Korbanot (Sacrifices and Offerings)

There is no getting around it: the Torah talks a lot about animal sacrifices, libations and all that. With all the spiritual opportunities available to us, why are missing the sacrificing of an actual animal?

Why, if a person sinned and wished to make atonement, or he was just in a generous mood and wished to offer something to G‑d, does he sacrifice an innocent animal? Why doesn’t he sacrifice himself, for example?

I can see the experiential quality of it all -- an ancient temple with heavenly music and mystical song, priests in flowing robes deep in meditation, mesmerizing, choreographed ritual. But why the barbeque?

Why Confine G-d to a Single Place? Parshas Terumah relates G-d’s command to take gold and silver and other articles (13 different substances according to some commentaries,Shir HaShirim Rabbah 4:13; Zohar, Vol. II, p. 148a; Midrash Tanchuma, Terumah, ...

The Eternal Relevance of the Beis HaMikdash The Book of Vayikra concerns itself primarily with the sacrificial offeringsSee the Ramban’ s preface to the Book of Vayikra. which were one of the central services carried out in both the Sanctuary and the ...

From man I expect good and bad. From G-d I expected only good. Until I learned about the animal sacrifices. Apparently G-d actually wants them. Imagine, a place set aside for slaughter -- in a temple!

The Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom DovBer begins his first treatiseKuntres HaTefillah (Tract on Prayer). Written in 1900, fifth edition printed in Brooklyn, 1946. [English rendition, Brooklyn, 1992.] written for the students of the Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim, ...

For the record, I should state that I value moderation. I try to practice it and I teach it to my kids. So when the reporter blurted out, "You're pretty radical!" I took that as a pejorative comment...

"She demanded Medical School or else!" "She force fed me chicken soup -- intravenously!" Jewish novelists have made millions denouncing their mothers to the world...