Lev 1:17 | TNotes | STEP | 1:17 tear ... without tearing it apart: Cutting larger animals into pieces (1:6 , 12 ) probably reflects the ancient rite of covenant-making, in which the participant passed between the two halves of a sacrificed animal (see Gen 15:10 ). Because of their small size, birds were not cut in half. If it was necessary to pass between them, they were arranged in pairs.

dGen 15:10►

‏ Leviticus 1:17

1:17 ^a tear ... without tearing it apart: Cutting larger animals into pieces (1:6 ^b, 12 ^c) probably reflects the ancient rite of covenant-making, in which the participant passed between the two halves of a sacrificed animal (see Gen 15:10 ^d). Because of their small size, birds were not cut in half. If it was necessary to pass between them, they were arranged in pairs.