The offerings differ from each other in many respects in accordance with the symbolism they each express. For example, the Tamid offering consists of a keves (lamb or kid) in its first year. As a living being, it represents living beings, and by offering it, we offer ourselves, as it were. Every animal offering is essentially a human offering. We thus find that there is an Altar in Heaven upon which the angel Michael offers the souls of the righteous — not animals — to Hashem. In general, each offering communicates that we owe our lives to the Creator and that we therefore dedicate ourselves to His service. Hashem responds by bestowing additional bounty upon His world, and upon us in particular, so that we may better know the extent of His greatness and kindness and so that we may increase our praise and service of Him and merit greater eternal pleasure.

Aside from this, our daily offerings in which we dedicated ourselves to Hashem are a form of repentance, and Hashem responds to them by forgiving us for our sins. The morning offering atones for sins of the evening, and the afternoon offering atones for sins during the day. Thus, we offer a keves, related to the word kevisah, “laundering,” for it cleanses our souls from the stains of our sins. We bring an animal in its first year because it renews us and makes us as pure as a baby (Pesikta Rabbasi §16).

Having clarified that the offerings are essentially vehicles that express the feelings of our hearts, we may suggest a new interpretation of Hashem’s words to Moshe, “I am not asking them to bring Me offerings according to Myability, but rather only according to their ability.” Hashem says that He does not demand us to serve according to “His ability,” that is, what He deserves — absolute perfection. This high degree, as Moshe correctly pointed out, would require more offerings than are contained in this limited world! Instead, He demands only that we serve Him according to our limited ability — but with all of our limited ability! Thus, we bring only a single lamb, but one which is the best of the flock (Yoma 34b) and without any blemish. We cannot possibly bring infinite animals every day as Hashem truly deserves, but by bringing the Tamid offering every single day, on and on and on, we communicate a limitless and perfect worship of the limitless and perfect Hashem.

This idea is relevant to us even today, for although we do not have the privilege of bringing offerings, we have ways of expressing the messages of the offerings, and that is what Hashem wants the most. First, we have daily prayers corresponding to the daily offerings. Second, Hashem regards the study of the offerings as if bringing them. Third, the twice-daily Shema corresponds to the twice-daily Tamid offering. The Midrash compares this to a son who would prepare meals for his father twice daily. One day, the father realized that the son could no longer afford the meals. He told him, “I give lectures in the Beis Kneses twice a day. Come and hear those two lectures and it will give me as much pleasure as the two daily meals you have offered me until now.” (Eileh HaDevarim pg. 5; cited in Torah Shleimah). In other words, although we cannot connect to Hashem in the most intimate way through the daily offerings, we can relate to him in a comparable way simply by reciting the Shema.Reciting the Shema is like hearing a lecture from Hashem because we thereby express our dedication to Hashem, which is the primary message of the offerings. We should view the twice-daily recital of Shema as an opportunity to unite lovingly with Hashem, thereby bringing much blessing into our lives.

Whenever we serve Hashem, we should remember that He is well aware of our limitations. He does not expect perfection from us, but He does expect us to serve him to the best of our limited ability, which is perfection in human terms. He patiently waits for us to do so, for only then can we be worthy of the perfect goodness that He wishes to bestow upon us.