would be at least six lambs inspected four days previously it was necessary at the dedication of the Temple, when sacrifices commenced, to have twelve lambs each inspected free from blemish four days previously. On the following day two lambs were taken from the twelve for the Daily Offering and two other lambs, inspected on this day, were added; and so regularly on subsequent days. After four days the lambs added on the first day belonged to the category of lambs inspected four days previously, and on the fifth day two more were added to this class and so on. So Rashi; but v. com. of R. Gershom and also Rashi's interpretation in 'Ar. ');">¹</span> and the expression 'sufficient for a Sabbath and the two Festival days of the New Year' serves merely as a mnemonic.

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