447. It Goes Up, Not In: The prohibition against eating burnt offerings

Over the past few mitzvos, we've said that kodshim kalim could not be eaten outside Jerusalem and that sin offerings and guilt offerings could not be eaten outside the Temple. Our current mitzvah tells us that a korban olah, a burnt offering, couldn't be eaten anywhere, period.

The reason for this is plain enough: a burnt offering is called a burnt offering for a reason, namely because it is meant to be wholly burnt. If one were to eat from it, it wouldn't be wholly burnt, now would it? That would certainly detract from the proper fulfillment of this particular sacrifice!

This mitzvah applies when the Temple service is in effect. It is discussed in the Talmud in tractate Makkos (17a-18b). It is codified in the Mishneh Torah in the seventh chapter of Hilchos Maaseh HaKorbanos. This mitzvah is #146 of the 365 negative mitzvos in the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos.