ישעיהו, פרק מ״ג, פסוק כ״ג

A divine rebuke to the Israelites reveals a deep misconception regarding the nature of sacrifices. God clarifies that His spiritual demands were never meant to satisfy a divine need, nor were they designed to exhaust or burden the people with heavy labor. The historical backdrop of this critique is viewed through different lenses. It may reflect the era of King Ahaz, who bolted the Temple doors and entirely abolished the sacrificial service [מצודת דוד, רד״ק], or the period of the Babylonian exile, when the people were physically prevented from bringing offerings [אבן עזרא]. Alternatively, it describes a time when the Israelites did bring sacrifices, but tragically dedicated them to idols rather than to God [רש״י].

At the heart of the rebuke is the mistaken belief that offerings are brought for God's personal use. God derives no physical pleasure or benefit from these gifts, not even from those entirely consumed on the altar [מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ, אדרת אליהו]. Instead, the ultimate purpose of a sacrifice is for the benefit of the sinner. It serves to atone for and purify the individual, using the physical fire of the altar to counter the spiritual fire of their negative inclinations [אהבת יהונתן]. Furthermore, God clarifies that He is not honored by the blood of animals. True honor is granted to Him by the souls of the righteous, who actively draw the light of the Divine Presence into the world [אהבת יהונתן].

God emphasizes that He never imposed demanding labor or continuous, exhausting effort beyond human limits [מלבי״ם]. This is clearly seen in the meal offering, a simple, inexpensive, and voluntary gift consisting of a mere handful of flour [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. To ensure that even the poorest individuals are not weighed down, the required measure is equal to just one day's worth of food, a minor expense that any person can easily bear [אהבת יהונתן]. Moreover, God did not burden the common person with the actual labor of the offering, but rather delegated the physical work to the priest, who serves as an agent [אדרת אליהו]. Because the basic offering requires so little effort, the simple addition of frankincense, a pure spice, certainly does not cause any fatigue [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא].

From another perspective, the idea of exhaustion is entirely misplaced for a very practical reason. Since the people had already abandoned the Temple service and stopped bringing offerings, God could not possibly be the source of their weariness, as they were simply not serving Him at all [רד״ק, שד״ל].