About Rabbi Jack Abramowitz
Rabbi Jack Abramowitz served as Director of Programs for NCSY before becoming Associate Director of the Pepa and Rabbi Joseph Karasick Department of Synagogue Services. Rabbi Abramowitz holds degrees in Jewish studies, communications and Higher Education Administration. Among his accomplishments, he authored NCSY's Torah on One Foot series of educational pamphlets and created negiah.org, the first abstinence web site for Jewish teens. Rabbi Abramowitz is the author of The Shnayim Mikra Companion on Torah, The Nach Yomi Companion volumes 1 and 2 on the books of the Prophets and the Writings, and The Tzniyus Book.

Recent Posts

Taryag: A Mitzvah a Day

Questions? Contact us at taryag@ou.org


PARSHAT Re'eh
MITZVAH COUNTER
Mitzvos to date: 447
Positives:189
Negatives:258
That can be performed today:192
Plus those that can be performed only in Israel:20

447. It Goes Up, Not In: The prohibition against eating burnt offerings


…your vow offerings… (Deuteronomy 12:17)

Over the past few mitzvos, we've said that kodshim kalim could not be eaten outside Jerusalem and that sin offerings and guilt offerings could not be eaten outside the Temple. Our current mitzvah tells us that a korban olah, a burnt offering, couldn't be eaten anywhere, period.

The reason for this is plain enough: a burnt offering is called a burnt offering for a reason, namely because it is meant to be wholly burnt. If one were to eat from it, it wouldn't be wholly burnt, now would it? That would certainly detract from the proper fulfillment of this particular sacrifice!

This mitzvah applies when the Temple service is in effect. It is discussed in the Talmud in tractate Makkos (17a-18b). It is codified in the Mishneh Torah in the seventh chapter of Hilchos Maaseh HaKorbanos. This mitzvah is #146 of the 365 negative mitzvos in the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos.



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