9 Before the priest places the animal’s sections on the fire, he must first wash its innards and its legs with water. Only then, the priest must burn up all of the animal’s sections on the Altar. He must specifically burn it with the intention that it be an ascent-offering. Similarly, the slaughtering must be performed with the intention that the animal be a fire-offering, i.e., destined to be consumed by fire, and that it be pleasing to God. Once the sacrificial rites are completed and the animal has caught fire, Divine fire will descend from heaven and consume the sacrifice.
Ascent-Offerings of Sheep or Goats
10 If his offering is brought from the flock—from sheep or from goats—as an ascent-offering, he must sacrifice an unblemished male. In addition, the animal must not be old, sick, or dirty. The offerer must lean on the animal, as was described above regarding ascent-offerings of cattle.
11 He must slaughter it next to the north side of the Altar, before God, i.e., within the precincts of the Courtyard of the Tabernacle. Animals brought as ascent-offerings on private altars, however, need not be slaughtered on the north side. From this point on, the sacrificial procedures are to be performed by the priests: Aaron’s descendants who are the priests—i.e., who have not been demoted from the priesthood—must receive the blood in a consecrated vessel, bring the vessel containing the blood to the Altar, and dash its blood upon the Altar in the same manner prescribed for the blood of an ascent-offering of cattle, such that the blood is considered to be encircling the Altar.
The same laws that apply when the blood of an ascent-offering of cattle becomes mixed with the blood of other animals, as well as the law that blood may be applied to the Altar only when the Tabernacle is erected, also apply to ascent-offerings of sheep and goats.
12 He must then skin it and cut it up into its constituent sections. He must not, however, cut these sections into smaller sections. Just as with ascent-offerings of cattle, he must cover the bottom of the animal’s severed head with its fat. The priest must thus arrange the sections on top of the wood that is on the fire on the Altar. None of its flesh may be eaten, but its hide is given to the priest.
13 Before the priest places the animal’s sections on the fire, he must first wash the innards and the legs with water. Only then, the priest must offer up all of the animal, burning it up on the Altar. He must burn it specifically with the intention that it be an ascent-offering. Similarly, the slaughtering must be performed with the intention that the animal be a fire-offering, i.e., destined to be consumed by fire, and that it be pleasing to God. Once the sacrificial rites are completed and the animal has caught fire, Divine fire will descend from heaven and consume the sacrifice.
