Animal Sacrifices

In Exodus 29:38-46, are these offerings Olah, Chatat, or Asham?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

The offering you refer to is the “Korban Tamid” or “Daily Offering” of two lambs each day. This offering had the status of an “Olah” offering. One lamb was offered in the morning, and one lamb was offered in the afternoon. It was brought every day of the year without exception. On Shabbat and holidays additional offering were brought, as well.

This is why Jewish people pray three times a day: in the morning, known as the “Shacharit” service to correspond to the morning lamb offering, in the afternoon, known as the “Mincha” service to correspond to the afternoon lamb offering and in the evening, “known as the “Maariv” service to correspond to the “clean up” of the altar after all the day’s sacrifices.

On Olah offering, also know as the “ascending” offering, or “burnt offering” unique. After it was slaughtered in the Temple courtyard, its blood was poured upon the altar. It was then burned in it’s entirely as “a fiery pleasure to G‑d.” It was not eaten.

Our sages teach us that these and all sacrifices are intended to bring us closer to God. Nowadays when sacrifices are not possible due to the lack of a Holy Temple in Jerusalem, prayer takes the place of sacrifices. It is not permitted to offer sacrifices nowadays as once the Temple was built offering were restricted to only the Temple. And therefore, now that the Temple does not exist sacrifices are just not possible, either.