When the Holy One Looks With Favor on the One Who Brings an Offering

"And it shall be accepted for him" (Leviticus 1:4) teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, looks with favor on the one who brings it. For what does the Holy One look with favor upon him? If you should say it is for matters that carry the death penalty of the court, death at the hand of Heaven, excision at the hand of Heaven, the forty lashes, sin offerings and guilt offerings, behold, their punishment has already been stated. Rather, for what does the Holy One look with favor upon him? For a positive commandment and for a negative commandment that carries with it a remedy of positive action. Rabbi Shimon says: "And it shall be accepted for him" and "for his sacrifice" together teach that even though he did not perform the laying-on of hands, the sacrifice is accepted. "And it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him" refers to that which makes atonement. And what makes atonement for him? This is the blood, as it is said, "for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life" (Leviticus 17:11). I know only of clean blood; from where do I learn unclean blood? When it says, "And Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things" (Exodus 28:38), which iniquity does he bear? If the iniquity of refuse-thought sacrifice, it has already been said, "It is an abomination, it shall not be accepted" (Leviticus 19:7). If the iniquity of leftover sacrifice, it has already been said, "it shall not be reckoned." So which iniquity does he bear? The iniquity of impurity, which is permitted from its general rule in a public offering. I know only the iniquity of the blood; from where do I learn the handful, the frankincense, the incense, the priests' meal offering, the anointed priest's meal offering, and the meal offering of the libations? Scripture teaches, "for all their holy gifts" (Exodus 28:38). I know only of the offerings of men; from where do I learn those of women? I know only of those of Israel; from where do I learn those of converts and of slaves? Scripture teaches, "the iniquity of the holy things" (Exodus 28:38), which includes them. Since we have found that there is no atonement except through blood, why does Scripture say "and he shall lay his hand and it shall be accepted"? To teach that if he performed the laying-on of hands, which is a remainder of the commandment, it is as though atonement had not yet been made for him until he does so. Rabbi Shimon says: That which he is responsible to provide, he is liable for; and that which he is not responsible to provide, he is not liable for. What is the implication? Rabbi Yitzchak bar Avdimi said: Since he said "upon me," it is as though he carries it upon his shoulder. Rami bar Chama said: We require the laying-on of hands to be done with all one's strength. For if it should enter your mind that we do not require all one's strength, what is he actually doing? Let him just lay his hand lightly. They raised an objection: "Speak to the children of Israel" (Leviticus 1:2) means the sons of Israel lay on hands, but the daughters of Israel do not lay on hands; and the rest of the passage teaches that women were permitted to lay on hands merely to give them satisfaction of spirit. But if it should enter your mind that we require the laying-on of hands to be done with all one's strength, would we perform a service upon the holy things merely for the satisfaction of the women? Indeed we always require it to be done with full strength, for he says to them, "Press lightly with your hands" [the woman lays a hand without exerting force]. If so, then what is taught there, "not because the laying-on of hands applies to women"? It should simply derive that there is no laying-on of hands for women at all. This is what it means: not because the laying-on of hands is of binding significance for women, since there is no real laying-on of hands for them at all, but the whole matter is done to give the women satisfaction of spirit.