Punishment: Vayikra’s Ten Commandments’ Moment

Punishments are mysteriously absent from the Ten Commandments. The “shall not’s” are not accompanied by prescribed penalties. The Torah Portion Vayikra, however, begins to address commandment violation punishments. The remedies for sin, per Vayikra, are in the form of animal sacrifice and grain offerings.

According to Richard Elliott Friedman, the sacrifice’s purpose was to recognize that an animal’s life was sacred. Most sacrifices were eaten by those offering the sacrifice. Some were eaten by priests and others were entirely burnt. “The system provides the grounds for guilt also provides a mechanism for expiation and forgiveness.” Friedman, Commentary on the Torah.

Vayikra lists a variety of sacrifices. There are ones for general commandments violations as well as ones for specific violations. For instance, there is one that relates to the witness of an oath. Leviticus 5:1. Likewise, different sacrifices apply to different types of individuals. Community violations are listed as well as for specific leaders. Leviticus 4: 13, and 22. Finally, for each particular sacrifice, specific types of animals are to be offered.

Within some of the sacrifice instructions, the end goal expressed is forgiveness. Leviticus 5:13. With some, the priests were to make atonement over the individual from the sin. Leviticus 5:6. For some, there is concern over impurity . Leviticus 5:3. (Impliedly, the need to remove the impurity, i.e. from contact with an impure animal carcass.)

Essentially, sacrifices worked as a societal mechanism to clean the slate of leaders, individuals and congregations.

Conclusion

While the days of animal sacrifice have passed, society informally has the need for a mechanism to absolve moral violations. Since many individuals and groups committed problematic acts, other means of cleaning one’s slate have appeared. For some, religious institutions have created the means. In other circumstances, non-religious mechanisms have been invented.

Be well!!

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