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Why did God command sacrifices of sheep, goats, and cattle specifically? The Rambam (רמב"ם) argues they countered idolatrous worship of these animals, while the Ramban (רמב"ן) objects that sacrifices existed before idolatry and serve as substitutes for the sinner. The shiur synthesizes both views: korbanot redirect the intense emotional connection idolaters felt toward these animals into genuine service of God.
This comprehensive shiur examines the classic machloket between the Rambam (רמב"ם) (Maimonides) and Ramban (רמב"ן) (Nachmanides) regarding the underlying purpose of korbanot (sacrifices). Rabbi Zweig begins by presenting the Rambam's position from the Guide for the Perplexed, which argues that sacrifices were instituted to counter ancient idolatrous practices. The Rambam explains that Egyptians worshipped sheep (Aries), Sabians worshipped goats, and Indians venerated cattle, all refraining from killing these animals. Therefore, God commanded us to sacrifice precisely these three species to eradicate these false beliefs by doing what idolaters considered the greatest crime. The Ramban raises several powerful objections to this approach. First, he argues it's illogical to base divine service on countering the foolishness of others. Second, using animals that idolaters venerated might actually honor those very constellations they worshipped, achieving the opposite effect. Third, if the goal was to show disrespect, it would be more logical to simply eat these animals rather than elevate them through sacrifice. Most significantly, the Ramban presents historical evidence: Noah, Abel, and Bilam all brought sacrifices before the idolatrous practices the Rambam claims to counter even existed, suggesting sacrifices have intrinsic value independent of anti-idolatrous purposes.
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Vayikra - laws of sacrifices, Rambam's Guide for the Perplexed, Ramban's commentary on Vayikra
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