Vayikra 5:9

9 And he shall sprinkle of the dahm of the chattat (sin offering) upon the side of the Mizbe’ach; and the rest of the dahm shall be pressed out at the base of the Mizbe’ach; it is a chattat (sin offering).

Vayikra 5:9 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 5:9

And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin [offering]
upon the side of the altar
Or "wall" ^F3 it is asked ^F4,

``what is the wall at which the rest of the blood is wrung out? this is the lower wall, namely, the half of the height of the altar below, under the thread (of scarlet that goes round the middle of the altar) that the rest of the blood may be squeezed at the bottom of the altar, and because of this the sin offering of the fowl is below,''

that is, the sprinkling of its blood. And so Ben Gersom observes; from hence we learn, says he, that the sprinkling of the sin offering of the fowl was in the lower part of the altar; and I think this sprinkling, adds he, was not in the length, but in the breadth:

and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the
altar;
the blood sprinkled was that which dropped from it when nipped by the priest; this here was squeezed out by him, and was shed at the foot of the altar; so that the altar had all the blood, and nothing but the blood of the fowl, all the rest belonged to the priest {e}: this might be an emblem both of the drops of blood which fell from Christ in the garden, and of the shedding of his blood upon the cross, whereby remission of sin was obtained, and atonement made:

it [is] a sin [offering];
an offering whereby sin was typically expiated and stoned.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (ryq le) (epi ton toicon) , Sept. "super parietem", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius; "ad parietem", Tigurine version.
F4 Maimon. in Misn. Zebachim, c. 6. sect. 4.
F5 Misn. ib.

Vayikra 5:9 In-Context

7 And if he be not able to afford a seh (lamb), then he shall bring for his asham (guilt offering, see Sanhedrin 98b on Isa 53; see Isa 53:10 which says that Moshiach’s self-offering will be an asham for his people, cf Isa 53:8), which he hath sinned, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto Hashem; one for a chattat (sin offering), and the other for an olah (burnt offering).

8 And he shall bring them unto the kohen, who shall offer that which is for the chattat (sin offering) first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not separate it;

9 And he shall sprinkle of the dahm of the chattat (sin offering) upon the side of the Mizbe’ach; and the rest of the dahm shall be pressed out at the base of the Mizbe’ach; it is a chattat (sin offering).

10 And he shall offer the second for an olah (burnt offering), according to the mishpat (prescribed manner); and the kohen shall make kapporah for him for his chattat (sin) which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

11 But if he be not able to afford two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his korban the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a chattat (sin offering); he shall put no shemen upon it, neither shall he put any incense thereon; for it is a chattat (sin offering).