LEV18 Bring the [completely] burnt offering according to its law. See [[EXOD940]] Exodus 25:8 sanctuary CHINUCH 62-5

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV22 Bring the flour offering according to its law. The minchah offering is made of various flours. It is not an animal offering. As explained earlier (Mitzvah 95 [i.e., Exodus 25:8 - AJL]), man is physically not very different from animals. As a result, when a man sins and offers an animal for atonement, he sees a body similar to his being burned. The sight makes him take to heart that if he continues to sin and does not put his unique human intelligence in control of his actions, then that which happened to the animal could happen to him. He sees the animal’s body consumed in flames, so he is moved to subdue his animal urges and avoid sin lest his soul be consumed. He realizes that the animal aspect of his being is the source of his failing. Although a flour offering is not an animal, bringing this offering also helps a person to subdue his animal desires, for some of his monetary assets are burned and destroyed before his eyes. Nevertheless, the imagery of an animal offering is considerably stronger. In terms of its monetary value and its effect on the person who brings it, the flour offering is “smaller” than an animal offering. For this reason, it is called a minchah, for “minchah” means “gift” (see Bereishis 33:10). More often than not, people give small gifts, not large ones. In addition, many flour offerings are voluntary, so by their nature they are “gifts.”

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV24 Do not bring leaven or honey on the Altar. Every offering is meant to create an impression upon the one who brings it. He should look at what is done to the offering and draw a parallel to himself. Leaven causes dough to rise, but the process takes a lot of time. By commanding us not to offer leaven upon the Altar, the Torah alludes to us that for proper service of the Holy One, a person must distance himself from slowness, laziness and delay. A true servant of Hashem must perform mitzvos without delay, with alacrity and diligence. By commanding us not to offer honey upon the Altar, the Torah alludes to us that we should not pursue sweets and sumptuous foods, lest we become base pleasure-seekers who constantly overindulge. Rather we should eat nutritious, healthy foods, not just for enjoyment but for the sake of our physical well-being. Another reason is that leaven causes dough to rise, an allusion to haughtiness. Similarly, honey when boiled raises up foam, an illusion to anger. By forbidding us to bring leaven and honey on the Altar, the Torah alludes to us that in the eyes of Hashem, haughtiness and anger are abominations. The Ramban writes that since the offerings are to help us find favor in the eyes of Hashem, they cannot contain components that bring about drastic change in the other components. Leaven causes dough to rise. Honey, due to its extremely sweet taste, has a drastic sweetening effect on other foods with which it is mixed. Hashem wants evenness, not extremes. Our Sages teach that He created the world with His attribute of Mercy blended together with His attribute of justice.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV26 Put salt on offerings. For the sake of rectifying the soul of the person who brings the offering, Hashem commands that offerings be of things that people value and enjoy, which includes that they have a pleasant and appealing taste. On animal offerings there must be salt, for meat without salt is much less tasty. If meat placed on the Altar as an offering is just as tasty as meat that people eat, the owner's heart and soul will be more influenced than if the meat is less tasty. Salt alludes to another matter. Just as salt, a preservative, keeps meat and other foods from spoiling and being destroyed, bringing an offering preserves one’s soul and enables it to live on forever.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV30 The Great Sanhedrin shall bring an offering when its incorrect ruling causes the entire congregation to sin. If the great Sanhedrin incorrectly rules regarding an offense whose punishment is “cutting off” of the soul (kares), and thereby they cause the majority of the congregation to sin unwittingly, the Sanhedrin must bring an offering. As stated, offerings are meant to help us in the task of subduing our animal urges and to strengthen us to follow the dictates of our unique and intelligent soul. Accordingly, when our nation’s wise men err, obviously because a weakness of the intellect, they must perform an act that will promote a strengthening of intelligence and restoration of its control and dominance. They are commanded to come to the Beis HaMikdash, a place for inspiring the mind, and they must bring an offering there. Thereby, they will reflect upon the baseness of the animal part of them that caused them to stray, as opposed to the greatness and importance of the soul and its truthful and pure intelligence. Afterwards, they will be more careful regarding all of their rulings.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV34 An individual who sins unwittingly shall bring an offering when the same act if done intentionally carries the punishment of “cutting off.” Key concept: To humble the guilty soul.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV37 Bring an offering of greater or lesser value. For certain transgressions, the object that is brought on the Altar as an offering depends upon the financial status of the one who needs atonement. The transgressions are: 1) entering the Beis HaMikdash or eating kodshim when one is spiritually impure; 2) falsely swearing the type of oath that is called “shavuas bitui” (see Leviticus 19:12); or 3) falsely swearing that one does not know testimony that could help a litigant in court. The act of bringing an offering makes a person realize that he acted improperly and must ask for forgiveness from Hashem. The sinner must also resolve to be more careful in the future. Regarding certain transgressions, because they are relatively common, Hashem is lenient and requires a less costly offering if the sinner is poor. Why for these sins in particular is there a leniency whereby the type of atonement depends upon the sinner’s financial status? The leniency exists regarding false oaths because false oaths are made by mere speech. Compared to the amount of effort required to sin with one's body, much less effort is required to sin with one's mouth. The leniency exists for someone who enters the Beis HaMikdash when spiritually impure because maintaining such purity is very difficult. To stay spiritually pure we must distance ourselves from ever-present sources of impurity. Often a person will come in contact with such impurity and it will not occur to him until after he has entered the Beis HaMikdash or has eaten kodshim while spiritually impure. Owing to the frequency of these transgressions, atonement is made easier for those who are poor. As said, false oaths are made with little effort, by means of mere words, and therefore, Hashem provides a leniency regarding atonement. Regarding false oaths about testimony, the same rationale applies, but here, there is an additional leniency. As a rule, when a sin is intentional, atonement for it cannot be attained through an offering, but a false oath about testimony is an exception to this rule, because here, the potential for transgression is particularly great. Almost always, some sort of litigation is before the courts and people who possess relevant information could serve as witnesses, but their hearts cause them to avoid their responsibility. They swear falsely, saying that they do not possess relevant information, knowing that afterwards they can claim that although they had such knowledge they forgot that they had it. They also rationalize this false oath by saying to themselves that in court they might not testify accurately. Additionally, this transgression is frequent because there are many people who do not appreciate that withholding testimony or giving false testimony is a very serious matter. Through this transgression they can cause their fellow Jew to be oppressed and to suffer serious financial loss, but it does not faze them, for they rationalize that they are not physically stealing or extorting from anyone. Since these transgressions are taken lightly and are relatively frequent, Hashem shows mercy and allows atonement for them by means of an offering, even when the transgression is intentional.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV40 Provide testimony needed by Jewish courts of law. Whenever we possess information relevant to a Jewish court of law, we must come forth and reveal the information to the judges. [Regarding litigation over money matters, we are not obligated to come forth unless the court or one of the litigants demands our testimony. When a life is at stake, however, such as when someone witnesses a murder, the witness must come forth on his own and testify.] So, too, if he sees his fellow Jew violating any Torah prohibition, he must come forth and testify, to uproot the evil and prevent people from violating the Torah in the future. Key concept is obvious. The great benefit is clear; so no explanation is needed (See [[EXOD449]] Exodus 20:13 false CHINUCH 28-9).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV43 Do not detach the head of a bird sin-offering. When a sin offering is a bird, it is not slaughtered as an animal. Rather, its head is pinched from the back of its neck (melikah), but the Kohen must be careful to not detach the head from the neck. He performs melikah by cutting through the bird’s neck bone with his fingernail. He cuts through both simanim (esophagus and the trachea), or completely through one and through the majority of the other. A basic concept regarding offerings: Offerings are to help us to acquire correct ideals and positive character traits. By means of the acts that are involved in bringing offerings, we are inspired to perfect our deeds. Man has a physical body and tends to be materialistic, so ideals do not become a part of him unless he performs actions that reflect and reinforce these ideals. At the same time, we already have stated that it is beyond us and beyond even our greatest luminaries to find reasons for every detail of the laws of offerings. Even simple understandings elude us, so we must suffice with particular explanations of the offerings in general. Although melikah is a particular detail in the laws of the offerings, let us suggest what could be its rationale. A bird is brought as the sin offering of someone who is poor. Instead of a knife, the Kohen slaughters the bird with his hand. This law hints to us that in meeting the needs of the poor, one cannot allow the slightest delay. The Kohen does not take time to search for a knife and check its sharpness. The offering is brought quickly so that the poor man can return to his efforts at making a living. Also for the sake of speed, neither does the Kohen turn the bird on to its back and perform melikah on the underside of the neck. Rather he takes the bird as he finds it and breaks its neck bone from the back. Furthermore, breaking the neck from the back also is a signal to us not to be stiff-necked. Finally, by leaving the head attached, more dignity is afforded to the offering, to hint to us that we must always be careful about the poor man's dignity. It is hard enough for him that he is poor, so we should not add to his suffering by degrading his offering by detaching its head.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

LEV45 Do not put olive oil into the flour of a meal offering that atones for sin. The Kohen shall not put olive oil on a flour (meal) offering brought by a poor man for atonement. Oil alludes to importance and greatness, for when poured into another liquid it always rises to the top. Owing to its great importance and value, it is used to anoint kings and Kohanim (priests), so it is not fitting to put oil into a flour offering of a person who has fallen into sin. After all, someone who has transgressed must exhibit concern, worry, and a humbled spirit, and feel crestfallen that such a thing came to his hand. In addition, Hashem shows pity on the poor, so when they have to bring an offering He does not trouble them to procure oil for it. For the same reason only a small amount of flour is required. Even the most unfortunate pauper as at least some flour in his possession.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT