Today we ask the database query: What communal sin offerings are connected with an Ox The query uncovers 5 examples. An examination of these examples justifies the Rashi assertion that Only the Idolatry sin offering uses an ox for an up offering.

The table below presents results of the query along with illustrations of Rashi's comment.

Advanced Rashi: The offerings brought on occasions of sin sometimes involve both sin and up offerings. As can be seen, and as Rashi / Sifra /Sifray state: Among communal sin offerings the idolatry sin offering is the only occasion when the ox is used for an up offering. In the other sin offerings the ox is used for the sin offering.

We however have expanded the database inquiry to include all communal offerings involving a sin offering. The slight expansion includes a) the Omer offering and b) the Temple consecration offerings. These offerings while not primarily sin offerings do involve sin offerings. The broader class allows a more thorough analysis.

In fact three offerings - idolatry sin offering, Temple consecration offerings, omer offering - involve an ox for an up offering and a goat for a sin offering. These three offerings deal with Jewish leadership in the world: a) Judaism introduced the idea of lack of idolatry, b) the Prince offerings were brought at the dedication of the Temple which was a beacon of light for the whole world, c) the Omer offering, connected with the celebration of the Exodus and the receipt of the Torah also indicates Jewish leadership.

But then the symbolism of the offerings is clear: By way of background the animal brought for a sin offering symbolizes how sin is to be avoided. The animal brought for an up offering indicates how are strivings to go up to God should be focused.

We can therefore make the following distinctions. For ordinary communal sin offerings, the way the community rectifies its sin is to behave like an ox - that is, it must focus its energies on ploughing God's nation of people and caring for the community. A different analysis applies to sin offerings connected with Jewish leadership among world nations. When leading the world, the Jews must help God (up offering) to plough the human fields producing new national produce; The Jews must resist againt the sin of defection with goat-like tenacity to all tempatations to defect to other religions.

Here is still another perspective. The sin offerings - communal negligence and Yom Kippur - deal with passion sins. Hence the sin offering is an ox symbolizing that greater attention to the community must be given. By contrast the world-leadership offerings - the Omer-exodus offering, the Temple consecration offering and the idolatry offering - deal with social imitation sins. They require, to avoid sin, resisting the temptation to follow and imitate non-Jewish values.

Notice how Rashi, Sifra, Sifray, dealt with one problem while we have broadened it and obtained a slightly broader perspective. This is typical to the approach that should be used when dealing with the database methods.