יחזקאל, פרק מ״ו, פסוק ו׳

Ezekiel’s prophetic vision of the future Temple sacrifices presents a striking challenge, as the details appear to directly contradict the established laws of the Torah. While the original law requires two bulls and seven sheep to be offered on the New Moon, the prophetic vision commands the offering of only one bull and six sheep. Historically, these discrepancies were so severe that the early Sages considered hiding the entire book of Ezekiel, fearing it undermined the Torah. Ultimately, Hananiah ben Hezekiah managed to resolve these contradictions, though some of his explanations were lost over time and await the future arrival of Elijah the Prophet [מנחת שי].

To bridge the gap between the original laws and the prophetic vision, the primary approach among commentators explains that the established laws are not being canceled. Rather, the prophet is providing instructions for a situation where the ideal requirements cannot be met. If two bulls are unavailable, one may be brought, and if seven sheep cannot be found, six are acceptable. Specifying the number six teaches a broader principle: one must always strive to offer an amount as close as possible to the original requirement [רד״ק]. Offering a completely different perspective, [אברבנאל] suggests that these instructions do not refer to the standard New Moon offerings at all. Instead, they describe a unique, supplementary set of sacrifices designated exclusively for the inauguration days of the future Third Temple. Alongside these animals, offerings of fine flour and oil will also be brought, scaled to the individual's financial ability [צאינה וראינה].

A subtle nuance arises in the prophetic instructions when a singular bull is described with a plural term indicating that it must be completely unblemished. Some commentators understand this simply as a general reference to all the bulls that will be offered across all future New Moons, or as a standard descriptive term [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מנחת שי]. Others, however, derive specific legal guidelines from this plural phrasing. They suggest it serves as a reminder that if two bulls are indeed available, both must be brought, exactly as the Torah originally commanded. Another unique interpretation is that the plural form introduces a new requirement, demanding that both the bull and its mother must be entirely free of physical defects [רד״ק, מנחת שי]. Finally, the concluding phrasing of the instructions emphasizes that all the mentioned animals are strictly interdependent. They must all be present together to achieve the complete perfection of the sacrifice [רד״ק].