“And its innards and its legs he shall wash with water; the priest shall burn everything on the altar, as a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9). “And the innards and the legs he shall wash with water and the priest shall present everything and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:13).
Regarding the bull it says: “[Its innards] and its legs he shall wash with water; [the priest] shall burn.” Regarding the ram it says: “The innards and the legs he shall wash with water and [the priest] shall present.” What is the difference between ram and bull? The bull is lacking lengthwise and widthwise; the ram is not lacking lengthwise and widthwise.35Regarding the ram the verse states that the priest shall wash “the innards and the legs” whereas regarding the bull it states “its innards and its legs.”
This is because the bull requires much additional washing, in a manner that is fit for the unique size and structure of the bull. The Sages said: ‘We derive presentation of the bull from the ram and presentation of the ram from the bull.’36There are aspects of the sacrificial service mentioned in the verses regarding a bull that are absent in the verses regarding the ram, and vice versa. Since the two passages are juxtaposed, and connected with the letter vav (see Leviticus 1:10), the Sages derived that the unique aspects of the service mentioned in connection with each type of animal apply to the other as well.
He [Elijah] said to them: ‘My Rabbis, I am dust under your feet, but may I say a different matter before you?’ They said to him: ‘Speak.’ He said to them: ‘Twelve princes stood at the dedication of the altar. This one had a burnt offering and that one had a burnt offering.
This one had a sin offering and that one had a sin offering..37The bracketed excerpt was bracketed because the text appears to be corrupted, as they did not bring guilt offerings. This one had a peace offering and that one had a peace offering. There, presentation is written regarding the bull and the ram, but here, presentation is written regarding the ram but is not stated regarding the bull. This is so that a person will not say to himself, I will go and perform dreadful acts and inappropriate acts, and I will bring a bull that has much flesh, I will offer it upon the altar, and I will turn to Him for mercy and He will accept me in repentance. That is why presentation is written regarding a ram and presentation is not written regarding a bull.’