Leviticus 1: The Sacrificial System, Texts and Traditions, ed. Lawrence H. Schiffman, Ktav Publishing House, Hoboken NJ, 1998.

The Hebrew Bible
Biblical law prescribed a variety of sacrifices for different purposes- festivals, atonement rituals, family celebrations. Leviticus systematically set out the specific procedures for the offering of each kind of sacrifice in its various forms. These complex rituals were later practiced in both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem.

1- 1 The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting17 saying- 2 Speak to the Israelite people, and say to them-

When any of you presents an offering of cattle to the Lord, he shall choose his offering from the herd or from the flock. 3 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall make his offering a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, for acceptance in his behalf before the Lord. 4 He shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, that it may be acceptable in his behalf, in expiation for him. 5 The bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall offer the blood, dashing the blood against all sides of the altar which is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 6 The burnt offering shall be flayed and cut up into sections. 7 The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and layout wood upon the fire; 8 and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay out the sections, with the head and the suet, on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar. 9 Its entrails and legs shall be washed with water, and the priest shall turn the whole into smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing or to the Lord.

10 If his offering for a burnt offering is from the flock, of sheep or of goats, he shall make his offering a male without blemish. 11 It shall be slaughtered before the Lord on the north side of the altar, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall dash its blood against all sides of the altar. 12 When it has been cut up into sections, the priest shall lay them out, with the head and the suet, on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar. 13 The entrails and the legs shall be washed with water; the priest shall offer up and turn the whole into smoke on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, of pleasing odor to the Lord.

14 If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, he shall choose his offering from turtledoves or pigeons. 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, pinch off its head, and turn it into smoke on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar. 16 He shall remove its crop with its contents, and cast it into the place of the ashes, at the east side of the altar. 17 The priest shall tear it open by its wings, without severing it, and turn it into smoke on the altar, upon the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, of pleasing odor to the Lord.

17. The Tabernacle, the tent-like desert shrine.