Small Sacrifices: Understanding Parashas Korbanos

Korban Tamid

By reciting the Torah's description of the sacrifices, it is considered as if we actually offered them (Taanis 27b). Our Sages arranged our recitation of these verses as if we were actually bringing an animal as a sacrifice on the altar. For this reason familiarity with the halachos of these sacrifices is important, for they can help us feel as if we were actually involved in making the offerings in the Temple.

Every morning and afternoon in the Beis Hamikdash, the Korban Tamid (the daily offering) was brought. Today the Temple is no longer standing, but we can still recreate this service by reciting the eight verses which describe it (Bamidbar 28: 1-8). Although most women do not recite korbanos nowadays, it should be noted that some authorities obligate them to recite the verses describing the Korban Tamid (Graz 47,10), as well as the other korbanos (Biur Halacha 47 [end]).

Korbanos were only offered in the Temple by day. Based on this halacha, one should try to recite the korbanos during daylight hours. If a person has to pray early and will not have sufficient time to say korbanos after it gets light, he may recite them before dawn (Mishna Berura 1,17). However, special effort should be made to say the Korban Tamid by day since the Torah explicitly states that this is the time for this sacrifice (Makor Chaim 1,6).

The Korban Tamid was a mandatory sacrifice. Therefore, many halachic authorities consider the recitation of Tamid verses an obligation. They rule that if a person did not recite it at the beginning of his prayers, he should say it afterwards (Graz 48,1; Orchos Yosher p. 95(.

Text Copyright © 2008 by Rabbi Daniel Travis and Torah.org