והקרבתם על הלחם שבעה כבשים...
On account of the bread you shall offer seven lambs... (Vayikra 23:18-20)

וביום הבכורים ... והקרבתם עולה ...
On the day of the First-Fruits ... you shall offer an olah-offering ... (Bamidbar 28:26-31)

QUESTION: How many offerings were made on Shavuot and for what purpose?

ANSWER: Throughout the year, on every day of the week, including Shabbat and Yom Tov, there was a daily offering known as the Karban Tamid — continual offering — which was brought on the altar in the morning and afternoon.

On Shabbat and Yom Tov there were special offerings known as musafim — additional [sacrifices]. Likewise, on Shavuot, there were the musafim. These consisted of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs which were brought as olot — burnt-offerings — plus prescribed meal offerings and libations. In addition, a male goat was offered for atonement (Bamidbar 28:27, 30).

The highlight of the Shavuot offerings were the Shtei Halechem — Two Loaves — which made the newly harvested crop permissible from then on for meal-offerings in the Beit Hamikdash. Each of the loaves were made of one tenth of a ephah (approx. five pounds) of very fine wheat flour. Unlike all other meal-offerings which were brought as matzah — unleavened bread — [except 10 loaves of the Todah — thanksgiving-offering], the Two Loaves of Shavuot were baked as chametz — leavened bread.

On account of the Two Loaves seven lambs, one bull and two rams were offered as olot — burnt-offerings. One goat was also offered as a sin-offering. Additionally, there were two lambs as shelamim (shalmei tzibbur) — communal peace-offerings — which are considered chovat halechem — an obligation for the bread. Of all the animals, however, only the two communal peace-offering lambs were dependent on the Two Loaves, to the extent that if the loaves were unavailable, the two lambs were not brought either.

Thus, in addition to the two daily communal offerings there were another twenty four animal offerings brought on Shavuot.

(רמב"ם הלכות תמידין ומוספין פ"ח)


Twenty Six Animal Offerings

QUESTION: What is the significance of having twenty six offerings on Shavuot?

ANSWER: When Hashem revealed Himself at Sinai for the giving of the Torah, the Jewish people experienced what the Zohar (Vayikra 73a) says, “The Jewish people, the Torah, and the Holy One blessed be He, are one.”

In Hebrew language offerings are called karbanot, which is derived from the root word karov — coming near — because an offering is a means to bring oneself closer to Hashem.

Hashem is known by seven Holy Names and various titles which describe some of His Attributes. The holiest of all is the Ineffable Hebrew Four-letter Name, י-ה-ו-ה, the Tetragrammaton. This Name has the numerical value of twenty six.

The Baal Shem Tov explains the pasuk “vehayamin ha’eilu nizkarim vena’asim” — “these days are remembered and celebrated” (Esther 9:28) to mean that when these days (holidays) are remembered, then v’na’asim — all the revelations which were done (took place) originally, are again repeated every year throughout the generations.

Thus, the glorious unification of Israel, Torah and Hashem which took place at the time of the giving of the Torah is repeated annually when we celebrate the Festival of Shavuot and commemorate the giving of Torah on the sixth day of Sivan.

To express our eagerness to again experience this unique unification, we offer on Shavuot, karbanot — which alludes to the concept of coming near — in the amount of twenty six (the numerical value of His Name).

(שובע שמחות מר' מנחם מענדל זצ"ל מסטריזוב)


Order of Offerings

QUESTION: Was there any order of priority in bringing on the altar the additional twenty four offerings on the altar?

ANSWER: There are three opinions.

1) According to Minchat Chinuch

There was no order of priority regarding the offering of the Yom Tov musafim and the other animals which were on account the loaves. However, there is a general rule that a chatat — sin offering — precedes an olah — burnt-offering. Hence the goats, being sin-offerings, are offered first. Regarding the burnt-offerings which consisted of oxen, rams and lambs, priority is given to the ones offered with the most nesachim — libations. Thus, the three oxen are first, followed by the three rams, and the fourteen lambs are last. (See Vayikra 15:1-12.)

(מנחת חינוך מצוה ש"ז)

2) According to Tosafot

In the commentary of Da’at Zekeinim MiBa’alei Hatosafot to Bamidbar 28:25, the following question is asked: “On Shavuot there were two he-goats offered as sin-offerings to atone for tumat — impurity — of the Beit Hamikdash and its sacred objects. It atoned for the following acts: entering the grounds of the Beit Hamikdash in a state of impurity, eating that which is holy while in a state of impurity, or eating something holy which has become impure, even though the one who eats it is pure. If so, why is it that in the amidah of musaf when the offerings are mentioned, many (except Nusach Ari) say only ”se’ir izim echad l’chatat” — “one he-goat for a sin offering” — instead of saying “ushenei si’irim” — “two he-goats”?

Tosafot answers that the reason is that the musaf amidah takes the place of the karban musaf which was offered in the Beit Hamikdash on that festival. Since one of the he-goats of that day (the one which came because of the Two Loaves) was already offered in the morning, we do not mention it in the musaf prayer.

Accordingly, it is evident that Tosafot opines that the Two Loaves and the offerings associated with them were offered in the morning after the tamid shel shachar — morning daily offering. This was followed by the musafim — which were brought before the tamid shel bein ha’arbayim — afternoon daily offering.

3) According to Rambam

In describing the offerings of Shavuot the Rambam (Temidim Umusafimi 8:1) writes

“The fiftieth day of the Omer counting is the Festival of Shavuot. On that day a musaf offering is offered similar to the Rosh Chodesh musaf offering: two oxen, one ram, seven lambs — all of these are olot — burnt-offerings — and a he goat as a sin-offering. These are the offerings listed in the Book of Numbers (Bamidbar) and they are the musaf — additional offering — of the day.
In addition to the musaf on this day, [there was] a new offering of Two Loaves, and together with the loaves they offered an ox, two rams, seven lambs as burnt-offerings, one he-goat as a sin-offering and two lambs as shelamim — peace-offerings and these are the offerings listed in Chumash Vayikra.”

From the wording of the Rambam and from his listing first the offerings listed in Bamidbar and then Vayikra (which is the reverse of their order in Torah) it is evident that in his opinion the Musaf offerings preceded the offerings connected with the Two Loaves.


ושני שעירים לכפר
And two he-goats for atonements (Musaf for Festivals)

QUESTION: In most Siddurim it says “se’ir izim echad l’chatat” — “one he-goat for a sin-offering.” Why in the Chabad Nusach Ari Siddur, compiled by the founder of Chabad Chassidut, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, known as the Alter Rebbe, in the Shavuot musaf prayer does it state “ushenei se’irim lechapeir” — “and two he-goats for atonement”?

ANSWER: As explained above, there are various opinions as to when during the day the he-goats were offered. According to the Rambam, the first he-goat was brought as a musaf offering, and the second followed after.

Apparently, the Alter Rebbe concurs with the opinion of the Rambam and therefore, he instructed to say in the musaf prayer, “Ushenei seirim l’chapeir” — “two he-goats for atonement.”

(מנחת חינוך, מצוה שי"ז, וברכת אברהם מר' אברהם ז"ל מחרסון, סימן ג', מלבי"ם על ויקרא, שו"ת בנין שלמה מר' שלמה הכהן ז"ל מ'ווילנא, או"ח בהשמטות סי' כ"א)