Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Ḥanan, both of them in the name of Rabbi Azarya of Kefar Ḥitaya, said: This is analogous to a king who had two chefs. One of them cooked him a cooked dish, he came, ate it, and it was tasty for him. The second prepared a cooked dish, and he ate it, and it was tasty for him, but we do not know which of them was tastier for him. However, from the fact that he [later] commands the second and says to him: ‘Prepare for me [another] cooked dish like that one,’ we know that the second is tastier for him.
So too, Noah sacrificed an offering, and it was pleasant for the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord smelled the pleasant aroma” (Genesis 8:21). Israel sacrificed and it was pleasant for the Holy One blessed be He, but we do not know which of them19Noah’s sacrifice or Israel’s sacrifice. was more pleasant. However, from what He commands Israel and says to them: “My pleasing aroma, you shall observe, to sacrifice to Me” (Numbers 28:2), we know that Israel’s is more pleasant.20He commanded Israel to keep sacrificing offerings, and did not command Noah to do so.
That is what is written: “The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in previous years” (Malachi 3:4). “As in the days of old,” as in the days of Moses; “and as in previous years,” as in the years of Solomon. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: “As in the days of old,” as in the days of Noah, “and as in previous years,” as in the days of Abel, as there was no idol worship in his days.
Rabbi Avin said two [statements]. Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to a king who was reclining upon his divan. They brought him the first cooked food and it was tasty for him. He began wiping [mamḥeh] the bowl clean.
So too, “I will offer burnt offerings of fattened animals [meḥim]” (Psalms 66:15); it is as though He is wiping the bowl clean. Rabbi Avin said another, Rabbi Avin said: This is analogous to a king who was walking in the wilderness. He arrived at the first lodge, ate there, and drank there. He arrived at the second lodge, ate there, drank there, and stayed the night there.
So too, regarding the repetition of [the term] burnt offering: “This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering…on the altar all night until the morning” (Leviticus 6:2). From here [it may be derived that] the burnt offering in its entirety is completely [burned] in the fires.21The fact that the verse repeats the term burnt offering in commanding Israel about the laws of the burnt offering implies that God loves Israel’s burnt offerings, like the first analogy in which the king wiped his bowl.
Additionally, the verse states that it is burned upon the altar all night, similar to the second analogy in which the king decided to stay the night at the second lodge, because he liked it better (Midrash HaMevoar).