Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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The Final Inauguration Offering

Moshe then brings a second ram. Rashi refers to this ram as a peace offering, however the Ramban refers to it as the offering of the inauguration since it was the last offering that was offered during the inauguration making the entrance of Aaron and his sons into the Kehunah complete.

Aaron and his sons lean their hands on the head of the ram.

Moshe slaughters the ram and takes some of its blood and places it upon the middle of Aaron's right ear, his right thumb and right big toe.

Moshe then brings Aaron's sons forward and Moshe puts some of the blood in the middle of their right ear, their right thumb and right big toe.

Moshe then throws the remaining blood all around the altar. He then takes the fat (including the tail), the visceral fat, the diaphragm, 2 kidneys and the right leg.

Moshe then takes one matzah loaf, one loaf of the scalded oil bread and one wafer and places all of these on the fats and the right leg.

Moshe then places all of this into Aaron and his sons' palms and waves them. He then takes this from their palms and burns it on the altar after the burnt offering.

Moshe wore a white tunic (i.e. not the priestly garments) during the entire seven day inauguration period. This, in addition to the fact that this was the only time a leg of a peace offering was offered on the altar* distinguish this offering from usual offerings which are performed by Kohanim (Moshe was a Levite and not a Kohen).

*Side note: Usually the thigh is part of the portion that is given to the Kohanim.

Moshe then takes the breast of the ram and waves it. All of this was done in accordance with how G-d commanded Moshe.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Final Instructions Regarding the Inauguration

Moshe takes some of the anointing oil as well as some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkles it on Aaron, his sons and their clothes, thereby sanctifying them and their clothing.

Moshe then tells Aaron and his sons to cook the flesh of the offering at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and they should eat it there as well as the bread from the basket of the inauguration offerings. Anything which is leftover from this should be burnt on the altar.

Moshe then tells them that they should not leave the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for seven days*, which is to be the period of their inauguration.

*Side note: There are other instances where the Kohen Gadol must separate himself for seven days, namely: Seven days before Yom Kippur and seven days before burning the red heifer.

This requirement to stay at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting is commanded by G-d and if they do leave during that time, they will be liable for death.

Aaron and his sons followed Moshe's instructions exactly, not making even a single mistake throughout.

The Sin and Burnt Offering for the Inauguration

As per G-d's instructions, Moshe performs the following sacrifices:

Sin Offering (Bull)

Moshe brings forward the bull for the sin offering and Aaron and his sons lean their hands upon its head.

Moshe then slaughters the bull and sprinkles some of the blood all around the altar using his forefinger. He then cleans and purifies the altar and pours the rest of the blood onto the base of the altar. This ceremony sanctified the altar so that it had the power to atone from then on.

Moshe then burns the following on the altar: The visceral fat of the bull as well as the diaphragm and a little bit of the liver and its kidneys (with its fat).

And then Moshe burns the rest of the bull - its hide, flesh and waste outside of the camp.

Burnt (Olah) Offering - Ram

Moshe then brings a ram for the burnt offering and Aaron and his sons lean their hands upon its head.

Moshe slaughters the ram and sprinkles some of the blood around the altar.

He then cuts the ram up and burns the head, different parts and fat.

He then washes the internal organs and feet with water and burns the whole ram up.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

The Inauguration of the Mishkan Begins

The following section of Chumash occurred seven days prior to the Mishkan being assembled even though it appears in the text after it (many things in Chumash are not written chronologically),

G-d commands Moshe regarding the inauguration of the Mishkan which started at this time.

He tells him to persuade Aaron and his sons to take the priestly garments, the anointing oil as well as the offerings for the inauguration (mentioned earlier in Parshas VeAtah Tetzaveh in Shmos Chapter 29) which were the bull of the sin offering, 2 rams and a basket of matzos. Although G-d had already given instructions regarding all of this before, now that the time had come to implement it, G-d commands in this regard a second time as an extra encouragement to do it.

G-d then says that Moshe should gather the entire nation into the Ohel Moed. This was miraculous in that technically the Ohel Moed should have been too small to fit the entire nation. There are a few other instances in scripture in which a small space managed to contain something that which was larger than its capacity, including Shmos 9:8 (with Aaron’s fist holding more soot in it than was technically possible), Bamidbar 20:10 (where the whole nation assembled in front of one rock) and Yehoshua 3:9 (where Yehoshua compressed all of the people between two poles of the ark).

So Moshe obeys G-d’s command and assembles everyone inside of the Ohel Moed.

Moshe tells the nations to observe him to see what G-d had commended regarding the inauguration:

Moshe brings the Kohanim (Aaron and his sons) close and immerses them in water.

He then garbs Aaron in his priestly garments: The Kutones (tunic), Avenis (sash), Meil (robe), Ephod (apron), Cheshev (the band/belt of the Ephod), Chosen (the breastplate in which he place the Urim V’Tumim) and Mitznefes (cap) upon which he hung the Tzitz (showplate). (For more info on all of these see earlier in Chumash).

Moshe then takes the anointing oil and anoints everything in the Mishkan with it thus sanctifying everything.

He then sprinkles this oil on the altar seven times and anoints the altar*, its utensils, its washbasin and its base.

*Side note: Rashi notes that he doesn’t know where Moshe was commanded to do this. The Ramban says that this possibly happened in Shmos 40:10 “You shall anoint the altar for the burnt offering and all its implements; you shall sanctify the altar; thus the altar will become a holy of holies.” He says that this indicates that the altar should be anointed like everything else and saying that it will “become a holy of holies” is an allusion to this extra sprinkling described here.

Moshe then anoints Aaron with this oil. First he pours it onto Aaron’s head, and then puts the oil on his eyelashes and then using his finger draws the oil from one eyelash to another.

Moshe then garbs the remaining Kohanim (Aaron’s sons) in their garments: The Kutanos (tunics), Avneit (sashes) and Migbaos (high hats). (See earlier in Chumash for more info on these.)

Thanksgiving Offerings. Some Kosher Laws. Peace Offerings.

Now the Chumash will detail the laws regarding Peace Offerings.

Thanksgiving Offerings

Thanksgiving offerings are given when someone miraculously survives from a dangerous situation such as: someone coming back from traveling in the sea or desert, someone released from prison or a sick person who healed.

Such an offering should consist of 10 loaves of each of these, making up 5 “Jerusalemim se’in (which is equivalent to what was calculated as 6 se’in in the desert. It’s measurement was 20 issaron (1/10 of an ephahs).

* Unleavened bread mixed with oil

* Unleavened wafers smeared with oil

* Unleavened loaves by scalding fine flour and mixed with oil

* Leavened bread.

These breads did not have an “inherent” holiness to them the way some other offerings would. Meaning that if it left the Courtyard or it came into contact with someone who immersed that day (but won’t be atoned till that night) this would not deem it invalid.  Also, it could not be redeemed as non holy until after the offering is made.

One loaf of each of the four varieties is to be given to the Kohen who performs the service, and the rest is to be eaten by the owner. All of the meat from the sacrifices goes to the owner, except for the breast and thigh which go to the Kohen, just like with peace offerings (since thanksgiving offerings are considered peace offerings).

This offering must be eaten the day that it is sacrificed. There may not be any leftover the morning after. In the gemara (Brachos 2a) it states that it must be eaten by midnight, even though technically a person had the whole night to eat it. This is to distance a person from sinning (by eating it the next morning).

If however, a person brings this thanksgiving offering not for a miracle they experienced but rather as a vow or donation, it doesn’t require bread to be a part of it and it may be eaten for 2 days after it is sacrificed and then whatever is left over from its meat on the 3rd day should be burnt on the altar.

If while offering up the sacrifice a person has in mind to eat it on the 3rd day, then this will invalidate the offering even if they end up eating it during the permitted time.

If the meat from the peace offering touches anything impure, it should not be eaten.

Anyone who is pure may eat from the meat. Unlike with guilt and sin offerings, peace offerings may be eaten by anyone pure throughout Jerusalem (and not just in the temple Courtyard).

If an impure person does eat this meat, he will be excised from the nation of Israel. The gemara in Shavuos (7a) details three different types of excommunication that result from an impure person eating something holy: 1)More general (no specification of what the holy food is). 2)Specifically in regards to eating a peace offering and 3)regarding offerings which are given in proportion to a person’s financial means.

A pure person who eats something impure however, is not punished such.

If a person touches something impure, like a human impurity or an animal carcass and then eats meat from a holy sacrifice, he will be excised from the nation.

Some Kosher Laws

G-d now instructs Moshe in some kosher laws.

The Israelites are forbidden from eating any fat from ox, sheep or goats.

They are forbidden from eating from the fat from any animal which died on its own (neveila) or was torn to death (treifa). If a person eats the forbidden fat from these animals they would be doubly culpable – for eating the fat in addition to eating the forbidden animal. It is not forbidden to otherwise derive benefit from these animals (without eating them). Eating of these forbidden fats would cause a person to be excised.

It is forbidden to eat the blood of fowl or any animal. This does not include the blood of fish or grasshoppers. Anyone who does eat such blood with be excised.

Peace Offerings

G-d now gives instructions regarding the bringing of the peace offering.

The owner should bring the offering himself, and the owner should place his hands above the offering and the Kohen’s hands beneath it and as such they wave it.

When the offering is brought from the slaughtering area, the owner is to place the fat on the breast, however when giving it to the Kohen to wave, the breast is placed above the fat.

After this waving, it is given to the Kohen who burns it, with once again the breast below and the fat above.

Only the fat is burnt, and the breast meat is given to the Kohanim to eat.

An animal’s leg consists of three long bones – the femur, the tibia and the metatarsus. The joint connecting the metatarsus and the tibia is referred to as the “arkubah”. The tibia (in hebrew “shok”) of the animal is given as a gift to any Kohen who participates in the officiating of this peace offering (so long as he was pure when officiating).

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Sacrifices and Kohanim

Priestly Sacrifices

G-d now gives Moshe instructions regarding some sacrifices that the Kohanim are to offer.

The Kohen Gadol is to offer a 1/20 of an ephah of fine flour daily. Half in the morning and half in the afternoon.

Regular Kohanim are to offer such an offering on the day of their inauguration.

This offering should be scalded in water in a pan, then baked in an oven and then fried in a pan. It is then folded over vertically and then horizontally and is burnt on the altar like that.

Whichever Kohen is anointed in the place of the Kohen Gadol is to burn this offering.

Any offering of a Kohen is to be burnt up in its entirety (i.e not just part of it scooped up to be burnt and the rest eaten).

Sin Offerings

G-d now instructs Moshe in regards to sin offerings. He says that sin offerings should be slaughtered in the same location as burnt (Olah) offerings.

The Kohen who preforms the sin offering service (i.e. he must have been pure at the time of the sprinkling of the blood) may eat of it in the Courtyard, as may the other Kohanim.

Any food that touches and absorbs the flesh of this sacrifice will take on the status of this offering. I.e if the sin offering is invalid, this other food becomes invalid too. And if the sin offering is valid then the other food must be eaten with the stringency of a sin offering. If any of the blood of the offering gets sprinkled onto a garment, that garment must be laundered in the Courtyard.

If this offering was cooked in an earthenware vessel, the vessel must be broken. This is because such a vessel absorbs meat juices and thus these absorbed juices will become notar (meat left uneaten after its allotted time). If it was cooked in a copper vessel however, this vessel just needs to be scoured and rinsed in water to get rid of the absorption of the meat.

Any male Kohen is permitted to eat of this offering.

If some of the blood from an external sin offering (i.e of a regular person) is brought to the inside of the Mishkan, it becomes invalid and not eaten. Rather it should be burnt up.

Guilt Offerings

After designating an animal for an offering, one may not substitute another in its stead. If a person does so, then for a burnt and peace offering, both animals are offered up. In the case of a guilt offering, while the substitute animal takes on a level of sanctity in so far as it is not to be slaughtered or used for work, only the original animal is offered up. This substitute animal is allowed to graze until it develops a blemish at which point it is sold and the money obtained from it takes on its sanctity and voluntary offerings are purchased with it.

The guilt offering is slaughtered in the same place as the burn offering and then its blood is to be thrown all around the altar.

These are the parts of the offering that are burnt on the altar: It's fat, including its tail (since a guilt offering is either a ram or a sheep - both of which's tails are included in the offering), its visceral fat, its kidneys (and fat), diaphragm and liver.

If the owner of a guilt offering dies or if the original animal which was designated for the offering is lost and thus the owner uses another animal to atone, and then the original animal is found - this animal is to be sent out to graze until it becomes blemished and thus unfit for sacrifice. It is then sold and this money is used to get burnt offerings. Even before this animal becomes blemished, once it is sent out to pasture it loses its status as a guilt offering.

This offering is permitted to be eaten by any male Kohen so long as they are fit to perform the corresponding service (this excludes a Kohen who 1)had a certain type of impurity that required immersion and then to wait until sundown before performing these services and he and only immersed that day, or 2)an impure Kohen who needs to bring an offering to purify themselves and hasn't yet done so or 3)a mourner on the day that their relative died).

In the case of burnt (Olah) offerings, the Kohen keeps the hide of the offering - so long as he doesn't fall into any of those three categories of exclusion stated in the last paragraph.

Meal offerings which were baked or made in deep or shallow pans were given to the extended family (beit avot)* of the Kohen who offered up this sacrifice.

*Side note: The Kohanim were divided into 24 groups (mishmarot, lit "watches"). Each of these were subdivided into 6 family groups called "Beit Avot". Each "watch" would perform the ceremonies in the Beis Hamikdash for one week 2-3x per year, with each of the Beit Avot officiating on one weekday, with individual duties assigned by lots. On Shabbos, the entire watch would draw lots for these duties and on the festivals, all of the Kohanim (not just the specific watch who's turn it was) would draw lots for duties.

Voluntary meal offerings (which were mixed with oil), meal offerings of a sinner (which had no oil in it) or a meal offering of jealousy (i..e that of a sotah which also didn't have oil in it) were all given to the Kohanim.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

More about Burnt and Meal Offerings

Burnt (Olah) Offerings

G-d tells Moshe to command Aaron and his sons regarding the Olah offering. The word used for "command" is צו. Whenever this word is used to issue a command (as opposed to דבר or אמור which are more softer terms meaning "to tell"), this is to indicate:

* A sense of urgency

* That what is being commanded must be done immediately

* That what is being commanded must be done by future generations as well.

Rabbi Shimon explained that when loss of money is involved, scripture calls for extra urgency. In this case, this pertains to the Kohanim forgoing a regular means of earning a livelihood in order to perform the sacrificial duties. While this is true with all offerings, in the case of the Olah offering the loss is especially great as they only receive the hides of the offerings and not the meat and hides as they do with other offerings.

The command issued here is in regards to a few things in relation to the Olah offering:

* It is permissible to burn the fats and other parts of the sacrificial animal throughout the entire night following the day it is offered up.

* Regarding which invalid sacrifices which have already been put on the altar must be taken down and which can stay up. This would not include an animal which was a partner in bestiality, as such an animal would have been disqualified from before it entered into the Courtyard.

G-d gives instructions for the Kohen to wear his linen tunic (made to his size) and pants (he must wear nothing underneath these pants). He is then to scoop out a full pan of ashes from the innermost part of the burnt sacrifice and place these on the east side of the ramp leading up to the altar. If in this process he finds some animal parts that have not been consumed, he must put these on the altar to burn.

This Kohen is then to change into different, less prestigious clothes and bring the ashes to an area outside of the camp. This changing of clothing is not required but rather is done out of respect. It is likened to a servant who after cooking for his master (and getting his clothes dirty as a result) changes into different clothing when preparing to serve wine to his master. It is thus not proper that a Kohen wear the same special clothing that he wears when doing his ceremonial duties as he does when pouring out the ashes (which will get him dirty).

There are 2 requirements in regards to the ashes:

1)To "lift out" some of the innermost ashes and place them next to the altar. This was done every day and

2)To "take out" ashes which have overflown on the altar (in an "apple shaped" pile) to a place outside of the camp. This was not done every day but only periodically as needed.

The daily morning Olah offering is to be the first sacrifice burnt of the day and the daily evening Olah offering is to be the last sacrifice burnt of the day.

There is to be a flame perpetually burning on the altar which is used to light the menorah daily. Extinguishing this flame is a transgression of two negative commandments (as the prohibition against doing so is stated in both verses 5 and 6 (Vayikra, Chapter 6).

Meal Offerings

All meal offerings must include oil and frankincense, both those of regular Israelites and Kohanim.

This offering must be brought to the south western corner of the altar.

The Kohen must scoop out 1/10 of an ephah of this offering using his fist. This portion must be scooped out from an area that has a good amount of oil mixed into it and must be from only that one meal offering (i.e. not mixed with another meal offering). This scoop, together with all of the frankincense must be burnt on the altar.

The Kohanim are then to eat the remainder of this unleavened bread from this offering (which was not burnt) in the holy Courtyard. Just as the part that was burnt was forbidden from leavening, so too is this part which is eaten not allowed to leaven.

If the meal offering was offered by a sinner, then just like with a sin offering, the Kohen must have in mind what the offering is for to render it valid. If however the meal offering is voluntary, then like with a guilt offering, even if the Kohen doesn't have a specific intention for what this offering is for, it still remains valid.

For generations thereafter, all Kohanim (even blemished Kohanim who are unable to perform the actual sacrificial duties) may eat of what is left over from these sacrifices.

Regular food or lesser sacrifices which come into contact with meal offerings absorbs the status of the meal offering. I.e. if the meal offering is invalid, this other food becomes invalid. If the meal offering is valid, this other food is valid but must be eaten in accordance with the rules of the meal offering (i.e. it must be eating on holy ground and either during the day that it was offered or until midnight the following night).

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

More Sin and Guilt Offerings

Sin Offerings According to Financial Means

If a person who needs to bring a sin offering can't afford to get 2 turtledoves or 2 young doves, then he should bring 1/10 of an ephah of fine flour but not add oil or frankincense to it as it is not proper for this kind of offering to be "splendid".

This person must then bring this flour to a Kohen and the Kohen will scoop 3 fingers full of it and burn it on the altar. It must be burnt with the intention of it being a sin offering for it to be valid.

Through this procedure the Kohen will be able to atone the person of their sin and he will be forgiven.

The content of this offering varies in proportion to how rich or poor the sinner is (rather than it being based on the severity of the sin as one might have thought. See yesterday's aliyah for more info). A rich person is to bring a female sheep or goat. A poor person is to bring 2 turtledoves or 2 young doves. A very poor person is to bring 1/10th of an ephah of flour.

If a person started out rich, and after sinning set aside money to bring his appropriate offering (female sheep or goat) but then subsequently became poor, he should use some of the money he set aside to buy 2 turtledoves or young doves and is allowed to keep the rest for himself. If a person started out on the level of someone who would bring 2 turtledoves and set aside money for this and then becomes even poorer, he should use some of this money to get the offering of the flour, and keep the rest of the money for himself.

By contrast, if a person starts out poor and after sinning sets aside money to get the flour offering and then subsequently becomes wealthy, he must bring the offering of a rich person.

If the person bringing the flour offering is not a Kohen, after the Kohen burns the 3 finger full amount on the altar, the Kohanim eat the rest of it. If the sinner bringing the offering is a Kohen himself, the entire amount of flour is to be burnt on the altar.

Using a Consecrated Object Inappropriately

If a person uses a consecrated object in a way that it was not intended for (for example (but not limited to) eating meat intended for a sacrifice) they must bring a guilt offering of an unblemished two year old ram with a value of at least two shekels. Also, he must give back what he had inappropriately used + 1/5th to the Kohen and the Kohen will then atone him.

Unintentional Sin

If a person is not sure but thinks he may have committed a sin that would be liable for kares he must bring something called an Asham Talui (lit. a "suspended guilt offering). The example Rashi gives for this is if someone is presented with forbidden fat as well as permitted fat to eat and thinking that they were both permitted, he eats one of them. It then comes to his attention that one of them was forbidden but he doesn't know if that was the one he ate. If however he subsequently becomes aware that he definitely sinned, he must bring a sin offering. The offering he must bring in this case is an unblemished ram in the value of a guilt offering and a Kohen will thus atone him.

Rashi brings down the thoughts of a few commentaries on the bigger ramifications of this sacrifice:

Rabbi Yossi the Galielean: If a person is punished if he doesn't even know if he sinned or not, how much more so will someone who definitely knows that they sinned be punished.

Rabbi Yossi: Adam was given just one negative commandment and he transgressed it. As a result, he was punished with the loss of immortality which resulted in many deaths for future generations. The giving of goodness must be greater than punishment. So if Adam was so severely punished for transgressing one commandment, how much more will a person be rewarded if they refrain from eating something forbidden like pigul (a sacrifice made invalid due to improper intent at the time of being sacrificed) or notar (a part of a sacrifice left over after its prescribed time), or if a person fasts on Yom Kippur.

Rabbi Akiva: Rabbi Akiva cites a teaching in Devarim 17:6 "By the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall the one liable to death be put to death" and asks why scripture needs to reference a third witness if two are enough? He says that this is to teach that this third witness is judged with equal severity as the other two, showing that an accessory to a sin is punished as if they committed the sin themselves. How much more so is someone who is an accessory to a good deed rewarded.

Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah: Just as one is punished for committing a sin inadvertently, blessings come to a person who commits a good deed unintentionally, for example if a coin falls out from a person's pants and a poor person finds it and benefits from it, the person who lost the coin will be blessed.

False Denials

If a person falsely denies under oath something concerning a money deposit, a loan, a robbery or withholding funds from a hired worker, or if he finds a lost object but denies it, he must return that which he has to the rightful owner. He must also bring an unblemished ram as a guilt offering and the Kohen will thus atone him.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

To sponsor an episode please visit: https://itistaught.com/support-this-project/To get the daily chumash summaries in your email click here  https://substack.com/profile/182692001-sarede-rachel-switzer?utm_source=profile-page.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on Apple PodcastsPlease consider leaving a review on the platform of your choice! For comments and inquiries, email [email protected]

Individual Sin and Guilt Offerings

Individual Sin Offerings

If a person inadvertently transgresses a commandment, once they become aware of their mistake they must bring an offering of a female goat or sheep.

The procedure for this offering is the same as with a peace offering and a person must have the intention that the offering is a sin offering.

The goat or sheep must be unblemished and the procedure is as follows:

The person is to lay their hands on the offering and slaughter it in the area of the Olah offerings.

The Kohen is then to take some of its blood in his hand and throw it around the horns of the altar and the rest of the blood should be poured onto the base of the altar.

And then he burns the the same fat and other parts that are specified with the peace offering (the sheep's tail is sacrificed but not that of the goat).

Guilt Offerings

The following people must bring "guilt offerings":

* Someone involved in a monetary dispute is allowed to demand that someone who is able to testify in their favor do so. If this alleged witness refuses, saying that he has no knowledge of the case, the litigant can ask him to swear on this. If the alleged witness then says amen or even remains silent when such an oath is administered to him and then he later he admits that he lied - such a person must bring a guilt offering.

* Eating sacrifices (AKA "holy things"/"Kedoshim") or entering into the Beis HaMikdash intentionally while in a state of impurity is punishable by Kares. If one does so unintentionally, he is liable to bring a guilt offering. The following items are listed as things that if a person touches any of the following things and after touching any of these things ate from a sacrifice (AKA "holy things" - "kedoshim") or entered the Beis HaMikdash they must bring a guilt offering:

* an animal carcass

* a dead person or

* a person who has a discharge that renders them impure (i.e. zavin or zavos) or

* a man who had relations with a niddah or

* Someone who eats meat from a kosher bird that has not been shechted but was unaware of his impurity before eating the kedoshim or entered the Beis HaMikdash

* If a person makes a verbal oath to do harm or good to himself and does not fulfill it.

Once a person becomes aware of their transgression in any of these cases, they must bring an offering of a female sheep or goat and the Kohen will thus atone the person of their sin.

If a person can't afford a sheep or a goat, he should bring 2 turtledoves or 2 young doves. One for a sin offering and one for an olah offering. The sin offering is sacrificed first, since if someone wrongs a king, it is common to placate the king first (sin offering) and then give him a gift (olah offering). For the sin offering, the Kohen does melikah (cutting at the neck) on the bird but cuts only one of the "signs" instead of two which is done in the case of an olah offering (the two signs are the esophagus and the trachea).

The sin and olah offering in this case also differ in so far that with the sin offering the blood must be both sprinkled and squeezed out, while with the olah offering only the squeezing out of the blood is necessary.

One must have the intention that the first offering is a sin offering in order for it to count as such.

Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L

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Sin Offerings

G-d gives Moshe instructions regarding sin offerings.

Sin offerings are brought when someone unintentionally violates: a negative commandment that is punishable by kares (lit. "excision". Rashi interprets this to mean premature death for the sinner and his offspring) either in whole or in part (eg. if someone partially wrote out a person's name on Shabbos, like they wrote "Shim" from the name "Shimon").

A Kohen Gadol's Sin Offering

If the Kohen Gadol sins, this is a bigger deal than if a regular person does since it means that he isn't representing the nation properly before G-d and it will lead to their guilt. Thus in order for a Kohen Gadol to have to bring a sin offering, 2 criteria must be met, which would make his sin equivalent to a communal sin offering:

1)He must have erred in his interpretation of the law and

2)He acted accordingly - i.e he sinned unintentionally on the basis of this mistaken interpretation.

This differs from a regular individual sin offering since in that case a person knows the correct law but sins inadvertently in it's regard.

The sin offering of such a Kohen Gadol must be a three year old unblemished bull.

The Kohen Gadol must bring the bull to the entrance of the Ohel Moed and lean his hands on its head and slaughter it. Another Kohen then comes and takes some of the bull's blood and brings it to the Ohel Moed. He dips his finger into it and sprinkles it seven times before G-d towards the curtain of the Kodesh HaKedoshim, i.e. the Paroches. The blood is not meant to touch the Paroches, however if it does, this doesn't disqualify the offering.

The Kohen is then to put some of the blood on the horns of the incense altar and burn it there. He then is to pour the remaining blood onto the base of the Olah offering altar, situated at the entrance to the Ohel Moed. He is then to remove the fat that covers the internal organs of the bull as well as its kidneys, diaphragm and liver and burn up all of this. This is all just like is done with a Peace offering, to show that just like a Peace offering brings Peace so does this Sin offering bring peace.

The bull's skin, flesh, head, feet, internal organs and waste are brought to the outside camp, to the area where the ashes from previous offerings were brought (even if there are no ashes there at that time, these are to be brought to that place) and placed on wood and burnt there.

A Communal Sin Offering

If the Sanheidrin makes a mistake and rules that a transgression which is liable for kareis is permitted, and the community acts upon this ruling, once this becomes known, the community must offer a sin offering of a young bull.

This young bull is to be brought before the Ohel Moed and the members of the Sanheidrin are to lay their hands upon its head and someone is then to slaughter it. The designated kohen will then bring part of the bull's blood to the Ohel Moed and dip his fingers in it and sprinkle it seven times towards the Paroches*. The Kohen then puts some of the blood on the horns of the altar and the rest of it is poured onto the western base of the Olah offering's altar. This offering then follows the same order and details as the Kohen Gadol's sin offering mentioned above. The text does not go into all the details here the way it did for the Kohen Gadol's offering. Rashi says that this is likened to a person who in discussing the dishonor of a friend of theirs, will be as brief as possible about it.

There were 4 applications of blood made to the inner altar and 7 to the outer altar. Even if one application of the blood is left out, this would disqualify the offering.

*Side note: Above when describing this ceremony with the Kohen Gadol's sin offering, the Paroches is referred to in the text as "the curtain of the holy" whereas here it is simply referred to as the "curtain". This is to show that when just one person sins, even if its the Kohen Gadol, the holiness does not depart that holy temple, however if the entire community sins, then it departs.

A Ruler's Sin Offering

A generation is a fortunate one if they are lucky enough to have a leader who takes accountability for unintentionally sinning. This shows how much more accountability they will take if they intentionally sin.

Once such a ruler realizes his mistake/inadvertent sin, he must offer an unblemished male goat. He must lean his hands on its head and slaughter it in the same place that Olah offerings are slaughtered, i.e. on the north side of the altar.

The Kohen will then take some of the goat's blood with his forefinger and place it on the horns of the Olah offerings' altar and pour its blood on the base of this altar. And just like with the peace offering, all of its' fats are to be burned (i.e. not its tail as is done with a sheep which is offered as an Olah).