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If
God wanted us to have vegetarian diets and not harm
animals, why were the Biblical sacrificial services
established?
During the time of Moses, it was the general practice
among all nations to worship by means of sacrifice.
There were many associated idolatrous practices. The
great Jewish philosopher Maimonides stated that God
did not command the Israelites to give up and discontinue
all these manners of service because "to obey such a
commandment would have been contrary to the nature of
man, who generally cleaves to that to which he is used,"
For this reason, God allowed Jews to make sacrifices,
but "He transferred to His service that which had served
as a worship of created beings and of things imaginary
and unreal." All elements of idolatry were removed.
Maimonides concluded:
By this divine plan it was effected that
the traces of idolatry were blotted out, and the truly
great principle of our Faith, the Existence and Unity
of God, was firmly established; this result was thus
obtained without deterring or confusing the minds of
the people by the abolition of the service to which
they were accustomed and which alone was familiar to
them.
The Jewish philosopher Abarbanel reinforced Maimonides'argument.
He cited a Midrash that indicated that the Jews had become
accustomed to sacrifices in Egypt. To wean them from these
idolatrous practices, God tolerated the sacrifices but
commanded that they be offered in one central sanctuary:
Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said
"Let them at all times offer their sacrifices before
Me in the Tabernacle, and they will be weaned from idolatry,
and thus be saved." (Rabbi J. H. Hertz, The Pentateuch
and Haftorahs, p. 562)
Rabbi J. H. Hertz, the late chief rabbi of England, stated
that if Moses had not instituted sacrifices, which were
admitted by all to have been the universal expression
of religious homage, his mission would have failed and
Judaism would have disappeared. With the destruction of
the Temple, the rabbis state that prayer and good deeds
took the place of sacrifice.
Rashi indicated that God did not want the Israelites
to bring sacrifices; it was their choice. He bases this
on the haphtorah (portion from the Prophets) read on
the Sabbath when the book of Leviticus which discusses
sacrifices is read:
I have not burdened thee with a meal-offering,
Nor wearied thee with frankincense. (Isaiah 43:23)
Biblical commentator David Kimhi (1160-1235) also stated
that the sacrifices were voluntary. He ascertained this
from the words of Jeremiah:
For I spoke not unto your fathers, nor commanded
them on the day that I brought them out of the land
of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices;
but this thing I commanded them, saying, "Obey my voice,
and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and
walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that
it may be well unto you. (Jeremiah 7:22-23)
David Kimchi, notes that nowhere in the Ten Commandments
is there any reference to sacrifice, and even when sacrifices
are first mentioned (Lev. 1:2) the expression used is
"when any man of you bringeth an offering," the first
Hebrew we ki being literally "if", implying that it was
a voluntary act.
Many Jewish scholars such as Rabbi Kook believe that
animal sacrifices will not be reinstated in messianic
times, even with the reestablishment of the Temple.
They believe that at that time human conduct will have
advanced to such high standards that there will no longer
be need for animal sacrifices to atone for sins. Only
nonanimal sacrifices (grains, for example) to express
gratitude to God would remain. There is a Midrash (rabbinic
teaching based on Jewish values and tradition) that
states: "In the Messianic era, all offerings will cease
except the thanksgiving offering, which will continue
forever. This seems consistent with the belief of Rabbi
Kook and others, based on the prophecy of Isaiah (11:6-9),
that people and animals will be vegetarian in that time,
and "none shall hurt nor destroy in all My Holy mountain."
Sacrifices, especially animal sacrifices, were not
the primary concern of God. As a matter of fact, they
could be an abomination to Him if not carried out together
with deeds of loving kindness and justice. Consider
these words of the prophets, the spokesmen of God:
What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. (Hos.
6:6)
To what purpose is the multitude of your
sacrifices unto Me?" sayeth the Lord. "I am full of
the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts;
and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs
or of he-goats...bring no more vain oblations.... Your
new moon and your appointed feasts my soul hateth;...and
when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes
from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not
hear; your hands are full of blood. (Isa. 1:11-16)
I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will
take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Yea, though
you offer me burnt-offerings and your meal offerings,
I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings
of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise
of thy song; and let Me not hear the melody of thy psalteries.
But let justice well up as waters, and righteousness
as a mighty stream. (Amos 5:21-4)
Deeds of compassion and kindness toward all creation are
of greater significance to God than sacrifices: "To do
charity and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than
sacrifice" (Prov. 21: 3).
Perhaps a different type of sacrifice is required
of us today. When Rabbi Shesheth kept a fast for Yom
Kippur, he used to conclude with these words:
Sovereign of the Universe, Thou knowest full
well that in the time of the Temple when a man sinned
he used to bring a sacrifice, and though all that was
offered of it was fat and blood, atonement was made
for him. Now I have kept a fast and my fat and blood
have diminished. May it be Thy will to account my fat
and blood which have been diminished as if I have offered
they before thee on the altar, and do Thou favor me.
(Berachot 17a)
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