Why did they want the entire ritual of the Tabernacle? The people said to the Holy and Blessd One 'Master of the universe, the sovereigns of all the nations have a tent, a table, a menorah, incense offereings. Every king has need for those rituals in his kingdom. You are our Sovereign, our Redeemer, our Savior - should You not have all these rituals of kingship so that all the nations of the world will know that You are our Sovereign?' The Holy and Blessed One replied: 'They who are flesh and blood need all this, but I do not need it. I have no need for food or drink and I do not require any light. My servants can testify to that; the sun and moon which illumine the whole earth-they get their light from Me." However the people continued to entreat Him, so God finally said to them 'My children, if you feel this way, then do as you please, but you must do it only in accordance with My instructions. Build Me as house, as it is written, "and they shall make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8)-also a menorah, a table and an altar on which to offer incense."
The basic difference in attitude to the sacrifical system may be summarized thus:
In the school of Rabbi Ishamel the view was, "Not for my sake do you offer sacrifices, but for your sakes, to satisfy your needs. For My part, I am pleased that having given you the commandment, you fulfill My will, and I shall reward you."
In the school of Rabbi Akiva, the view was, "I desire nothing else but the sacrifices. Their sweet savor brings delight to Me."
The true sacrifices to God are a broken spirit, a broken and crushed heart.' (Tehillim 51:19).'Rabbi Alexandri said, “If an ordinary person uses broken vessels, it is a disgrace for him, but the vessels used by the Holy one Blessed be He are all broken, as it is said… the true sacrifices to God are a broken spirit, a broken and crushed heart.”'
(א) נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תַקְרִיב מִנְחָה...
מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאִשָּׁה אַחַת שֶׁהֵבִיאָה קֹמֶץ שֶׁל סֹלֶת, וְהָיָה כֹּהֵן מְבַזֶּה עָלֶיהָ, וְאָמַר, רְאוּ מָה הֵן מַקְרִיבוֹת, מַה בָּזֶה לֶאֱכֹל, מַה בָּזֶה לְהַקְרִיב, נִרְאָה לַכֹּהֵן בַּחֲלוֹם אַל תְּבַזֶּה עָלֶיהָ, כְּאִלּוּ נַפְשָׁהּ הִקְרִיבָה. וַהֲרֵי דְבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמַה אִם מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַקְרִיב נֶפֶשׁ כְּתִיב בּוֹ נֶפֶשׁ, מִי שֶׁהוּא מַקְרִיב נֶפֶשׁ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה כְּאִלּוּ נַפְשׁוֹ הִקְרִיב.
אמר רבי יצחק מאי דכתיב (ויקרא ו, יח) זאת תורת החטאת וזאת תורת האשם כל העוסק בתורת חטאת כאילו הקריב חטאת וכל העוסק בתורת אשם כאילו הקריב אשם.
three kinds of voluntary sacrifices - olah, mincha and shlamim.
- The Olah you burn on the mizbayach (altar in English) and it can be three types of animals - bakar - cattle, tzon - sheep, and oaf -birds.
- The Mincha is a flour offering that can be cooked in three ways - in the oven, the griddle or the frying pan.
- The last one is the shlamim, which is a peace offering and the bringer of the sacrifice gets to eat part of it. It can also be three types of animal - bakar, tzon, and ayz which means goat.
two types of mandatory sacrifices
- There is a chatat you bring for general sins or for three specific kinds of sins:
- The first is for not testifying when you see someone do the wrong thing.
- The second is if you touch an impure animal or impure person.
- The last sin is when you make a promise you can’t keep.
- The second type of mandatory sacrifice is called the asham, that you bring for stealing from the beit hamikdash, or stealing from other people, or if you were unsure that you had sinned.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “This is the law of the sin offering” (Leviticus 6:18), and: “This is the law of the guilt offering” (Leviticus 7:1)? These verses teach that anyone who engages in studying the law of the sin offering is ascribed credit as though he sacrificed a sin offering, and anyone who engages in studying the law of a guilt offering is ascribed credit as though he sacrificed a guilt offering.
(11) “What need have I of all your sacrifices?” Says the LORD. “I am sated with burnt offerings of rams, And suet of fatlings, And blood of bulls; And I have no delight In lambs and he-goats. (12) That you come to appear before Me— Who asked that of you? Trample My courts (13) no more; Bringing oblations is futile, Incense is offensive to Me. New moon and sabbath, Proclaiming of solemnities, Assemblies with iniquity, I cannot abide. (14) Your new moons and fixed seasons Fill Me with loathing; They are become a burden to Me, I cannot endure them. (15) And when you lift up your hands, I will turn My eyes away from you; Though you pray at length, I will not listen. Your hands are stained with crime— (16) Wash yourselves clean; Put your evil doings Away from My sight. Cease to do evil; (17) Learn to do good. Devote yourselves to justice; Aid the wronged. Uphold the rights of the orphan; Defend the cause of the widow.