CONGREGATION
MELECH YISRAEL OF TORONTO
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CONGREGATION
MELECH YISRAEL OF TORONTO |
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Vayikra {3:9} He shall offer of the sacrifice of Shalom-offerings an korban made by fire to HaSHEM; the fat of it, the fat tail entire, he shall take away hard by the backbone; and the fat that covers the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards, {3:10} and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away. {3:11} The cohen (priest) shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the korban made by fire to HaShem. {3:12} If his korban be a goat, then he shall offer it before HaSHEM: {3:13} and he shall lay his hand on the head of it, and kill it before the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting); and the sons of Aharon shall sprinkle the blood of it on the mitzbe’ach(altar of offering) round about. {3:14} He shall offer of it his offering, [even] a korban made by fire to HaShem; the fat that covers the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards, {3:15} and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away. {3:16} The cohen shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savour; all the fat is HaShem’s. {3:17} It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood. We all know and we are all aware of why HaShem instructed us not to eat blood. First, because it was a pagan religious rite to drink the blood of the sacrifices they offered to their demon gods. Even today pagan religions drink the blood of the animals they kill. Certain hunters also drink the blood of the animals that they kill as a rite of taking on the spirit of the animal. These are all pagan practices and an abomination to the L-rd. Blood is the medium that HaShem created to transport life through the body. Therefore, He forbids us from drinking it, using it as food, or even disposing of it in an inappropriate manner.< Vayikra {17:11} For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the mitzbe’ach to make Kapparah(Covering) for your nef'shim (souls): for it is the blood that makes Kapparah by reason of the life. Second, and most importantly, Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah) shed His blood for us; that is He gave up His life for us as the atonement for our sin. Therefore, the blood of the korbanot (draw near/offerings) as described in the entire book of Vayikra point to the ultimate Korban, Yeshua HaMashiach. In that respect blood is a symbol of what Mashiach did for us. By the shedding of His blood we are forgiven of our sin. Is it any wonder therefore that HaShem instructed us not to eat blood and He also instructed us in that when we kill an animal, either for food or as a korban, to always dispose of the blood in the properly, prescribed manner. However, how about the fat? The fat of the animals do not seem to have any connection to the ultimate Korban Yeshua HaMashiach. Why then are we prohibited from eating fat? First, let me say that the fat meant to be offered to HaShem is not fat which is inter-layered with the meat. You can definitely eat a steak layered with fat. The fat meant here is specifically the fat that is mentioned: the fat around the tail, the suet by the backbone; and the fat that covers the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards; the fat by the two kidneys, and the fat that is on the two kidneys; as well as the fat which is by the loins, and the fat which covers the liver. This specific fat was not to be eaten; it did not matter whether the animal was for personal consumption or for a korban. Second, in ancient pagan religious rites the fat, as mentioned above, was considered a delicacy and was often eaten in the presence of their ancient demon gods. From what I understand it appears that HaShem also considers the fat as a delicacy, the richest part of the animal. Because of that we have been instructed not to eat it. In addition, I have also observed that fat, in the Tanach (Hebrew Scriptures), was a sign of success and prosperity.Devarim (Deuteronomy) {31:20} For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their avot (fathers), flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my brit (covenant). Fat was a frequent symbol of excellence and desirability in the Tanach. The twelve spies were sent into Canaan with specific instructions to see if the land was fat or lean: Bamidbar (Numbers) {13:20} and what the land is, whether it is fat or lean, whether there is wood therein, or not. Be you of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes. The specific fat from the animals was therefore food only for the altar and not for human consumption. Thus G-d preserved that which was sacred for Him. High value was placed on fat; therefore, it was only right that the fat of the sacrificial animal-- the best part-- belonged only to the L-rd Baruch HaShem Rabbi Ya'acov Farber |
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