(ה) לְמַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבִ֜יאוּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶֽת־זִבְחֵיהֶם֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵ֣ם זֹבְחִים֮ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶה֒ וֶֽהֱבִיאֻ֣ם לַֽיקוק אֶל־פֶּ֛תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְזָ֨בְח֜וּ זִבְחֵ֧י שְׁלָמִ֛ים לַֽיקוק אוֹתָֽם׃ (ו) וְזָרַ֨ק הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־הַדָּם֙ עַל־מִזְבַּ֣ח יקוק פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהִקְטִ֣יר הַחֵ֔לֶב לְרֵ֥יחַ נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיקוק
(ז) וְלֹא־יִזְבְּח֥וּ עוֹד֙ אֶת־זִבְחֵיהֶ֔ם לַשְּׂעִירִ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֛ם תִּֽהְיֶה־זֹּ֥את לָהֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃
(5) So that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field,
that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tent of meeting,
unto the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace-offerings unto the LORD.
(6) And the priest shall dash the blood against the altar of the LORD at the door of the tent of meeting, and make the fat smoke for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
(7) And they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices unto the satyrs,
after whom they go astray. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations. .
Were the sacrfices instituted to satisfy the needs of the people or God's needs?
(כא) וַיָּ֣רַח אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹחַ֒
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ לֹֽא־אֹ֠סִף לְקַלֵּ֨ל ע֤וֹד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּעֲב֣וּר הָֽאָדָ֔ם...
(21) And the LORD smelled the sweet savour; and the LORD said in His heart: ‘I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake...
So why does God ask us to bring sacrifices?
(ה) וְכִ֧י תִזְבְּח֛וּ זֶ֥בַח שְׁלָמִ֖ים לִֽרְצֹנְכֶ֖ם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ׃
(5) when you offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD, sacrifice it so that is may be accepted on your behalf
(ב) צַ֚ו אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אֶת־קָרְבָּנִ֨י לַחְמִ֜י לְאִשַּׁ֗י רֵ֚יחַ נִֽיחֹחִ֔י תִּשְׁמְר֕וּ לְהַקְרִ֥יב לִ֖י בְּמוֹעֲדֽוֹ׃
(2) Command the children of Israel, and say unto them: My food which is presented unto Me for offerings made by fire, of a sweet savour unto Me, shall ye observe to offer unto Me in its due season.
(ח) רבי פנחס בשם רבי לוי אמר: משל לבן מלך שגס לבו עליו והיה למד לאכול בשר נבילות וטריפות. אמר המלך: זה יהיה תדיר על שולחני ומעצמו הוא נדור (גדור). כך לפי שהיו ישראל להוטים אחר עבודת כוכבים במצרים והיו מביאים קרבניהם לשעירים...
והיו מקריבין קרבניהם ופורעניות באות עליהם.
אמר הקב"ה: יהיו מקריבין לפני בכל עת קרבנותיהן באהל מועד והן נפרשים מעבודת כוכבים והם ניצולים,
הדא הוא דכתיב: איש איש מבית ישראל וגו':
(8) Rabbi Pinhas in the name of Rabbi Levi stated: This is comparable to a king’s son who strayed and was accustomed to eat non-kosher meat. The king declared, “let him always eat at my table and on his own he will eventually become disciplined.” Similarly, because Israel was attached to idolatry in Egypt and would bring their sacrifices to the goat-demons...
And retribution would befall them,
the Holy One blessed be He said “let them offer sacrifices before Me at all times in the Tent of Meeting and they will be separated from idolatry and be saved.”
This is the meaning of what is written (Leviticus 17:3-7): “Any man of the House of Israel who slaughters an ox or sheep or goat... and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting as a sacrifice to God.... that man will be cut off from among his people… so that they no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat-demons that they are wont to stray after."
Heavenly Torah, Abraham Joshua Heschel, as translated by Rabbi Gordon Tucker, pg. 86
The basic difference in attitude to the sacrifical system may be summarized thus:
In the school of Rabbi Ishamel the view was, "Not for my sake do you offer sacrifices, but for your sakes, to satisfy your needs. For My part, I am pleased that having given you the commandements, you fulfil My will, and I shall reward you."
In the school of Rabbi Akiva, the view was, "I desire nothing else but the sacrifices. Their sweet savor brings delight to Me."
Midrash Aggadah, Terumah
Why did they want the entire ritual of the Tabernacle? The people said to the Holy and Blessd One 'Master of the universe, the sovereigns of all the nations have a tent, a table, a menorah, incense offereings. Every king has need for those rituals in his kingdom. You are our Sovereign, our Redeemer, our Savior - should You not have all these rituals of kingship so that all the nations of the world will know that You are our Sovereign?' The Holy and Blessed One replied: 'They who are flesh and blood need all this, but I do not need it. I have no need for food or drink and I do not require any light. My servants can testify to that; the sun and moon which illumine the whole earth-they get their light from Me." However the people continued to entreat Him, so God finally said to them 'My children, if you feel this way, then do as you please, but you must do it only in accordance with My instructions. Build Me as house, as it is written, "and they shall make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8)-also a menorah, a table and an altar on which to offer incense."
גדולה תפלה יותר מן הקרבנות שנא' (ישעיהו א, יא) למה לי רוב זבחיכם וכתיב ובפרשכם כפיכם
Prayer is greater than the sacrifices...
(יא) לָמָּה־לִּ֤י רֹב־זִבְחֵיכֶם֙ יֹאמַ֣ר שָׂבַ֛עְתִּי עֹל֥וֹת אֵילִ֖ים וְחֵ֣לֶב מְרִיאִ֑ים וְדַ֨ם פָּרִ֧ים וּכְבָשִׂ֛ים וְעַתּוּדִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָפָֽצְתִּי׃
(ג) עושה צדקה ומשפט נבחר למזבח...
One who performs deeds of charity is worthier than one who offers all the sacrifices...