Hi there,
May I ask what the purpose of the sacrifices in the Law were for?
I will be a bit lengthy, since this is a topic that comes up often with Christians, so it can be used for later reference as well.
Here is a list of sacrifices. Perhaps we can find their purpose when we see what they are.
Burnt Offerings (Oleh) ('eaten' by the altar completely)
The Perpetual Offering, a public offering (that is, one animal for the entire congregation) offered twice daily without fail, morning and evening.
Seeing Offering, a personal offering, brought when one went to the Temple on the Holidays.
Donation Offerings, a person offering that a person can make whenever he likes.
Additional Offering, a public offering brought once on the Sabbath, the New Months and Holidays.
Peace Offerings (shlamim) (shared by the altar, the priest and the individual)
Donation Offering, a personal offering that a person can make whenever he likes
Celebratory Offering, personal offerings that are brought on the holidays
Happiness Offering, brought in tandem with the Celebratory offering if the single Celebratory Offering is not enough
First-Fruits Offering, when someone would bring their First-Fruits to the Temple, they would need to bring this sacrifice as well.
Thanks Offering, a donation offering that one brings as thanks to G-d for salvation from trouble
Nazirite Offering, an offering brought by the Nazirite at the end of his term
Public Peace Offering an offering brought no the Festival of Weeks
Sin Offerings (chatas) (eaten by the priest)
Personal Sin Offering, brought by the individual for
unintentionally transgressing sins that are punishable by death or being cut off (as opposed to fines, lashes or nothing).
Purity Sin Offerings, brought for abnormal flows of men and women, child-birth, and leprosy.
Nazirite Sin Offering, brought at the conclusion of the Nazirite term.
Public Sin Offering, brought along with the Additional Offering.
Guilt Offerings (asham) (eaten by the priest)
Stealing Guilt, brought when one falsely swears that one did not steal along with returning the item and an additional fifth of the price.
Trespassing Sacred Guilt, brought when one unintentionally uses items that were dedicated to the Temple.
Betrothed Maidservant Guilt, brought for having relations with a maidservant that was married to a slave.
Nazirite Guilt, brought by a Nazirite for transgressing his prohibitions during his term as a Nazirite.
Leprosy Guilt, brought by a leper on the eighth day of being cured of his leprosy.
First-born Offerings (b'chor) (eaten by the priest)
A sacrifice brought from first-born sheep, goats and cows.
Tithe Offerings (ma'aser) (eaten by the individual)
A tenth of all sheep, goats and cows that were born during the year.
Passover Offering (pesach) (eaten by the group)
Brought by private groups on the 14th of Nissan or Iyar to be eaten on the 15 at night. Eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
Present Offering (minchah) (eaten by the priest, unless brought by a priest, then 'eaten' by the altar)
Brought either as a separate donation, or in tandem with Burnt or Peace Offerings (along with a requisite measure of wine).
So here are all the sacrifices. You'll notice that of the 8 categories of sacrifices, only 2 are related to sins. Even from the 9 sacrifices within those two categories, 3 of them (Nazirite and Purity Sins Offerings, and Leprosy Guilt Offering) are not connected to any specific or known sin, they are simply requirements at the end of the events they are brought for. Of the remaining 6, only three of them are brought for
intentional sins and only specific sins at that (Stealing, Betrothed Maidservant and Nazirite). The rest are for
unintentional sins.
So back to your original question. What is the purpose of all these sacrifices?
Well, we can't say that the purpose of the sacrificial system was to expunge sins, because only a minority of the sacrifices were actually for sin. And even then it does virtually nothing for intentional sins (that is, even if one repents). One would think Divine Wisdom would have been able to formulate a more effective means for doing so than this, had that been what its for.. And in any case we see that repentance and prayer already has that job (Num. 14:20, 2 Chr. 33:18-19, Psa. 51, Daniel 9:3-20, etc.).
Looking at the list though, one can see there are a number of reasons for sacrifices, such as thanksgiving, atonement and celebration. Putting them together, I would venture that perhaps sacrifice is a form of prayer with the physical body: one gives of his physical property (that acts as an extension of the body, since the body isn't replaceable), the same as one gives prayer from the soul with one's words.
Were they not to transfer the sins of the people to the innocent victims?
This is the way in which the NT claims Jesus fulfilled the Law:
"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." 1Pe 2:24-25
Innocent, is not a word that is used in relation to animals in Scriptures. So I'm not sure I would make such a claim. The principle also makes no sense: how can I transfer a stain on my shirt to your shirt.
There are verses commanding that an animal that kills someone needs to be stoned. But its not clear from the verses that this is because the animal committed a sin or if its just because its a dangerous animal that needs to be put down. Actually, if it happens a number of times, then the owner is killed too, which seems to suggest that the sin is on the owner for not reigning in the animal.
We do see that animals are considered property though. So maybe the true answer is something closer to paying a fee or fine (for that exclusive list of things one can bring sacrifices for) with one's assets.
(Edit to post) I posted this without first reading what has transpired on this thread the last few days. And it would seem that a breakout of major conflict has occurred between jews and christians to which I desire no part. As I see it stirring up both anti-jewish and anti-christian sentiments and being of no benefit to either side. Is it not possible for us to have a debate without making slanderous accusations against each other. Remember that both sides are called to love their neighbour, to the jew this includes strangers and to the christian this includes enemies, so none of us really have any excuse for treating each other disrespectfully. For whether jew or christian, we all believe we will face the judgment seat of God, don't we?
The "stranger in your midst" refers to a resident alien. That's when all the Jews live in Israel and a non-Jew commits not to perform idolatry, he may take up residence there and is called a "stranger". Its not a blanket term for anyone not Jewish.
But either way, I don't disagree with your point.