Vayikra

Vayikra: confronting  ( hidden) reality

 

 

Vayikra describes several sacrificial rites.  Olah, Shlomim, Chatoth, Ashom. The animal sacrifice is a testimony to the nature of life.  The animal is killed demonstrating that life is fragile, a small act on the body ends life.   ( N.B. the shechitah is always attributed to the  donor and the blood  service to the Kohanim, shechitah kosher  bizar) )Then the fire, Aish ( what is common to man and woman- ish  and ishah) separates that which ascends ( the smoke, the spirit) from that which returns to the earth ( the ash). The inanimate substrate of the living animal is revealed by the shichtah and a hidden aspect of matter  is released by the fire. 

 

 I do not think that the English word (ash (1) "powdery remains of fire) is unrelated, rather a limited view.  It is interesting that the Hebrew word  for ash(Afar) contains the word for bull ( par)  

 

 

Within this exposition  of the the, the motivation  is rarely given.  But among the reasons that are given, one clear, dominant theme is that sacrifices are part of the expiation for sins of fraud and deception, failing to give testimony. The denial of truth! The deep honesty exemplified by the animal korban is not just the absence of a lie, it is the confrontation of potential ( the unkept vow) and the degree to which it is realized.  Thus the Lrd did not turn to the sacrirfice of Cain.