Q) I’ve noticed different girso’os in the nusach of the korbonos in Mussaf on Shavuos – as to whether to say “so’ir l’chaper” or “sh’nei se’irim l’chaper”. Which is the preferred nusach?
A) By way of introduction, there are various korbonos offered up on Shavuos
• As on every other day of the year, the korban Tomid that consists of two lambs is brought – one lamb in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The korban Tomid is a korban oloh.
• The korban Mussaf that consists of two cows, one ram and seven lambs are all offered up as korbonos oloh. Additionally, one goat is offered up as a korbon chatos.
• The Sh’tei Halechem is a unique korbon offered up on Shavuos. The main component of the Sh’tei Halechem is two loaves of chometz bread that are accompanied by seven lambs, one cow and two rams – which are all offered up as korbonos oloh. Additionally, one ram is offered up as a korbon chatos, and two additional lambs are offered up as korbonos shlomim.
[Rashi in Parshas Emor discusses the possibility that the seven lambs and ram mentioned in connection with the sh’tei halechem are in fact the same korbonos as the seven lambs and ram mentioned in Parshas Pinchas in the context of the korbon Mussaf. However, Rashi concludes, since the numbers of cows and rams do not correspond we can deduce that the Torah is referring to two different sets of korbonos in Parshas Emor (the korbonos that accompany the sh’tei halechem) and Parshas Pinchas (the korbon Mussaf).]
Returning to the girso in Mussaf of Shavuos of sh’nei se’irim: there are in fact two korbon chatos se’irim offered up on Shavuos – one as a component of the korbon Mussaf and one that accompanies the sh’tei halechem. The Da’as Z’keinim in Parshas Pinchos (28:25) asks why we make no mention of the se’ir chatos of the sh’tei halechem in Mussaf? [It is obvious from his question that the girso he had was “so’ir l’chaper”] The Da’as Z’keinim answers that Tefillas Mussaf corresponds to the korbon Mussaf and the other se’ir chatos was offered up earlier with the sh’tei halechem [and therefore this so’ir chatos has no place in Mussaf].
In conclusion: although it is true that two se’irei chatos were offered up on Shavuos, there is no reason to make mention in Tefillas Mussaf of the se’ir chatos that accompanied the sh’tei halechem (that was a completely separate korbon) and therefore the more accurate girso is “se’ir l’chaper” as on every other Yom Tov.