Sacrifices

Shavua Tov. There is a classic debate between the Rambam and Ramban regarding קרבנות. The Rambam felt that sacrifices were introduced in the Torah so that Jewish people would have something to relate to. This was because all kinds of strange sacrificial practices were prevalent around them.

The Ramban felt that there was קדושה in the offering of sacrifices, and it had nothing to do with pagan practices. The offering of קרבנות was a way to find atonement and closeness to G-d.

Today’s Parsha had the prohibition of eating blood. Rabbi Soloveitchik said that from this law, one can learn that killing a human or animal is forbidden. The only time killing an animal is permitted, is for a קרבן. In the desert, only meat that was part of a sacrifice.

Later, בשר תאוה, literally, meat of lust, was permitted outside of the Temple as long as ritually slaughtered. It sounds like the Rav saw the eating of meat not as an ideal thing to do.

However, the aspect of sacrifices do seem to be holy, even if you hold like the Rambam.