Exodus 29:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

However, concerning the sheep of fulfillment, He ordained the sacrifice of the ram, thus instructing to dedicate to God the active virtue that is righteous and pleasing to Him.

In accordance with divine precepts, the priest is to utilize both the right shoulder and the set-apart shoulder in sacred rituals, ensuring that his actions are not only beneficial but also unique. He must conduct himself righteously, standing out not just among the unrighteous but also within the community of the virtuous. Just as he is elevated by the dignity of his office, so too should he elevate himself through the excellence of his character.

Scholars identify two types of offerings made to God. The first, represented by the term terumah, denotes an exaltation. According to rabbinic interpretation, this rite involved lifting a portion of the sacrifice, specifically the shoulder of the peace offering, multiple times upwards (Lev. V40; II, 32). The second type of offering is signified by the term tenufa, which our text translates as “shaking,” while it may also be rendered in other contexts as “rocking,” “swaying,” or “twirling” (to wave or waving). This rite involved the movement of another part of the sacrifice, namely the sternum, referred to as the breast of the shaking (Lev. V40; II, 34). In a unique initiation rite, the shaking is performed using the shoulder of the offering. Silvestre de Sacy, in his translation, does not differentiate between these terms and consistently translates it as “raising the offering to the Lord.” The term “tournoyer” is used by Osterwald.