(א) וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃
(1) יהוה called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying:
Why does Adonai both call and to Moses and say to Moses? Isn't this redundant?
Rashi on Leviticus 1:1 ויקרא אל משה AND ADONAI CALLED UNTO MOSES — All oral communications of the Lord to Moses whether they are introduced by דבר or by אמר or by צו were preceded by a call (to prepare him for the forthcoming address) (cf Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 1 1-2). It is a way of expressing affection, the mode used by the ministering angels when addressing each other, as it is said (Isaiah 6:3) “And one called unto another [and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts]”. To the prophets of the nations of the world, however, God revealed himself in a manner which Scripture describes by an expression ordinarily used for denoting events of a casual character and of uncleanness, as it is said, (Numbers 23:4) “and God happened to meet (ויקר) Balaam” (the term ויקר, from the root ,קרה, is connected with מִקְרֶה which denotes “chance”, “occurrence”, and has also the meaning of “uncleanness”, by analogy with Deuteronomy 23:11: לא יהיה טהור מקרה לילה) (cf. Bereishit Rabbah 52:5).
Rashi on Leviticus 1:1:2
ויקרא אל משה AND HE CALLED UNTO MOSES — This implies that the Voice went on and reached his (Moses’) ears only but all the other Israelites did not hear it. One might think that for the subsections there was also such a call! It, however, states, “[And Adonai called unto Moses] and spake (וידבר) [to him]”, thus intimating that a דבור, a complete section was preceded by a call, but not the subsections. And what purpose did these subsections of directions serve (i. e., why are the larger sections broken up into smaller ones)? To give Moses an interval for reflection between one division and another and between one subject and another — something which is all the more necessary for an ordinary man receiving instruction from an ordinary man (Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Nedavah, Chapter 1 9).
The verse says: “And He called unto Moses, and the Lord spoke unto him from within the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Leviticus 1:1). Why does the verse mention calling before speaking, and God did not speak to him at the outset? The Torah is teaching etiquette: A person should not say anything to another unless he calls him first. This supports the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina, as Rabbi Ḥanina said: A person should not say anything to another unless he calls him first. With regard to the term concluding the verse: “Saying,” Rabbi Musya, grandson of Rabbi Masya, said in the name of Rabbi Musya the Great: From where is it derived with regard to one who tells another some matter, that it is incumbent upon the latter not to say it to others until the former explicitly says to him: Go and tell others? As it is stated: “And the Lord spoke to him from within the Tent of Meeting, saying [lemor].” Lemor is a contraction of lo emor, meaning: Do not say. One must be given permission before transmitting information.
(2) Speak to the Israelite people, and say to them: When any of you presents an offering of cattle to יהוה: You shall choose your offering from the herd or from the flock. (3) If your*your offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you shall make your offering a male without blemish. You shall bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, for acceptance in your behalf before יהוה. (4) You shall lay a hand upon the head of the burnt offering, that it may be acceptable in your behalf, in expiation for you. (5) The bull shall be slaughtered before יהוה; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall offer the blood, dashing the blood against all sides of the altar which is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. (6) The burnt offering shall be flayed and cut up into sections. (7) The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and lay out wood upon the fire; (8) and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay out the sections, with the head and the suet, on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar. (9) Its entrails and legs shall be washed with water, and the priest shall turn the whole into smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to יהוה.
God is God--all powerful, all present, all knowing. God doesn't need anything in order to function. What, then, is the purpose of bringing sacrifices to God?
(5) BEFORE ADONAI. He shall offer it willingly, not by coercion.
Midrash Aggadah, Terumah (p.170)
Why did they want the entire ritual of the Tabernacle? The people said to the Holy and Blessd One 'Master of the universe, the sovereigns of all the nations have a tent, a table, a menorah, incense offereings. Every king has need for those rituals in his kingdom. You are our Sovereign, our Redeemer, our Savior - should You not have all these rituals of kingship so that all the nations of the world will know that You are our Sovereign?' The Holy and Blessed One replied: 'They who are flesh and blood need all this, but I do not need it. I have no need for food or drink and I do not require any light. My servants can testify to that; the sun and moon which illumine the whole earth-they get their light from Me." However the people continued to entreat Him, so God finally said to them 'My children, if you feel this way, then do as you please, but you must do it only in accordance with My instructions. Build Me as house, as it is written, "and they shall make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8)-also a menorah, a table and an altar on which to offer incense."
וונאמר בשור הגס (ויקרא א, ט) אשה ריח ניחוח ובעוף הדק (ויקרא א, ט) אשה ריח ניחוח ובמנחה (ויקרא ב, ב) אשה ריח ניחוח לומר לך אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט ובלבד שיכוין את לבו לשמים ושמא תאמר לאכילה הוא צריך תלמוד לאמר (תהלים נ, יב) אם ארעב לא אומר לך כי לי תבל ומלואה ונאמר (תהלים נ, י) כי לי כל חיתו יער בהמות בהררי אלף ידעתי כל עוף הרים וזיז שדי עמדי האוכל בשר אבירים ודם עתודים אשתה לא אמרתי אליכם זבחו כדי שתאמר אעשה רצונו ויעשה רצוני לא לרצוני אתם זובחים אלא לרצונכם אתם זובחים שנאמר (ויקרא יט, ה) לרצונכם תזבחהו דבר אחר לרצונכם תזבחהו לרצונכם זבחו לדעתכם זבחו
Furthermore, it is said of a large ox, ‘An offering made by fire of a sweet savour’; of a small bird, ‘An offering made by fire of a sweet savour’; and of a meal-offering, ‘An offering made by fire of a sweet savour’: to teach you that it is the same whether one offers much or little, so long as he directs his heart to heaven. And lest you say, God needs it for food, the text therefore states (Psalms 50:12), If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine and the fullness thereof. And it also says (Psalms 50:10), For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? I did not tell you to sacrifice so that you should say, I will do God's will that God will do my will. You do not sacrifice for My sake, but for your own sakes, as it is written (Lev. 19:5), At your will shall you sacrifice it.
Another interpretation is: ‘At your will shall you sacrifice it.’: sacrifice it of your own free will, sacrifice it with the proper intention.
(ג) ניחוח. נחת רוח לפני, שאמרתי ונעשה רצוני:
(3) Pleasing: "It pleases Me because I commanded it and My will was done.
This Rashi comment makes me think that God has an ego and enjoys people following God's directions. This is part of why God wants sacrifices. What do you think?
(א) וירח... וחלילה חלילה להיות השם מריח ולא אוכל. כי כן כתוב אשר חלב זבחימו יאכלו. רק הטעם שקבל העולה וישרה לפניו כאדם שמריח ריח טוב והוא ערב
Far be it that the Almighty should smell or eat. For, it is also written (Deuteronomy 32:38): Who ate the fat of their offerings? Rather, the meaning of this is that God accepts the offering (and the offerer) as a person who smells a sweet odor. as a sweet odor is to a human being."
Heavenly Torah, Abraham Joshua Heschel, as translated by Rabbi Gordon Tucker, pg. 86
The basic difference in attitude to the sacrifical system may be summarized thus:
In the school of Rabbi Ishamel the view was, "Not for my sake do you offer sacrifices, but for your sakes, to satisfy your needs. For My part, I am pleased that having given you the commandment, you fulfill My will, and I shall reward you."
In the school of Rabbi Akiva, the view was, "I desire nothing else but the sacrifices. Their sweet savor brings delight to Me."
Or, maybe God wants to experience pleasure? What do you think?