על החוקים לפרטיהם, ספר א מ״דOn the Special Laws, Book I 44
א׳
1[242] The command that the sacrifice should serve as a feast for the priests is due to several reasons. First, to do honour to the givers of the sacrifice, for the dignity of the guests reflects glory on their entertainers; secondly, to secure them firmly in the belief that the graciousness of God extends to those who feel remorse for their sin. For He would never have called His servitors and ministers to share the hospitality of such a table if full pardon had not been given. Thirdly, because none of the priests is permitted to perform the rites if he is not wholly sound, for the slightest blemish causes him to be thrust from office.
ב׳
2[243] In fact he encourages those who no longer tread the path of wrongdoing with the thought that their resolution to purify themselves has given them a place in the sacerdotal caste and advanced them to equal honour with the priest. For a similar reason the flesh of the sin-offering is consumed in a single day, showing that in sin we should procrastinate and be slow and dilatory in approaching it, but when the achievement of righteousness is our goal, act with speed and promptitude.
ג׳
3[244]The victims immolated in behalf of the high priest or the nation as atonement for trespassing are not dressed to serve as food but are consumed by fire on the sacred ashes, as I have said. For there is no one superior to the high priest or the nation to act as intercessor for the sinners.
ד׳
4[245] It is natural therefore that the flesh should be consumed by fire in imitation of the whole-burnt-offerings to do honour to the persons concerned, not because God’s holy judgements are given by considerations of position but because the sins of the greatly virtuous and the truly sacred are such as to be regarded as acts of righteousness if done by others.
ה׳
5[246] For as the fields where the soil is deep and rich, even if they are sometimes unproductive, bear more fruit than those where it is naturally thin and poor, so too we find in virtuous and God-loving persons that their unproductiveness of positive goodness is better than the fortuitous righteous actions of the bad whose nature does not allow them ever to act intentionally in an honest way.