A Hebrew Perspective on Sacrifice

[HARK!]

Excerpts:

Jake brings Little Fluffy forward.He puts his hands on the lamb's head and rests his weight on it. In one sense, he connects with the animal so it was like an extension of himself.

To actually see a lamb killed right in front of you is an unsettling thing.A moment ago it was Little Fluffy, and now: dead meat. This shakes Jake up as it would anybody. Life and death are staring him in the face.Running through his mind is the startling thought: "This could be me.This animal is just like me with a heart, hair, gall bladder... What is the difference -- a soul?"

Understanding the Sacrifices

 

[UnpopularOpinion]

ye I always wonder why God wanted people to inflict pain on animals.
I understand he command to kill other nations to punish them or punishes city like Sodom with destruction but that is for sin , animals do not sin if im not wrong.
So why make them suffer?

I understand that killing animal for food is not sin and we ought to so we can eat , but offering meant to be fully consumed by fire ? Why is that?

 

[HARK!]

ye I always wonder why God wanted people to inflict pain on animals.

I don't know where you're getting this.

Where did you find anything like that in the Bible?

 

[tampasteve]

ye I always wonder why God wanted people to inflict pain on animals.
I understand he command to kill other nations to punish them or punishes city like Sodom with destruction but that is for sin , animals do not sin if im not wrong.
So why make them suffer?

I understand that killing animal for food is not sin and we ought to so we can eat , but offering meant to be fully consumed by fire ? Why is that?

I am not sure that you fully understand how an animal sacrifice was done.

First, it is done as painlessly and cleanly as possible, this is one of the rules of a kosher killing/sacrifice.

Second, the person making the offering would literally lean on (simicha), place his hands on, the animal and say his prayers to spiritually and physically transfer his nefish, his lifeforce to the animal. He would literally transform the animal into an offering acceptable to HeShem.

This is the way to literally come in contact with HaShem, to commune directly with G-d at the Temple. The sacrifice was to bring the man to G-d. It was not really about the animal, but about the penitent.

Also, not all sacrifices were or had to be animals. There were grain, drink, and other sacrifices available to people.

 

[HARK!]

I am not sure that you fully understand how an animal sacrifice was done.

First, it is done as painlessly and cleanly as possible, this is one of the rules of a kosher killing/sacrifice.

Second, the person making the offering would literally lean on (simicha), place his hands on, the animal and say his prayers to spiritually and physically transfer his nefish, his lifeforce to the animal. He would literally transform the animal into an offering acceptable to HeShem.

This is the way to literally come in contact with HaShem, to commune directly with G-d at the Temple. The sacrifice was to bring the man to G-d. It was not really about the animal, but about the penitent.

Also, not all sacrifices were or had to be animals. There were grain, drink, and other sacrifices available to people.

You've articulated my feelings and understanding on this subject much better than I.

Thank you.

 

[UnpopularOpinion]

I don't know where you're getting this.

Where did you find anything like that in the Bible?

basically every sacrifice of animal made?
3 “If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. 2 Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tabernacle.a]">[a] Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against all sides of the altar. 3 The priest must present part of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 4 the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, 5 and Aaron’s sons will burn them on top of the burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Basically it's butchered and God likes the smell of burning it
unless you somehow gonna claim that this animals did not experience suffering and loved to be killed

I understand lamb slaughtered and burnt was showing how Christ lamb would be slaughter for our sins but

Why is innocent animal sacrificed as offering of peace , why God likes his priests to inflict pain on it and then burn it and what has it to do with the smell of it?
It has no purpose like taking sins away or anything

 

[HARK!]

basically every sacrifice of animal made?
3 “If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. 2 Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tabernacle.a]">[a] Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against all sides of the altar. 3 The priest must present part of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 4 the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, 5 and Aaron’s sons will burn them on top of the burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Basically it's butchered and God likes the smell of burning it
unless you somehow gonna claim that this animals did not experience suffering and loved to be killed

I understand lamb slaughtered and burnt was showing how Christ lamb would be slaughter for our sins but

Why is innocent animal sacrificed as offering of peace , why God likes his priests to inflict pain on it and then burn it and what has it to do with the smell of it?
It has no purpose like taking sins away or anything

Are you a vegan? Do you wear leather? Do you use any products that are derived from the killing of any animals? Do you use any products that were tested, on animals, for safety? Do you exterminate pests; or do you share your home harmoniously with them?

I don't want to get too philosophical with you; but when I was a teenager; I realized that in order for anything in this world to live; something else must die. All life seeks to live.

In the beginning man was given plants for food. What do you suppose happened since the beginning ? Do you suppose that herbivores started deviating from the father's plan; or did the father force feed the herbivores dead meat?

YHWH does not want sacrifice. He wants obedience to his Torah.

 

[UnpopularOpinion]

Are you a vegan? Do you wear leather? Do you use any products that are derived from the killing of any animals? Do you use any products that were tested, on animals, for safety? Do you exterminate pests; or do you share your home harmoniously with them?

I don't want to get too philosophical with you; but when I was a teenager; I realized that in order for anything in this world to live; something else must die. All life seeks to live.

In the beginning man was given plants for food. What do you suppose happened since the beginning ? Do you suppose that herbivores started deviating from the father's plan; or did the father force feed the herbivores dead meat?

YHWH does not want sacrifice. He wants obedience to his Torah.

That's not what I asked don't try to redirect it into some guilt trip
simple I don't know is enought

 

[HARK!]

That's not what I asked don't try to redirect it into some guilt trip
simple I don't know is enought

Guilt trip? Why would you feel guilty?

 

[tampasteve]

simple I don't know is enought

That is actually a really valid answer for some of the Law. Sometimes it just does not matter, there is no purely logical reason. Why not eat pork or shellfish? People make up all sorts of potential health reasons, but many of those reasons are found in kosher animals too. The real reason is "because G-d said so". And for Jews, both Messianic and Rabbinic, that is enough of a reason.

The purely historical perspective would be that it was expected to have animal sacrifice in that time. Further the animals decreed were the animals kept in a pastoral and agrarian society such as Israel was at that time, so they would be relatively easy to come by for the people.

Fortunately, G-d also gave a way for forgiveness based on prayer, this is seen even in the dedication of Solomon in the prayer for the new Temple in Jerusalem, perhaps ironically.
1 Kings 8:30

Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

We see it in other passages as well, but the tie in to the Temple dedication here is special.

But why do we maintain that some sacrifices would be needed if a Temple stood? Scripture is pretty clear that they are based on what kinds of sacrifices are requested apart from the sin sacrifice. Also, the Apostles and Disciples continued to sacrifice when the Temple stood, and scripture is clear that in the third Temple sacrifices will continue during the Messianic Age.

 

[Mercy74]

I am not sure that you fully understand how an animal sacrifice was done.

First, it is done as painlessly and cleanly as possible, this is one of the rules of a kosher killing/sacrifice.

Second, the person making the offering would literally lean on (simicha), place his hands on, the animal and say his prayers to spiritually and physically transfer his nefish, his lifeforce to the animal. He would literally transform the animal into an offering acceptable to HeShem.

This is the way to literally come in contact with HaShem, to commune directly with G-d at the Temple. The sacrifice was to bring the man to G-d. It was not really about the animal, but about the penitent.

Also, not all sacrifices were or had to be animals. There were grain, drink, and other sacrifices available to people.

Hebrews 13:10 those who eat of ceremonial food we know it does not benefit them. Those who worship on top of that holy mountain; the true worshippers know the truth. They worship both in spirit and truth, the bodies of those animals are burned outside the city gate.

 

[Mercy74]

I don't know where you're getting this.

Where did you find anything like that in the Bible?

Hebrews 13:10
We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat.

 

[Mercy74]

I am not sure that you fully understand how an animal sacrifice was done.

First, it is done as painlessly and cleanly as possible, this is one of the rules of a kosher killing/sacrifice.

Second, the person making the offering would literally lean on (simicha), place his hands on, the animal and say his prayers to spiritually and physically transfer his nefish, his lifeforce to the animal. He would literally transform the animal into an offering acceptable to HeShem.

This is the way to literally come in contact with HaShem, to commune directly with G-d at the Temple. The sacrifice was to bring the man to G-d. It was not really about the animal, but about the penitent.

Also, not all sacrifices were or had to be animals. There were grain, drink, and other sacrifices available to people.

Hebrews 13:10
We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat.

 

[HARK!]

Hebrews 13:10
We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat.

I don't see any connection between this verse; and the unfounded assertion about Elohim wanting people to inflict pain on animals.

I haven't even gathered whether you are providing an answer to support that assertion; or if you are agreeing with me.

Please explain.

 

[Mercy74]

I don't see any connection between this verse; and the unfounded assertion about Elohim wanting people to inflict pain on animals.

I haven't even gathered whether you are providing an answer to support that assertion; or if you are agreeing with me.

Please explain.

We have an altar or table from which the servants or priests do not have the right to eat. We know the priest took the blood into the most holy place as a sin offering but burned the bodies of those animals outside the camp.

Hebrews 13:9
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.

At a typical church house the servants at the communion table are allowed to eat those holy sacraments; the bread and wine.