Numbers 28

3And you shall say to them: This is the fire
offering which you shall offer to the Lord: two
unblemished lambs in their first year each day
as a continual burnt offering.
4The one lamb you shall offer up in the
morning, and the other lamb you shall offer up
in the afternoon.
5And one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a
meal offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of
crushed [olive] oil.
6A continual burnt offering, as the one offered
up at Mount Sinai, for a spirit of satisfaction, a
fire offering to the Lord.

This week's Torah portion contains one of the most important sections of the Torah with regard to modern Judaic practice. It is a listing of the sacrifices and offerings to be done by Israel, as a nation. The listing of offerings is from the perspective of the Mishkan, and Temple.

Leviticus 23 lists the sacrifices and offerings from a completely different perspective; the perspective of the individual. Here in Numbers 28-29, the sacrifices and offerings are presented regarding the duties of the Kohanim rather than the duties of the individual. For instance, in Leviticus, no mention is made of the sacrifice of the bulls of Sukkot. The sacrifices of the bulls are a duty of the Kohanim, no bulls are brought by individuals on Sukkot. In Numbers 29, the sacrifice of the bulls for Sukkot is listed because it is a duty of the Kohanim.

Since the time of the destruction of the Temple, we’ve been unable to perform the sacrifices and offerings which are listed in this week’s Torah portion. The men of the great assembly, the Anshei Knesset Hagdola, determined that rather than ignore a commandment we are able to fulfill, we should commemorate it. So, the synagogue service was created to commemorate the sacrifices and offerings listed in numbers 28 and 29. The basis of all Judaic practice today is in this week’s Torah portion. Every synagogue service of the year has its corresponding sacrifices and offerings listed.

During this season, when we are Bein HaMitzarim, “between the Straits,” we should  take time to remember the temple and its sacrifices and offerings. The Shacharit synagogue service is a commemoration of the Shacharit (Dawn) sacrifices presented every single morning. May the Temple be rebuilt soon, and in our days. Shabbat shalom.