Definition: And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

Explanation: Okay, let's break down this verse from Leviticus 16:19. It’s a pretty strange and symbolic part of Jewish tradition! Here’s what it means in simple terms: The Core Idea: This verse describes a ritual purification process for animals sacrificed in the Temple in Jerusalem. It's about making an animal pure and acceptable to God. Let's unpack it piece by piece: “And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger…” – This is the key action. It means a priest, using a special container (a "scapegoat" - think of it like a sacrificial lamb), would apply a drop of blood to the animal’s forehead. This blood is seen as a symbolic act of washing away any impurity. “…with his finger seven times…” – This is where it gets interesting. The priest would repeat this action seven times. The repetition emphasizes the complete and thorough cleansing. “…and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” – “Cleanse” means to make something pure again. “Hallow” means to sanctify or make holy. So, this phrase means the priest was meticulously removing any traces of dirt, sin, or impurity from the animal. He was making it acceptable to God once more. What’s the Purpose? This ritual was a way for Jewish people to show that they were purified and aligned with God's will. It was about acknowledging that humans are imperfect and need a cleansing before being accepted into the divine presence. Important Note: This practice is incredibly symbolic and not meant to be literally performed today. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of ritual purity and obedience to religious laws. --- Do you want me to: Explain why this verse was important in Jewish history? Talk about its connection to other biblical stories (like the story of Cain and Abel)? Give you a bit more context about the animal sacrifices themselves?