Sacrifices

(I originally wrote and posted this in its original form in my previous blog on 02/20/2007. Today, I've also added some more information to it.)

Readings:

Bemidbar (Numbers) 28:1-15
YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 66:1-24
Kefa Alef (1 Peter) 2:4-10

These are special readings for Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the month according to the Scriptural calendar.

The passage in Numbers contains instructions for the daily offerings during the temple service. Every day, two perfect lambs were offered--one in the morning and one in the evening. On the Sabbath, there was an additional sacrifice of two more lambs. And on the first day of each month, the extra sacrifices consisted of two bulls, one ram, seven yearling lambs and one goat for a sin offering in addition to the daily two perfect lambs.

Today, we no longer have the temple, so we offer up the "bulls of our lips" or "sacrifices of praise"--

Hos 14:2 Take words with you, and return to YHWH. Say to Him, "Take away all crookedness, and accept what is good, and we render the bulls of our lips.

Heb 13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a slaughter offering of praise to Elohim, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.

Shacharit, Mincha and Ma'ariv are the daily prayer times that we follow today to correspond to the sacrifices in the temple. The traditional prayers that we pray at these times are filled with praise and thanksgiving to YHWH Tzava'ot.

To learn more about Zmanim (prayer times) and the traditional prayers, visit:

http://ffoz.org/downloads/white_papers/ (see free download--"Zmanim: Times of Prayer")

http://ffoz.org/blogs/the_siddur_project/

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Prayers/Daily_Prayers/daily_prayers.html

To print out Zmanim times for your location, visit:

http://www.myzmanim.com/