שְׁתֵּי דְפָנּוֹת בִּשְׁנַיִם הַקְּרָבַיִם וְהַסֹּלֶת וְהַיַּיִן בִּשְׁלשָׁה שְׁלשָׁה
The two ribs are carried by two. The intestines and the fine flour and the wine are carried by three each.
Today we continues to learn how many priests were involved in the sacrificing of a single bull. “The two ribs are carried by two. The intestines and the fine flour and the wine are carried by three each.” Each priest having their part, however large or small, to carry. Why do the fine flour and wine and intestines each need three carriers? Sefaria helps us out: because the meal-offering and wine libation that accompany a bull are larger than those that accompany a ram.
The word that struck me today was הַקְּרָבַיִם, sharing the same root as karov (close) , korban (offering), kiruv (the act of bringing one close). In this case it comes to mean the thing that is the closest, the most inside of the inside of the animal: the intestines. One MC member shared that it reminded her of feeling something in your kishkes, in your intestines, is like feeling something on a deep level. Perhaps that is the connection to offering or coming close to the Divine. Another member shared that the intestines were often thought to be the seat of emotions (hello, Jewish tummy anyone?), and that perhaps symbolically our offering of the intestines is an offering of our innermost feelings.
I continue to feel that these pieces are coming to teach us that everyone has their offering to bring to the altar, and that no matter how big or small it is (whether a single piece of wood or a bucket of intestines! ew!), we can know that it is needed and just right. May we be blessed to hold onto that as we move into Rosh Hashanah, feeling that whatever we have to offer this year is enough.