וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃

It is stated at the conclusion of Exodus (40:35) that Moses could not enter the Tabernacle due to the cloud of God’s glory that filled it. Therefore, the Lord called to Moses, telling him to enter the Sanctuary. Similarly, at the time of the giving of the Torah, God called Moses to enter the cloud of glory upon Mount Sinai. And the Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, which was designated from this point on as the place of divine revelation, saying:

דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֥יב מִכֶּ֛ם קָרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיהוָ֑ה מִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה מִן־הַבָּקָר֙ וּמִן־הַצֹּ֔אן תַּקְרִ֖יבוּ אֶת־קָרְבַּנְכֶֽם׃

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When any man of you brings an offering to the Lord, if you shall bring your offering from animals, which is one of the items that may be brought as an offering, from the cattle or from the flock you shall bring your offering.

אִם־עֹלָ֤ה קָרְבָּנוֹ֙ מִן־הַבָּקָ֔ר זָכָ֥ר תָּמִ֖ים יַקְרִיבֶ֑נּוּ אֶל־פֶּ֝תַח אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ יַקְרִ֣יב אֹת֔וֹ לִרְצֹנ֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The Torah presents the laws of the burnt offering, which is one of the five types of offerings detailed in subsequent passages. If his offering is a burnt offering from the cattle, an unblemished male he shall present it, and the laws detailing what constitutes a blemish are detailed later in Leviticus (22:17–26). To the entrance of the Tent of Meeting he shall present it, as the burnt offering is offered upon the external altar, whether in the Tabernacle or in the Temple. The obligation to bring the offering to the Tabernacle is incumbent upon the owner, not the priest. The offering is brought by the owner for his propitiation before the Lord, in order to find favor in His eyes. Alternatively, the verse does not refer to the desire of the person bringing the offering to propitiate God, but to the fact that he brings the offering of his own free will, as a gift offering rather than in fulfillment of an obligation.

וְסָמַ֣ךְ יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ הָעֹלָ֑ה וְנִרְצָ֥ה ל֖וֹ לְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃

He shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering and lean on it with all of his weight. This is the first of the rites of the offering. And it shall be accepted for him, causing him to be accepted and to find favor in God’s eyes, to atone for him.

וְשָׁחַ֛ט אֶת־בֶּ֥ן הַבָּקָ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְ֠הִקְרִיבוּ בְּנֵ֨י אַהֲרֹ֤ן הַֽכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם וְזָרְק֨וּ אֶת־הַדָּ֤ם עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ סָבִ֔יב אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

He shall slaughter the young bull before the Lord . This may be performed by the owner or by any other Jew. Ritual slaughter is required also in order to allow a non-sacred animal to be eaten. It is not considered an intrinsic part of the sacrificial ritual but rather a preparatory rite. And Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood, which is the beginning of the priests’ service. The priests collect the blood that flows out of the neck of the animal in a bowl, convey it to the altar, and cast the blood around the external altar that is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. According to tradition the blood was not sprinkled around the entire perimeter of the altar, which would be somewhat difficult to perform. Rather, the blood was cast upon two opposite corners of the altar, so that it reached a section of all four of the altar’s walls.

וְהִפְשִׁ֖יט אֶת־הָעֹלָ֑ה וְנִתַּ֥ח אֹתָ֖הּ לִנְתָחֶֽיהָ׃

He shall subsequently flay the burnt offering, as the hide is not burned on the altar, and cut it into its pieces.

וְ֠נָתְנוּ בְּנֵ֨י אַהֲרֹ֧ן הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֵ֖שׁ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְעָרְכ֥וּ עֵצִ֖ים עַל־הָאֵֽשׁ׃

The sons of Aaron the priest shall place fire upon the altar and arrange wood upon the fire. This commandment is not directly related to the burnt offering or to any other offering.

וְעָרְכ֗וּ בְּנֵ֤י אַהֲרֹן֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים אֵ֚ת הַנְּתָחִ֔ים אֶת־הָרֹ֖אשׁ וְאֶת־הַפָּ֑דֶר עַל־הָעֵצִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the fats of the inner organs on the wood that is on the fire that is on the altar. Alternatively, the verse does not refer only to the fats, but also to various inner organs.

וְקִרְבּ֥וֹ וּכְרָעָ֖יו יִרְחַ֣ץ בַּמָּ֑יִם וְהִקְטִ֨יר הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־הַכֹּל֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עֹלָ֛ה אִשֵּׁ֥ה רֵֽיחַ־נִיח֖וֹחַ לַֽיהוָֽה׃ (ס)

Its innards, including the stomach and intestines, and its legs he shall wash with water. This may be performed either by a priest or by a non-priest. The intestines are soiled with partially digested food and waste, and the legs are usually also soiled. They are therefore unfit to be burned on the altar before being cleansed. The priest shall burn everything on the altar, the head, the fats, the inner organs, and the rest of the flesh, as a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. The offering is a unique gift that pleases God as one would be pleased by a pleasant aroma, as His will has been fulfilled.

וְאִם־מִן־הַצֹּ֨אן קָרְבָּנ֧וֹ מִן־הַכְּשָׂבִ֛ים א֥וֹ מִן־הָעִזִּ֖ים לְעֹלָ֑ה זָכָ֥ר תָּמִ֖ים יַקְרִיבֶֽנּוּ׃

If his offering is from the flock, rather than from cattle, from the sheep or from the goats, as a burnt offering; an unblemished male he shall present it. The term “flock” refers to small domesticated animals, sheep and goats, as opposed to cattle.

וְשָׁחַ֨ט אֹת֜וֹ עַ֣ל יֶ֧רֶךְ הַמִּזְבֵּ֛חַ צָפֹ֖נָה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְזָרְק֡וּ בְּנֵי֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים אֶת־דָּמ֛וֹ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִֽיב׃

He shall slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the Lord; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall cast its blood around the altar, as stated above (verse 5) with regard to the bull burnt offering.

וְנִתַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ לִנְתָחָ֔יו וְאֶת־רֹאשׁ֖וֹ וְאֶת־פִּדְר֑וֹ וְעָרַ֤ךְ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֹתָ֔ם עַל־הָֽעֵצִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

He shall cut it, the body of the animal, into its pieces, and its head, which is severed and not dissected like the rest of the body, and its fats, which are separated from the rest of the flesh. And the priest shall arrange them, the pieces, the head, and the fats, on the wood that is on the fire that is upon the altar.

וְהַקֶּ֥רֶב וְהַכְּרָעַ֖יִם יִרְחַ֣ץ בַּמָּ֑יִם וְהִקְרִ֨יב הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־הַכֹּל֙ וְהִקְטִ֣יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עֹלָ֣ה ה֗וּא אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיהוָֽה׃ (פ)

The innards and the legs he shall wash with water to cleanse them. And the priest shall present everything, all the pieces of the offering, including the innards and the legs, and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

וְאִ֧ם מִן־הָע֛וֹף עֹלָ֥ה קָרְבָּנ֖וֹ לַֽיהוָ֑ה וְהִקְרִ֣יב מִן־הַתֹּרִ֗ים א֛וֹ מִן־בְּנֵ֥י הַיּוֹנָ֖ה אֶת־קָרְבָּנֽוֹ׃

Apart from the burnt offerings from the cattle and flocks, there is an additional type of burnt offering: If his offering is from the birds, a burnt offering to the Lord, from turtledoves, a type of wild bird, or from young pigeons he shall bring one as his offering.

וְהִקְרִיב֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וּמָלַק֙ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהִקְטִ֖יר הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְנִמְצָ֣ה דָמ֔וֹ עַ֖ל קִ֥יר הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃

The priest shall bring it to the altar, shall pinch off its head, and shall burn it, the severed head, on the altar separately from the body. Prior to burning the bird’s head, its blood shall be squeezed on the wall of the altar. Both in the case of the animal burnt offering and in the case of the bird offering, the blood is first sprinkled upon the altar and then the body is burned on the altar. However, the blood of the bird offering is not cast upon the altar from a vessel as in the case of the animal burnt offering. Rather, the bird is pressed against the wall of the altar so that its blood is squeezed out.

וְהֵסִ֥יר אֶת־מֻרְאָת֖וֹ בְּנֹצָתָ֑הּ וְהִשְׁלִ֨יךְ אֹתָ֜הּ אֵ֤צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ קֵ֔דְמָה אֶל־מְק֖וֹם הַדָּֽשֶׁן׃

Before burning the bird on the altar, he shall remove its crop, the section of the gullet that enlarges to form a pocket, in which the food is stored before being transferred to the stomach, with its feathers that surround the crop. The priest shall cut out the crop, which is soiled with partially digested food, together with the feathers, and cast it beside the altar to the east, to the place of the ashes, where a portion of the ashes removed from the altar were placed (see 6:3).

וְשִׁסַּ֨ע אֹת֣וֹ בִכְנָפָיו֮ לֹ֣א יַבְדִּיל֒ וְהִקְטִ֨יר אֹת֤וֹ הַכֹּהֵן֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה עַל־הָעֵצִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הָאֵ֑שׁ עֹלָ֣ה ה֗וּא אִשֵּׁ֛ה רֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיהוָֽה׃ (ס)

After removing the crop, he, the priest, shall split it by its wings but shall not separate it into two completely detached parts. The priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. The Torah has concluded its presentation of the three types of burnt offerings: The bull burnt offering, the burnt offering from the flock, and the bird burnt offering.