ficial animals in order to exclude other ways of killing,
whereby idolaters sacrificed animals to idols. Or again, as Rabbi
Moses says (Doct. Perplex. iii), "the Law chose that manner of
slaying which was least painful to the slain animal." This excluded
cruelty on the part of the offerers, and any mangling of the animals
slain.

Reply Obj. 7: It is because unclean animals are wont to be held in
contempt among men, that it was forbidden to offer them in sacrifice
to God: and for this reason too they were forbidden (Deut. 23:18) to
offer "the hire of a strumpet or the price of a dog in the house of
. . . God." For the same reason they did not offer animals before the
seventh day, because such were abortive as it were, the flesh being
not yet firm on account of its exceeding softness.

Reply Obj. 8: There were three kinds of sacrifices. There was one in
which the victim was entirely consumed by fire: this was called "a
holocaust, i.e. all burnt." For this kind of sacrifice was offered to
God specially to show reverence to His majesty, and love of His
goodness: and typified the state of perfection as regards the
fulfilment of the counsels. Wherefore the whole was burnt up: so that
as the whole animal by being dissolved into vapor soared aloft, so it
might denote that the whole man, and whatever belongs to him, are
subject to the authority of God, and should be offered to Him.

Another sacrifice was the "sin-offering," which was offered to God on
account of man's need for the forgiveness of sin: and this typifies
the state of penitents in satisfying for sins. It was divided into
two parts: for one part was burnt; while the other was granted to the
use of the priests to signify that remission of sins is granted by
God through the ministry of His priests. When, however, this
sacrifice was offered for the sins of the whole people, or specially
for the sin of the priest, the whole victim was burnt up. For it was
not fitting that the priests should have the use of that which was
offered for their own sins, to signify that nothing sinful should
remain in them. Moreover, this would not be satisfaction for sin: for
if the offering were granted to the use of those for whose sins it
was offered, it would seem to be the same as if it had not been
offered.

The third kind of sacrifice was called the "peace-offering," which
was offered to God, either in thanksgiving, or for the welfare and
prosperity of the offerers, in acknowledgm