Nasi HaYeshiva, Kerem B'Yavneh
Despite the fact that the true meaning of sacrifices transcends our understanding, the Rishonim attempted to bring the matter within our grasp. The Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:46) writes that since the Egyptians worshipped the constellation Aries (a lamb) they prohibited the slaughter of animals, as Yosef said, "All shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians." (Bereisheet 46:34) Hence, the Torah obligated us to slaughter animals and to offer them as sacrifices, in order to transform what the Egyptians considered the peak of disobedience into a manner of service to G-d.
The Ramban, however, sharply criticizes the Rambam, and accuses him of explaining the commandments as if they were intended just to discredit wicked and foolish idol-worshippers. The Torah, however, refers to the daily sacrifice as, "a pleasing fragrance to G-d" (Vayikra 6:14), which implies that sacrifices have an inherent value, and are not merely a protest against the erroneous beliefs of thenations. He therefore explains that the concept of a sacrifice is that a person who sins with his body and spirit, should imagine that all that is done to sacrifice deserves to be done to him, body in lieu of body and spirit in lieu of spirit. The Ritva defends the Rambam, and writes that the Ramban ignored the Rambam's own words (Moreh 3:32) that sacrifices were not intended merely to discredit the belief of the Egyptians, but rather to wean Israel from idolatry and to guide them towards the service of G-d. A person has a natural longing for closeness to G-d, which was commonly expressed in those times through sacrificial offerings in a Temple building by a priestly clan. If Israel were to be told to abolish these practices completely, it would be like telling someone in our times, "Do not pray, and worship G-d through meditation alone!" Such a command would negate the nature of man, who cannot change his accustomed practice abruptly. Therefore G-d left them to follow this manner of worship, but directed only toward Him, as it says, "Let [Israel] bring their [sacrifices] before the L-rd ... to the entrance of the Ohel Moed ... and they will no longer offer their sacrifices to the demons that they stray after." (Vayikra 17:5-7).
These explanations offered by the Rambam and Ramban, however, are not intended to be the exclusive reasons. The Ramban explicitly concludes by saying that although this is an attractive, aggadic, explanation, there is a "sod" (hidden meaning) regarding sacrifices in the kabbalistic teachings. Likewise, it is possible that Rambam offered his reason only as an plausible rationale to the perplexed, as his habit in the entire work of Moreh Nevuchim. However, even he concurs with the Ramban that the matter of sacrifices is rooted in the hidden realm. In his halachic work, at the end of Hil. Me`ila (8:8), he writes:
A person should delve into the laws of the holy Torah, and to understand them to best of his ability. Nevertheless, he should not belittle something for which he cannot find an explanation and does not know a purpose ... Regarding "chukim" (statutes), which are commandments whose reason is not known, the Sages commented, "I established statutes for you, and you have no right to question them." The entire matter of sacrifices is included in the category of "chukim," yet the Sages said that the world endures on behalf of them.
It is possible that the "sod" that the Ramban mentions, and the "chok" that the Rambam speaks of, are both rooted in that "sod" that the Rambam hints to in Parshat Tetzaveh. On the verse, "I took [Israel] out of the land of Egypt to dwell amongst them" (Shemot 29:46), the Ramban comments that there is a great "sod" in this. The goal of the exodus from Egypt, to have G-d dwell in Israel, is not for their benefit alone, but also for the purpose of the Divine. Namely, G-d linked the entire creation and its continuation with the sacrificial worship of Israel. Thus, Midrash Tanchuma (Tetzaveh:2) states that although G-d sustains the entire world, he commands his children, "Be careful to offer Me My sacrificial food ... in its proper time." (Bamidbar 28:2) This is perhaps also the Rambam's intention in his conclusion to Hil. Me`ila, "The Sages said that the world endures on behalf of sacrifices."
Some explain in this same vein Rashi's comment on the verse, "a pleasing fragrance" - satisfaction before Me, that I SAID and My WILL was fulfilled. (Shemot 29:18) The world was initially created with ten statements, and after having created the world through speech, G-d's will continues to be fulfilled by Israel through their worship.
Perhaps this dispute between the Rambam and the Ramban is connected to the dispute between the Sforno and the Ramban regarding the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The Sforno views the Mishkan as a remedy for the sin of the golden calf, whereas the Ramban considers it the culmination and peak of the redemption! The Ramban therefore views the issue of sacrifices as something independent and ideal, with no connection to idolatry. The Rambam, however, may share the opinion of the Sforno that the entire notion of sacrifices comes as a response to the sin of the golden calf, and he therefore links it to the sin of idolatry.
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