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Absolving sin giving sacrificial meat gifts to Kohanim?

Question:

This article, “The Priestly Gifts: The Foreleg, Checks, and Abomasiem,” is in error.

Deuteronomy 18:3 says, “This then shall be the priests’ due from the people: Everyone who offers a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep, must give the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach to the priest.” This gives evidence that this can only be done once G-d rebuilds the Jerusalem Temple. The Torah states that sacrifices can only be performed at that site in Jerusalem.

Hashem had the Romans destroy the first and second Temples because His people followed after godlike men in their midst. Deuteronomy 31:16. “G-d said to Moses: You are soon to lie with your ancestors. This people will thereupon go astray after the godlike men in their midst, in the land they are about to enter; they will forsake Me and break My covenant I made with them.”

The remission of sins by sacrifice is not allowed anywhere at this time.

Your opinion is welcomed.

 

Answer:

My apologies before I start, but I think you should verify the authenticity of the translations that you are quoting as they are incorrect. First of all, the original text of the Bible, in the Hebrew text, is as follows (quoting Artscroll),

{ג} וזה יהיה משפט הכהנים מאת העם מאת זבחי הזבח אם שור אם שה ונתן לכהן הזרוע והלחיים והקבה:

 “This shall be the due to the Kohaniim from the people, from those who perform a slaughter whether of an ox or of the flock, he shall give the Kohaim the foreleg the jaw and the maw.” The word זרוע does not mean shoulder rather forearm (see tractate Chullin 134b). In Exodus 6-6 Hashem tells the Jews וְגָֽאַלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בִּזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה “ I will redeem you with an outstretched arm” Not an outstretched shoulder. Also see Exodus 15-16v that he translation of זרועך can not mean shoulder.

Secondly, the meaning of the word מאת זבחי הזבח  Does not mean to give them parts of sacrifices, as this is discussed in Leviticus 6 which parts of which offering the Kohanim were allowed to eat. The proper translation for this is, that these parts are only to be given from animal that we are allowed to slaughter and bring as an offering, however they are not to be given from wild animals, such as a giraffe. In fact, see tractate Chullin 130a that these presents are specifically Not given from any animal that is owned by the Temple, which includes all sacrifices.

Therefore this present that was given to the Kohanim, similar to the ithes that were given to them, has nothing to do with absolving sin. Rather it is part of thier “wages” that they are given in the form of taxes, because they are busy doing the services in the Holy Temple, and because they did not get a specific portion of land. (Deuteronomy 1-6, Numbers 18-21)

As a side point, the next verse that you are quoting from Deuteronomy 31:16, is also misquoted. The verse reads ויאמר ד’ אל משה הנך שכב עם אבתיך וקם העם הזה וזנה אחרי אלהי נכר הארץ אשר הוא בא שמה בקרבו ועזבני והפר את בריתי אשר כרתי אתו:

“And Hashem said to Moses, “Behold you will lie with your forefathers, but the people will rise up and stray after the gods of the foreigners of the land”. It is not talking about any Godlike men rather about simple pagan idols, whether they were pictures of the sun, moon or anything else, but not specifically Godlike men.

Best wishes

 

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