It wasn't just about following rules; it was about timing, intention, and connecting with something far greater than ourselves. Let's delve into a fascinating passage from Sifrei Bamidbar, focusing on the daily offerings, the tamid, and the nuances that made them so meaningful.
Our journey begins with a verse from Bamidbar (Numbers) 28:7, discussing the wine libation that accompanied the daily lamb offering. "And its (wine) libation, a fourth of a hin for the one lamb." The text emphasizes that this libation was poured unmixed, pure, and strong, directly onto the altar as "a pouring of strong drink to the L-rd." It was both poured on the altar and, in a sense, consumed by the altar through the fire. But Rabbi Nathan raises a compelling question: Why is the word "pouring" repeated? Ah, here's where it gets interesting! According to him, the repetition includes the water libation as well!
Now, let's turn our attention to the second lamb, the one offered in the evening. Bamidbar 28:8 states, "And the second lamb." Seems straightforward. But the Rabbis of the Talmud weren’t satisfied with simple. The text anticipates a potential misunderstanding. If the Torah says, "the one lamb shall you offer in the morning," one might assume that if it couldn't be offered in the morning, it could be offered in the evening instead. To clarify, the Torah adds, "the second shall you offer up towards evening," which implies a crucial condition: If the morning tamid wasn't offered, the evening tamid couldn't be offered either – unless the altar had already been properly inaugurated.
Rabbi Shimon presents a fascinating nuance: This rule applies when the delay was unintentional, due to ignorance or external constraint. But if the delay was deliberate, if they intentionally skipped the morning offering, then the evening offering was invalid. He further elaborates on the inauguration of the altar and its vessels. Did you know that the altar was only considered inaugurated with the morning tamid, and the frankincense offering at twilight? Similarly, the table was inaugurated with the showbread of the Sabbath, and the menorah (candelabra) with the seven lamps lit at twilight. Even if the vessels were completed before their designated time, they could only be inaugurated at the correct moment. Timing is everything!
This idea is beautifully illustrated by a verse from Shemot (Exodus) 39:43-40:2, where Moses blesses the people after they completed the construction of the mishkan (tabernacle). The text tells us, "And when Moses saw all the work—that they had performed it as the L-rd had commanded them, thus did they do—that Moses blessed them, saying: On the first day of the first month shall you set up the mishkan, etc." The Sifrei asks: What exactly was the blessing Moses gave? He prayed that the Shechinah, the Divine Presence, would rest upon their work. And the people responded with a verse we still recite today: "May the beauty of the L-rd our G-d be upon us. And establish the work of our hands upon us. The work of our hands—establish it." (Psalm 90:17). Though this specific blessing isn't explicitly written in the Torah, it’s alluded to in the writings, connecting the physical act of building with the spiritual aspiration for divine favor.
Another interpretation of "and the second lamb" addresses a different question. The book of Exodus (12:6) says "and they shall slaughter it at twilight" regarding the Paschal lamb. So, which takes precedence: the daily evening offering or the Paschal lamb? The Torah clarifies: "the second" refers to the tamid, meaning it comes before the Paschal lamb sacrifice. From this, the Rabbis derived a clear order of operations. Nothing precedes the morning tamid except the burning of the frankincense. And nothing follows the evening tamid except the incense, the Paschal offering, and the offerings of those who needed atonement before observing Passover. This ensured everyone could participate in the Passover celebration with a clean slate.
Finally, the passage examines the phrase "As the meal-offering of the morning and its libation shall you offer it." (Bamidbar 28:8). One might assume that the two daily offerings were made first, followed by their respective libations. However, the Torah emphasizes that each sacrifice is accompanied by its libation, ensuring they are offered together.
The text concludes with a powerful reminder about the nature of sacrifice and divine gratification. While offerings are "consigned to the fire," they are only truly accepted when completely consumed. And when the Torah describes these offerings as "a sweet savor," it’s not about literal consumption. As Shimon ben Azzai points out, throughout the Torah, offerings are consistently designated "to the L-rd," using the Tetragrammaton (Yod-Keh-Vav-Keh), the most sacred name of God. This is not done with other names of God, so as not to give fodder to heretics claiming a plurality of gods.
The Torah teaches that there is no "eating" or "drinking" before the Holy One, Blessed be He. His "gratification" lies solely in the fulfillment of His will. As Psalm 50:12-13 states, "Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for Mine is the world and its fullness… Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of he-goats?" Why, then, do we sacrifice? The answer: to do His will. To connect with the divine through acts of obedience and devotion. As Leviticus 22:29 says, "When you sacrifice a thank-offering to the L-rd, it is to your favor that you sacrifice it."
So, what can we take away from this intricate exploration of ancient sacrifices? It's not just about the technicalities of offerings. It’s about the intention, the timing, and the profound connection between humanity and the divine. It reminds us that true "sweet savor" comes not from fulfilling a divine need, but from aligning our will with the will of something greater than ourselves. Perhaps that's a sacrifice we can all strive to make, in our own way, every single day.