Some of the sacrifices were brought to atone for different sins; i.e. the guilt offering, the oshom, atoned for certain sins such as stealing and then swearing falsely; the olah, which was totally burnt on the altar, atoned for the transgression of positive commandments and sinful thoughts; and the sin offering, the chattas, atoned for accidentally transgressing sins which carried the penalty of kares, spiritual death. The peace offering, or shelamim, was an optional sacrifice brought out of a sense of good will. The tamid, a communal sacrifice, was brought twice each day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Other sacrifices such as the holiday sacrifices were brought on specific occasions.
Although the sacrifices were necessary for the atonement of sin, they were by no means central to atonement. Even with the sacrifice one had to repent for the sins. Without repentance the offerings were worthless. Thus, even after the Temple was destroyed and sacrifices were no longer offered, atonement could still be achieved through Teshuva, repentance, and prayer. The Talmud also says that one’s dinner table takes the place of the altar, and the proper behavior during mealtime serves as atonement.
However, after all the interpretations of sacrifice, Maimonides concludes that the real meaning behind sacrifice remains a chok, something beyond human comprehension. Whether the modern mind can appreciate it or not, the sacrificial order is the will of the Creator. For this reason we pray daily for the Messianic Age when the sacrificial order will again be restored as a part of the Temple service.
“When a person will offer from you a sacrifice…” (Lev. 1:2)
The Talmud learns from this that a person may not offer a sacrifice from stolen property. When Rav Mordechai Shulman, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Slabodka yeshiva, received the equivalent of his first social security check, he expressed great joy. He explained that when he used his paycheck from the yeshiva to make purchases he was always uncomfortable. He was concerned that perhaps he was not doing his job well enough and was therefore undeserving of his check. If so, the purchases he made were thus being paid with stolen money. This might invalidate any mitzvos performed with such money. The social security check, however, was his without any stipulations. He was thus ensured that purchases made with that money were clearly his without any doubt.
Did You Know...
Cities that were surrounded by a wall since the times of Joshua celebrate Purim on the fifteenth of Adar rather than the fourteenth. The primary example of this is Jerusalem.
When the fifteenth falls on Shabbos, since the Megillah is not read on Shabbos, the Purim celebration is spread over three days. On Friday the Megillah is read and gifts to the poor are distributed. On Shabbos, the Al Hanissim prayer is recited in the prayers, and on Sunday the Purim feast is eaten and Mishloach Manos gifts are delivered. This is called Purim Meshulash, the three-part Purim. Visitors to Jerusalem celebrate the holiday on the fifteenth of Adar, too.
