Vayikra: Chapter 20

"If his offering be a burnt sacrifice"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi says that people are to sacrifice what they can afford - an animal of the herd, or an animal of the flock, or a bird. Rabbi Elazar says that people should sacrifice in correlation to the sin they have committed; he explains that the rich man must compensate for pride, but the average man is not so proud. As the poor man has the humblest spirit of all, he therefore brings the smallest offering. Rabbi Elazar asks his father Rabbi Shimon why God then kills the poor from famine but let the rich survive, as the rich will continue to sin even more. Rabbi Shimon reminds him that God avenges Himself on the wicked by giving them peace in this world but causing them to perish in the next world. We are introduced to Yehuda (Judah in the rest of the section) the Other, who divided all his possessions and gave them away, and settled himself down to study Torah every night. Yehuda the Other tells us that God comes before whoever brings Him an offering with a willing heart. He says that the poor man brings God two offerings: one is his own fat and blood, and the other is his sacrifice; the poor man's offering is the most worthy of all.