עזרא, פרק ו׳, פסוק י״ז

The dedication of the Second Temple was marked by a grand celebration, featuring a diverse array of animal offerings. The people brought bulls, rams, and sheep for the occasion, alongside male goats designated specifically as sin offerings [רס״ג].

A total of twelve goats were offered to represent the entire nation of Israel. Although the era of the Return to Zion was defined primarily by returnees from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, these twelve offerings were brought to symbolize and include all the historical tribes of the nation [מצודת דוד].

The inclusion of these specific sin offerings presents a unique legal situation. Under regular circumstances, a sin offering cannot be brought simply as a voluntary gift. Furthermore, the practice of bringing communal goats as sin offerings is strictly limited to predetermined times and cases. Because of these restrictions, the commentators agree that the sacrifices brought for the Temple dedication did not follow standard rules. Rather, this was a temporary, exceptional directive established by the prophets specifically to honor the monumental event [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].