ירמיהו, פרק ז׳, פסוק כ״א

Religious rituals hold no value when they serve as a mask for immoral behavior. The prophetic rebuke shatters the illusion that bringing animal offerings can ever replace true repentance and ethical conduct. God addresses the people with biting sarcasm, forcing them to confront the utter pointlessness of their hollow actions.

In the Temple service, burnt offerings are meant to be entirely consumed by fire for heaven, with no human partaking of the meat. In contrast, peace offerings are largely eaten by the people bringing them as part of a communal feast. The primary approach among commentators is that God mockingly suggests the people take their sacred burnt offerings, which they mistakenly believe He desires, and simply add them to their festive peace offerings [מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ]. Since their offerings are already rejected, God tells them there is no reason to burn the meat for nothing. They might as well eat it all themselves and fill their bellies [רש״י, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, this call is viewed as a demand to completely cease and abolish the bringing of offerings altogether [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, this is not a literal instruction, but an expression of divine despair. God is effectively saying that no matter what they do, their actions will not help them [רד״ק].

A fascinating detail emerges from the types of offerings chosen for this rebuke. Sin and guilt offerings are notably absent. Only burnt and peace offerings are present, representing the absolute highest and lowest levels of sacrificial holiness [אברבנאל]. The people sinned intentionally and refused to admit their wrongdoing, falsely claiming innocence. Because offerings only provide atonement when accompanied by confession, humility, and a sincere return to God, the people completely avoided bringing sin offerings. Instead, they brought burnt and peace offerings merely to maintain an outward appearance of worship while thoroughly enjoying the meat. Furthermore, burnt offerings are designed to atone for sinful thoughts. Since the people refused to confess their actual wicked deeds, they certainly lacked any humility regarding their thoughts, rendering their burnt offerings entirely worthless [רד״ק, חומת אנך].

At the core of this rebuke is the understanding that God's original intention during the Exodus was never to command a system of sacrifices. His true demand was for the people to listen to His voice, follow His ways, and accept the Torah [צאינה וראינה, חומת אנך]. The initial commandments given to the Israelites focused entirely on faith and justice, not on altar rituals. The sacrificial system was only introduced later, following the sin of the Golden Calf, serving as a spiritual medicine for their stubborn and wicked hearts. Therefore, when the people stubbornly cling to their evil ways and strip the offerings of their true purpose, which is repentance and a humbled heart, the entire sacrificial system loses its meaning completely [אברבנאל].