BURNT OFFERINGS

“…it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai.”
Leviticus 1:17b

In the Parashah portion for yesterday I focused on the fact that Leviticus should not be considered a boring book. However, the portion also contained the details for the burnt offering when the offering was an animal from the herd of flock. The burnt offering was able to be a bull, sheep, goat, but was required to be a male with no defect. The person was to bring the animal to the entrance of the tent of meeting to be accepted by Adonai. With his hand laid on the animal’s head, it would be accepted by Adonai as a burnt offering making atonement for the person. The animal would be slaughtered and the cohanim would present the blood by splashing the blood against the sides of the altar. Next the animal would be skinned and cut into pieces, placing pieces on the fire. The smoke rising would be a fragrant offering unto Adonai.
Moving forward, the description of the burnt offering carried into the portion we read the next day. In this piece we read that when the offering was a bird, it was to be a dove or young pigeon. The cohen was to bring it to the altar, snap its head, and offer it on the fire so that the smoke rose on the altar. The blood of the dove or pigeon was to be drained out on the sides of the altar, and the feathers from its neck and food pouch were to be discarded on the east side of the altar. With these instructions, the burnt offerings were to be done making atonement.

Leviticus 1:14 – 2:6