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The fact that no one else heard the voice reminds us of the story voluntary nature; symbolically the elevation offering represents
of Elijah the prophet who mistakenly thought God was in the the human desire to advance spiritually or to atone for improper
earthquake, the fire, and the storm wind but Who was instead in the thoughts and actions even though the Torah mandates no specific
“small silent voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12). God is actually constantly sacrificial atonement. Thus, the elevation offering represents the free
calling us, reaching out to us in a small silent voice through the choice that all spiritual ascension requires. Although certain Temple
circumstances of our lives. sacrifices and contemporary prayers are obligatory, performing them
still requires a person to freely submit to God’s decree. As we discussed
in the previous section, the fire on the altar and the sacrificial service
emphasize the passion, commitment, and enthusiasm human beings
bring to the service of God.
The guilt or sin offerings (ashma and chatat, respectively) resonate
powerfully both as rituals performed during the Temple period and in
their transmuted contemporary forms. In the Temple, the sacrificial
service was specifically tailored to assist a person undergoing the
teshuvah process. The cohen would guide the penitent through
the mental and emotional steps needed to complete the teshuvah
process and the sacrifice would serve as a vivid enactment of what
could have been the consequences of one’s actions. Laying one’s
hands on the animal and confessing one’s sins and then watching the
animal being slaughtered and offered up, in place of one’s self, was a
dramatic cathartic moment. Today, in each and every daily prayer
service, these offerings are recalled by the Amidah’s fifth blessing:
the blessing asking God to forgive us and pardon us for our misdeeds.
Furthermore, in the Morning and Afternoon Services, the Amidah
is almost always followed by a segment devoted to asking God for
forgiveness called Tachanun (Prayers of Supplication). This segment
also takes the place of the guilt and sin offerings.
Another one of the sacrifices brought was the thanksgiving offering
(todah). This sacrifice, brought by those who wished to express their
appreciation to God, was replaced in our prayers by Psalm 100, the
Psalm of Thanksgiving (Mizmor Letodah). This psalm is recited in
its entirety every day, except for Shabbat and holidays (and will be
discussed at length later in our comments on Tzav). The thanksgiving
offering was a type of peace offering (shelamim) brought by those who
wished to express their love, praise, and appreciation for God. Much
of prayer today in fact consists of praise and appreciation for God and
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