Flooding, wars, earthquakes — every day we are bombarded with news of catastrophe and disaster. Is this how God envisioned His world? How can we relate to the many destructive forces in the world?
The offering of a korban in the Temple culminated in the ritual of zerikat ha-dam, as the kohen sprinkled the animal’s blood — its life-force — around the Altar.
“He will slaughter [the offering] near the Altar’s base, on the north side before God. The kohanim, descendants of Aaron, will then dash its blood all around the Altar.” (Lev. 1:11)
What is the significance of the offering being slaughtered on the northern side of the Temple compound? Why does the verse note that the kohanim are “descendants of Aaron” — is that not well-known? And why does it say the blood was dashed all around the Altar, when in fact it was just sprinkled twice, on the two diagonally opposite corners of the Altar?
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